I do what I have to do to save any shred of manhood I have left. I lie.
“Who the fuck cares if she’s back? That bitch could move in next door, fuck every guy in the neighborhood except me on her porch, and I wouldn’t give a shit. I don’t care what she does or where the fuck she lives.” I grab my car keys off the hook hanging on the wall and stride past Riley out of the kitchen.
I need to get out of here. Riley likes to talk, and I’m not talking about this. Not with her.
“Hey! Where are you going?” she shouts behind me.
“Out. Lock up when you leave.”
I pull the front door shut behind me as my other hand reaches for the phone in my pocket. As I’m backing out of the driveway, the call connects.
“This better be important, dick. She’s asleep.”
I ignore the half-joking, half-I’ll-kick-your-ass tone in Luke’s voice. Any other day I’d have some smart-ass rebuttal, but my mind is too busy trying to wrap around the information that was just dumped on me.
“Wake her up,” I reply, shifting the truck into drive. “I’m on my way over.”
Beth
I OPEN MY EYES AND for the briefest moment, forget where I am.
Normal people might panic waking up in a strange room. The unknown is always frightening compared to the familiar, but I guess I’m not normal. I don’t feel anything besides a happiness I haven’t felt in a really long time, maybe ever, as I piece together why I’m in this bedroom, and not in Rocco’s.
The phone call I made yesterday to an aunt I never knew existed. The eight hour drive from Louisville to Ruxton, which left me too exhausted to do anything besides pass out face-down on this beautiful, quilted comforter.
I smile against my pillow as the memory of my arrival in Alabama plays out in my mind.
My aunt’s contained excitement, the tears in her eyes as she welcomed me into her home very early this morning. Very, very early. I think she knew I needed sleep, because she didn’t try and rope me into twenty-two years of missed conversation. I would’ve talked if she wanted it. I would’ve given her every last word to show my gratitude for what she’s giving me, but she didn’t press for it. Instead, she showed me to this delicately decorated bedroom, with light purple walls and girly accents, and then, darkness.
The unknown is always frightening compared to the familiar.
Not in this case. Not with my familiar.
A knock on the door has me sitting up, hugging my knees against my chest.
“Come in,” I call out through my hoarse morning voice, seconds before my aunt’s face peers through the small opening.
She smiles, her dark hair pinned back into a high bun. “Hey, darlin.’ I was just checking to see if you were up yet.”
I nod, shifting on the mattress. “I just woke up.” My eyes fall to the foot of the bed, where the boots I didn’t bother taking off have left a trail of dried up mud crumbles, streaking across the lavender quilt.
My heart suddenly grows too heavy in my chest.
“Oh my God. I’m so, so sorry.”
I swing my legs off the bed and stand, leaning over the quilt and gathering up the tiny pellets. The comforter isn’t stained, thank God, but that doesn’t make me feel any better.
My aunt joins my side, holding out her hand. “Here,” she says with the softest voice, taking the balls of mud from me and picking up the rest on the comforter.
I rub my hand over the quilt as she drops the dirt into the trashcan by the dresser.
“Are you hungry? I made some pancakes earlier. I’d be more than happy to heat you up some.”
I look over at the alarm clock on the dresser, noting the time.
“Or,” she continues through a small laugh. “Since it is three in the afternoon and not breakfast, I can make you a sandwich or something.”
I shake my head, smiling. “No, pancakes sound great. I love breakfast food.”
“Me too,” she replies. “I’ll see you downstairs then. Your Uncle Danny is dying to meet you. He’s been going a little stir crazy waiting for you to wake up.”
Regret churns in my gut. “Oh, I shouldn’t have slept so long. I didn’t mean to make him wait.”
She frowns, standing in the doorway. “Darlin,’ you don’t need to apologize for anything. Okay? We’re so happy you’re here. You have no idea.”
My shoulders lower a few inches as I let out a slow breath. “I’m happy I’m here too.”
“You come down when you’re ready.”
She shuts the door behind her, and I take a seat on the edge of the bed, pulling at the laces of my boots. I carry them over to the trashcan and knock off any remaining dirt, cursing myself.
I know I must’ve tracked mud into the house when I arrived.