Page 90 of The Grump I Loathe

Contracts came back signed from Pavilion Games, Darius wrote in another text.All good there.

Well, thank God for small miracles because everything was most certainly not goodhere.There were some other work-related messages. I scrolled through them frantically. There was nothing from Mom. That wasn’t a good sign. I could only imagine the meltdown X was currently navigating with her.

I knew the pattern all too well. The intense anxiety. The uncontrollable bouts of tears. The sudden mood swings from despair to anger. And finally, the drop into depression that meant she crawled into bed and wouldn’t crawl out again for days.

X would have no idea how to deal with any of that. How to talk Mom down. How to comfort her. He didn’t have the same experience I had.

“Can you go any faster?” I demanded of the driver, my nerves on edge.

He looked at me blankly in the rearview mirror.

Christ, uh…“Rapido! Rapido!”

“Ah,sì,” he said, stepping on the gas. The traffic along the city streets became a blur, and soon we were on a winding country road leading to a massive villa.

“Whoa,” Grace said as we pulled up in front of the stone structure with its white-washed walls, arched windows, and terracotta roof. Greenery twisted around every pillar.

Whoa, indeed. X had clearly spared no expense.

“I love it!” Grace said, jumping out of the car behind me.

The housekeeper, Giulia, met us in the courtyard, and I practically shoved Grace into her arms as I darted into the building in search of Mom. I hurried down long, sunlit corridors, the windows blowing in more of that too-warm air. Sweat beaded on my brow, and I pulled at my tie some more. I popped my head into the master bedroom, expecting to find Mom there, huddled under the covers.

The bed was empty and expertly made.

I doubled back, checking the master bathroom. Down another hall, I breezed through guest rooms and courtyards and a garden. I cut through a dining room, with no trace of Mom. Had she run off? Was she alone and distraught somewhere in the Italian countryside?

A peal of laughter caught my attention suddenly, and I followed it out to an airy patio with a large oblong table and several chairs, shaded by an umbrella. It looked out over an impressive vineyard.

Mom sat at the table with X, an espresso in hand and a pastry on her plate. A crossword book was laid open on the table. She leaned into X, clad in a peach sundress, her floppy hat covering her loose hair. It was the picture of ultimate relaxation, and my head almost exploded at the sight.

“Connor?” Mom said, her voice pitched with surprise. She straightened in her chair, pulling down her sunglasses to better see me.

X blinked, his entire forehead creased. And I was just confused as I snapped my jaw shut.

“Sweetheart!” Mom said, getting to her feet. She looked delighted as I crossed the patio toward her, holding her arms out for a hug. “What are you doing here?”

“What am I…” I gestured from her to X. “He said you saw…the hat?” In our world, that was a five-alarm fire that required immediate intervention. Misplaced adrenaline pulsed through me, my heart thumping too hard against my ribs.

“Oh,” X said sheepishly. “Oh no. I think this is my fault.”

Mom looked perplexed.

“You were upset,” X said a little helplessly. “I only wanted to let Connor know what happened, and to get some advice. I never intended for him to jump on a plane.”

I supposed I hadn’t exactly spelled that out when we’d spoken. I’d just told him to remove her from the environment before messaging the airport staff.

“Ah,” Mom said softly. “I see.” She reached out and squeezed X’s hand. “Can we have a moment?”

“Of course, love,” he said, getting up and kissing her forehead. “I’ll just be in the den.”

Confusion pulsed in my temples as X walked away. My world was off its axis.

“Sit?” Mom said, returning to her chair.

I did, flopping down like my limbs were boneless.

“Is Grace here?”