Page 68 of Heartbreak Hero

“You need to get a grip!” Ana grabbed hold of Carla’s arm and shook her.

Carla pulled away, dashing at her cheeks. “You don’t understand.”

“You can’t be serious about an abusive asshole, not after what Lily has gone through,” Ana said, hissing the words at Carla.

It was just like Ana to lay it all out there.

Carla pressed her lips flat. “Like I said, you don’t understand.”

“Then talk to us,” Ana said in her no-nonsense tone.

Carla hesitated, but then shook her head and walked away from them and out the door.

“What the hell is going on with her?” Ana sounded just as bewildered as Sara felt.

“I’ll keep an eye on her,” Nash told them and followed Carla out of the lounge’s front door.

This night was turning weirder by the second, but Sara couldn’t worry about Carla right now.

Friday would be the night she would rifle through Kevin’s office.

When her phone rang, Sara pulled it out of her pocket.

It was her mother. Her mom had always been an early riser, but sending a text at four o’clock in the morning was ridiculous.

Besides, how in the world had her mother gotten her new cell phone number?

Shane…Sara silently groaned.

She should have known that her brother would cave and give her mom her number. Or maybe they had been monitoring Shane’s phone, waiting for her to contact him.

The Joneses had that kind of power.

She pressed the button on the side of the phone and silenced it.

A text came through, but she didn’t open it.

It was after noon when Sara woke up.

She found Ana on the phone, talking quietly.

Slipping from the bed, Sara showered before changing into a pair of jeans and a clean cream-colored blouse.

Only then did she check her phone messages.

Her mother had sent her four messages back-to-back. It was funny or maybe tragic, but she had put her mom into her phone by her given name instead of the title of mom or mother.

Laura: There are consequences to your actions.

Laura: Answer me!

Laura: I warned you.

Laura: You have only yourself to blame.

A headache started behind her eyes and heartburn in her chest. She shouldn’t be surprised by Laura’s words. Sara clenched the phone. Growing up, she had hoped Laura would be a mother who had their kids’ backs. A mom who gave unconditional love. Or any type other than the cold, calculating person she really was.

Laura was good at presenting a perfect persona to the world. In fact, if any of her friends were asked, they would say that Laura was one of the best mothers.

---