Page 302 of Satan's Spawn
“No regrets.” I shake my head. “It’s only forward from here, okay? For all of us.”
Potato wobbles into the room, looking as though he’s gained even more weight since I saw him last week.
“What are you feeding him?” I gasp.
“It’s this dog!” She shakes her head. “Roman insists all he wants is meat. Almost took his finger off for a piece of salami.”
Yet another Crayton memento.
Canine Diabetes.
“Well, tell Roman to lay off the salami with my Chunky Muffin. Chunky Sausage doesn’t have the same ring to it.”
“Will do, baby.” She eyes my bag. “Where ya guys going today?”
“The beach.”
After the trial finished, Crayton was given two weeks in his deal to get his affairs in order, but all of his actual affairs were left to Cillian. Aside from spending time with me.
It stung deep knowing how little time I had left with him, but Crayton was right, the alternative could've been so much worse.
And if some time in solace is what he thinks he needs to let go of his painful past, then I’ll be the future he has to look forward to when he gets out.
Good things come to those who wait.
But better things come to those who fight for what they want. And I want Crayton, forever, even if our “now” has to be spent apart.
“Remember what I said…” Mom sings. “Lower those standards.”
Been there-done that, especially when I caught sight of the rivers here. Standing with a slap to my thighs, I blow out a breath, “I’ll keep that in mind, thanks.”
Mom stands too. “Just so you know…I may not be here when you get back.”
I know Roman is stuck at the gallery, so I can’t possibly imagine who else she’d be going out with.
As much as Mom loves the city life, she hasn’t made many friends to hang with.
“You got plans? With who?” I ask with a raised brow.
“June and I are going out for drinks.” Mom wiggles her eyebrows. “Apparently she’s got some secret boyfriend she wants to spill the deets about.”
Secret boyfriend, huh.
Hendrix will love that when I tell her.
Which is exactly what Mom must be assuming because she adds, “She doesn’t want Hendrix to know just yet, baby, so maybe keep it on the hush for now.”
I don’t like it, but I understand it. Especially since I know how stubborn Hendrix can be. I’m sure her Mom will tell her who this guy is when she’s ready.
“Fine.” I cringe. “But as long as you promise to never say the word ‘deets’ ever again.”
“Good-bye, Rebecca!” she drawls, shooing me away with her hand. “Tell your convict I said ‘hello.’”
* * *
Let’sjust say Mom was not kidding when she said to lower my standards of these beaches.
The ocean in the distance looks so much darker than the turquoise waters of La Jolla, which is washing up around us as we sit and stare into the orange and pink sunset. It’s still beautiful in spite of what tomorrow looms over our heads.
