Page 122 of Sweet Ruin

“You wanted to buy the…” She paused and shook her head. “No, Matthew, that doesn’t make me feel better.” Mom let out an exasperated sigh, but as she looked into my father’s eyes, a little of the fight seemed to leave her. “I guess I’m going to have to get used to your impulsive purchases, aren’t I?”

Matthew shared a warm smile with my mom. “Probably.”

She sighed again and glanced up at the house once more. "It is very beautiful,” she said.

“It is.” Matthew looked a little relieved, and I wondered if he’d been gearing up for a harder battle to convince my mom to accept his lavish gift. “And it’s even better from the inside. Warm too.”

“Yes, let’s get out of the cold,” my mom agreed before she leaned into Matthew and kissed his cheek. “Thank you,” she said. “For everything.”

When we got inside, Noah was waiting for us with a massive bunch of flowers. He’d already given my mom a bouquet in the hospital, but apparently, he thought she needed some to brighten her room at home too.

“Aw, they’re so beautiful.” My mom eased herself forward so she could hug Noah.

“You probably don’t want to hug me,” he warned. “I’ve just been out running.”.

“Nonsense,” my mom replied, unfazed as she pulled him close. “This was very sweet of you, Noah.”

“It’s nothing.” He scuffed a foot across the floor. “I’m glad to see you home again, Ms. Grace.”

“Please don’t make me tell you again; call me Candice.”

“Right, sorry.” Noah flushed. “Anyway, I better jump in the shower. Do you guys need any help getting settled?”

“No, we’re good, thank you,” Matthew said.

Noah gave me a smile before he headed upstairs. I’d been coming and going from the house so much these last few days it felt like we’d barely talked. He’d been nothing but supportive, and I wondered if now that my mom was home he might consider leaving.

My mind snagged on the thought. We were due back at school in two days, so, of course, Noah would leave tomorrow. But I’d told Matthew I intended to stay behind to help my mom, which meant I’d be saying goodbye to Noah in the morning. I didn’t know when I’d see him again, and the idea left me feeling cold.

My heart might have been a confused, jumbled mess, but that didn’t make my feelings for Noah any less intense. The thought of not seeing him every day felt like a gaping void opening in my chest.

I didn’t know how to be without him, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to be in a relationship with him either. Just a week ago, I’d thought Wes was the only guy for me, and I’d clearly been wrong. I didn’t trust my own heart right now, and there was no way I was going to figure it out before Noah left tomorrow.

I silently mulled over my feelings as Matthew gave my mom a brief tour of the house. I’d expected her to want to rest after getting home from the hospital, but she refused to take it easy.

“I’ve been bedridden all week,” she said after insisting on sitting with me in the living room at the end of the tour. Noah was still in the shower, while Matthew had a few phone calls to make in the other room. It was just my mom and me, and she let out a happy sigh as she sat on the couch and looked out at the view.

She seemed remarkably at peace considering all that she’d been through, and I wished I could share just an ounce of her calmness. Ever since the fire, it felt like I hadn’t stopped, and I could feel the weight of too much emotional baggage pressing me down.

“How do you feel?” I asked her.

“I feel good,” she said. “Weak but good, all things considered.”

I didn’t want to say anything that might upset her when she seemed so happy, but now she was out of the hospital, I knew it was only a matter of time before she started asking about her café. I couldn’t keep putting the conversation off, and this might be the only chance I’d get to tell her without anyone else around. Matthew and Noah were constantly hovering these days, and I was sure Mom would prefer a little privacy to come to terms with the news.

“About the café…” I started to speak, but Mom shook her head.

“I know it’s gone,” she said. “I know our apartment was destroyed too.”

“What? How?”

“When Norma first came to visit me in the hospital, I told her to give it to me straight,” she said. “You and your father kept babying me, and all I wanted was the truth.”

My cheeks flushed as she lightly scolded me. “I didn’t want to upset you when you were recovering.”

“Oh, I know that, Iz.” She smiled kindly at me. “You were only trying to do what was best for me.”

“But how are you not a total mess about it?”

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