Page 115 of Easy Steal

He nodded.

“You have the option, Liv. Whenever you’re ready.”

The thing I had been searching for.

“How?” I managed.

He shrugged, “Toni owed me a favour.”

My mother’s phone number.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and folded it neatly and slipped it into my backpack. Months ago, after everything went down, Sam had told me that he had information on her. It wasn’t a lot to go off, but it was something.

He tried. For me.

That had meant enough.

I had tried not to get my hopes up, knowing that a general location didn’t help much.

But here it was.

I could contact her if I wanted to.

“I’ll have to think about it.”

He nodded.

I looked up towards the grey sea and my mind ran away with itself.

So much had changed in the span of a year.

I was finally happy.

Did I want to find my mother? Did she want to hear from me? What would she think of who I was now? Would she be proud? Would she spit at my feet? I hadn’t seen my father in months - which I was sure had something to do with Sam, but I didn’t want to ask.

But would my calling her put her in danger? Lead her to the thing she had been avoiding for all of these years?

I felt Sammy’s hand over mine, and I looked up at him.

He wore a small smile, the one that told me everything was okay - and I believed him.

He pulled my hand to his lips and kissed it gently, before returning it to my lap.

“Do you wanna go home?”

I shook my head?

“You wanna go for a swim?” he raised an eyebrow.

I smiled and looked down, and shook my head again.

He nodded, leaning over and turning the radio up.

I reached and turned it down again.

“What’s going on up here, hon?” he asked, pressing his finger to my temple.

I looked up at him and his forehead was creased, his eyes narrow with concern. one hand on my thigh and one wrapped tightly around the steering wheel. I looked at this man, and knew that he would do anything right now to make me feel better. Even if it only worked a little, even if it was the most ridiculous request in the world.

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