Page 102 of Rival
Her insistence on calling us boys actually makes me smile, and I look down at my lap to hide it.
“Have you heard from her? We just wanted to check in and make sure she’s doin’ good. Is the baby healthy?”
Leaning back in her chair, she folds her hands in her lap. “I have heard from her. She’s doing the best she can.”
“What does that mean?” I blurt out, pleading with her to give us more.
“Itmeansshe’s doing the best she can. I won’t tell you more, other than she’s healthy, recovered, and working through the damage to her mental health her father, and all ofyou, wrought on her.” Eyeing us critically, she adds, “The baby is also doing well.”
If I didn’t think we were a unit before, the way we all deflate in relief would make it quite obvious we were. Ruth’s brow lifts as she studies us, then asks, “Anything else?”
“Will you tell her we miss her?” Griffin asks, and the way Ruth snorts is enough to know she couldn’t give a rat’s ass how we’re feeling.
Shaking her head slowly, she says, “I absolutely willnottell her that. You all can wait until she comes home.”
“When will that be?” Mason’s question comes out gruff, filled with longing, and I don’t blame him. I want to know the same.
Her eyes narrow on him. Slowly, like he’s stupid, she says, “Whenhe’staken care of. Not a moment before.”
I knowhemeans Edith’s father and we’ve all been driving the police up the wall with our almost daily phone calls, asking for updates. Thankfully, Clayborn hasn’t said a word about Griffin’s weekly visits, even when Mason and I accompany him from time to time. We’ve been doling out our own revenge on him for the trauma he’s inflicted for years on Edith.
“Do you know where she is?” I ask, and when Ruth shoots a glare in my direction, I clarify. “I’m not asking you to tell us. I just want to know ifyouknow where she is. Have you seen her or only talked to her?”
“I won’t share that. But I have been speaking with her. She’s getting the assistance she needs right now, so I think you all need to be satisfied with that.” Ruth stands indicating it’s time for us to leave, so we all rise with her.
“Thanks, Mrs. Danielson. As always, you’re a ray of sunshine,” Griffin says, then walks toward her and plants another kiss on her other cheek.
Smacking him, she turns away, but I catch the slight twitch of a smile trying to emerge from her stony demeanor that’s always present when we’re around. “Off you all go. Call next time you think you’ll want to come visiting.”
“Yes, ma’am,” both Mason and I say under our breaths, then I thank her for her time.
Seeing us out, the door snicks shut, and I follow the guys to Mason’s truck. Griffin gets into the passenger side and before I get the chance to climb in, he shuts the door in my face.
Lowering the window, he hangs his head out with his arms resting on the sill. “As much as we’dloveto give you a ride back, I think it’d do you some good to take a walk and think about your actions.”
Mason snorts, then a laugh bubbles out until he’s actually laughing his ass off.
With a wide grin, Griffin rolls up his window, but not before I hear him add, “Enjoy your walk. It’s a beautiful evening,” with a salute to say goodbye.
Gunning the engine, Mason peels out from Ruth’s drive and I wave off the cloud of dust they leave me alone with. I want to be irritated, but honestly, it’s well deserved.
So, I begin my trek back to my office a good three miles away, refusing to call anyone to pick me up.
Chapter Forty-Five
Mason
“You got horses in the show this weekend?” I ask Jaxon, taking a bite of my burger.
He shrugs and shoves a fry in his mouth. “A couple of them. My parents are going to be there, so I don’t have to go. Not that I don’t want to, but I have a few jobs we need to wrap up this weekend.”
Nodding, I take a sip of my beer and glance around the diner as I casually take another bite. If you’d have told me five months ago I’d be sitting down for a meal with Jaxon Thorton, I’d have told you to go jump off a bridge, but here we are.
After beating the shit out of him a few times, we’ve formed a truce of sorts, maybe even a friendship. Ruth and her husband have sat down with all of us individually, as well as a group, to work through our issues. Jaxon’s main one being to let go of his past and realizing that thesinneris the only one responsible for their actions. Basically, Clayborn’s sins don’t belong to Edith. He also received some grief counseling for his sister, which, to be honest, was hard to hear when he detailed the events from the night they lost her.
Griffin, according to Ruth, needs to let people see who he really is. Not always present himself as shallow or, frankly, as an idiot. Trust his gut to know what’s right and to allow his relationships to develop. Not assuming he knows everything without having a conversation. Communication being key and all that.
And fuck if they didn’t hit me with some truths I didn’t want to face. Letting go of grudges is a huge thing for me, apparently. Although, I still say my hatred of the Hughes family is well founded, Edith excluded. I apparently also have anger issues and come off as a real dick. That’s a fair assessment which I’m trying my damnedest to correct. If you ask me to do a group hug with these fuckers, I’m going to tell you to fuck right off, but diving into how I treated Edith and what was between us opened my eyes quite a bit. I’ve got some pretty deep feelings for her and I’m anxious to let her know she’s gotten under my skin. I just need to let her in.
