Page 100 of False Start

I bit back a laugh. “You can put it on your nightstand, okay?”

“Okay! Bye, Kyle!”

Sebastian ran inside, and I held up a finger to let my mom know I’d be there in just a second. With one last longing look at Kyle, I leaned in for a brief kiss on his cheek.

“Two days,” I promised.

“Longest days of my life, no doubt.”

I chuckled, waving goodbye to Braden. I could see how badly Kyle wanted to take my suitcase, how much he wanted to walk me inside. But my mom was still here, and I’d asked him on the flight to give me some time to explain things to her. Sure, she knew now who I had been with, but there was so much to catch her up on, so much she didn’t know yet.

Kyle and Braden waited until I was inside the house before they drove off, and I dropped my suitcase at the door, hugging my mom quickly before telling her I was just going to put Sebastian down and I’d be back.

I could see the questions mounting in her eyes.

Sebastian took a half hour to calm down, excitedly telling me about his weekend with Nana, and also studying his new meteorite. He then transitioned into how excited he was for swim lessons that week.

After reading to him a little bit, he finally started to simmer, and he laid his head in my lap as I read one of his favorites —Grumpy Monkey.

“Mommy,” he said when we were almost done.

“Hmm?”

“Did you have a good weekend?”

I smiled, running a hand through his hair. “I did.”

“Good,” he said decidedly, curling up into me more. “You seem happier. I like when you’re happy, Momma.”

I squeezed my eyes shut but couldn’t fight against the tears I’d been warding off all night. One slid down my cheek, and I thumbed it away, shutting the book and leaning down to kiss my son’s forehead.

“Goodnight, my handsome little man.”

“Goodnight, Mommy.”

After turning on his night light, I slipped out of the room, shutting it quietly behind me and taking a moment with my back pressed against the wall in the hallway to collect myself.

It was no use, though, because as soon as I walked into the kitchen and found my mom pouring us two cups of tea, I lost it.

“Oh, sweetie,” she said, and she wrapped me up in a hug, holding me while I sobbed in her arms like I was nine again. All the emotions from the weekend won out, and in the safety of my mother’s embrace, I let myself feel them all.

Eventually, when I’d calmed, Mom sat us down at the island and nudged a steaming cup of peppermint tea toward me. I took the first sip, took a breath, and then filled her in.

I was so angry I was shaking by the time I finished telling her what Kyle had told me about his parents. And though she was doing her best to keep me calm, I could see the rage simmering in her eyes, too.

“Selfish,” she spat, shaking her head. “That man was always so selfish. He was probably worried about their reputation, about what everyone would say.”

“Didn’t he kind of already ruin that on his own that night though?”

Mom flattened her lips and gave me a sorrowed look. “You’d be surprised how many people were willing to look the other way when it came to his behavior. When you’re a partner ata prominent law firm and have your hands in the church, the school, and other charities… well…”

I closed my eyes, gripping my teacup firmly. “He didn’t know, Mom,” I choked out. “Kyle never knew. And now…”

“I know, honey. I know.” She pulled me in for another hug, and when she released me, her eyes were soft and assessing. “What happens now? I mean… I saw the way he looked at you out there, the way he held you.” She shook her head on a soft smile. “He seems just as gone for you as he was at sixteen.”

I smirked, but my chest was so tight the smile didn’t reach my eyes. “I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I had a plan, you know? Save up commissions, move Sebastian and me across the country and away from Marshall, start over new… but now?”

“Plans change, my dear,” Mom said, but she looked as worried as I felt. “Just… be sure before you make any big decisions, okay? I don’t doubt that Kyle is a good man, but he’s a professional athlete. Being in a relationship with him also means being in a relationship with the media, with theworld.”