Page 88 of Secret Puck
“We thought you might want to stay another night, head back in the morning?”
Adam nods and his expression softens. “Yeah, thanks, I appreciate it. Sorry for the family drama.”
Mav and Heath walk out. Heath’s blue eyes fixate on me.
“You guys wanna go out?” Adam asks. “I need to get away from here for a bit.”
They all agree, and I stare down into my wine.
“You coming, Little Scott?” Mav asks.
“I think I’m going to stay.”
Heath hangs back as the rest of the guys head for Adam’s Jeep. Rauthruss climbs into the driver’s side, thankfully. I know he’ll make sure they’re safe.
“Do you want me to stay?” Heath offers.
“No. I think Adam needs you more than me right now. I’m going to check on my mom.”
He squeezes my hand and drops a kiss to my forehead. “Sorry, baby doll. Text me if you need me and I’ll come back.”
I offer the biggest smile of appreciation I can, which probably isn’t that big. He jogs off, hops into the Jeep, and I watch them pull away.
I find Mom in the kitchen wiping down the counters. She stops when she sees me and offers a sad smile. “Are you okay?”
I slide onto the stool in front of her. “Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing.”
She lets out a sigh and nods. “Yeah, it’s the best thing for your dad and I, but I know that’s not easy for you and Adam to understand.”
“What happened? Is that weird to ask?”
Her smile is soft and warm, and she holds her arms out. I hop off the stool and go to her, stepping in and letting her wrap me into a reassuring embrace. “It wasn’t one big thing, honey. We grew apart and started seeing our futures differently.”
I tilt my head up to look her in the eye and she runs a hand along the back of my head like she did when I was a little girl. “I love you. Your father loves you. We’re still a family, even if it looks a little different now.”
“It’ll be weird to go back to Valley and not think of you and Dad together here.”
“I so get that. It’s taken some getting used to being here by myself.”
I glance around the kitchen wondering if she’ll even stay here in this big house without him. I’m not brave enough to ask. I can’t take another blow today.
“I promise that we’ll both still be there for you and that we won’t be those awful parents who can’t be in the same room together.”
My heart hurts imagining any scenario that looks different than what I’m used to. Everything’s changing.
“Adam’s wrecked.”
“Your brother is a romantic.”
I huff a small laugh. “Adam?”
“It’s true. He is. From the time he was old enough to talk, he’d tell everyone he wanted to be a husband when he grew up, just like his daddy.”
“I don’t remember that.”
“Middle school happened, and that’s when he decided he wanted to be a doctor, but he hasn’t changed.”
“But he goes through girlfriends faster than anyone I know.”
