“They broke up a week ago.”
The hope doubled and she wiped away the tears now. “How do you know that?”
“Because I walked in on them fighting.” I closed my eyes. Here I went. “His wife is here, mom.”
“What?” Her voice was so soft, so small.
I jerked my head in a nod. Every muscle in me was rigid, they felt like cement. “She moved in on Sunday. It’s why I moved home.” I took a deep breath. “She’s the caterer at the Country Club. I—uh—I asked if she’d cater one of my friends’ birthday party tomorrow night too.”
“What?”
My eyes went wide.
All the sadness, loneliness, and tears were gone from hers. They were alert and focused. She repeated, “What did you say?”
I bit my lip. “I don’t want a family dinner. I’m going to that other birthday dinner.”
“It’s your birthday, Samantha. We are celebrating your birthday.”
Oh, dear. I took another deep breath. “I don’t want one, mom. Really.”
“I don’t care.” Her voice was rock hard now. “We’re having a family dinner and that’s that. Thanks to your charade, we’ll have it on Sunday.” Her head jerked in an adamant nod. “That’s better. Yes. Yes, it is. Sunday is the day for family and worship. We’ll all go to church too.”
I paled.
Then she stood and smoothed out her dress in two brisk hand motions. Her face was clear and her hair was patted back in place. “You need to go to church. You and Mason need to start confessing all that sex the two of you have. If you won’t stop for me, maybe you’ll stop for the Lord Himself.”
“Oh my god.”
She threw over her shoulder, “And don’t take His name in vain. He’s listening, you know.”
When she disappeared down another hallway, her high heels sounded like she was marching for world domination, and I groaned. What the hell had just happened?
I heard Mason’s chuckle as he came to stand beside me and I tilted my head up. “I think my mom is bipolar. I swear.”
“Nah.” He caught my hand and hauled me to my feet. “She’s just dramatic.” Then he patted my butt. “Come on; let’s get out of here before Analise decides we should go to church now.”
When we left in his Escalade, I glanced over. “What are you doing at the house today? I thought you had a game tonight.”
He grinned. “I do, but Coach still won’t let us play. He doesn’t even want us at the warm-ups until the doctors clear us from everything. I wanted to spend some time with you.” The corner of his lip curved up. “So it’s your birthday tomorrow, huh?”
The warmth I’d felt from his words changed and I tensed under his scrutiny. Even though it was only from the corner of his eye, I felt it full force and saw his hand tighten around the steering wheel. “Yeah.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
The boulder in my stomach dropped all the way to my feet. I closed my eyes and tried not to shudder at the idea of that family event. My voice was hoarse as I rasped out, “Are you kidding me? The only good thing about my birthday is that I don’t have to live with Analise. I have a say in where I go, what I do.” I groaned. “I’m sorry. I should’ve said something, but there’s no way I could handle that dinner with David, Malinda, Garrett, his wife, and your dad with Analise? She was so gracious to want you and Logan invited, of course.” I mimicked her words and how condescending they were. “She worded it like she was doing me a favor to invite you two.”
He grinned and turned the wheel so the Escalade pulled through a fast food restaurant. As he went through the drive-thru and ordered food, I declined anything. Since the run-in with my mother all food had lost its appeal to me. When we’d gotten the food, which was given with a blush and squeal, Mason pulled forward and parked the car. We remained in the car as he ate and I couldn’t stop thinking about my mother’s plans.
“She wants us to go to church.” I groaned. “All of us? Are we all going to take up one entire pew? Can you imagine the looks we’ll get from people? She hasn’t made me go to church all my life. David took me a few times, but that was it. She always stayed home and now she goes all the time with your dad.”
Mason finished his chicken sandwich, balled up the wrapper, and tossed it with the rest of the trash in the bag. Then he leaned back and turned to watch me. His hand reached over and he tapped my knee. “We’re not going to church. Don’t worry about it.”
“What are you talking about?”
He gave me a smirk, one that sent an excited tingle through my body and one that gave me a sense of dread at the same time. “What are you planning?”
“Something that has to do with a hotel room, you and me naked, and a whole box of condoms.” He gave my knee a squeeze and turned the engine back on. As he wheeled out of the parking lot and shot down the street, he glanced at me from the corner of his eye. “What do you think I have planned?”