I looked from one woman to the other. “What is going on here?”

Mother shook her head. “Hasn’t Jessica sent you any messages today?”

“No, I don’t think so.” I hadn’t checked my phone. Once I arrived at the office, I was too wrapped up in dealing with the miscommunication from not being available the day before. I adjusted my case and pulled my phone out. There were several messages.

I scrolled through them. At a glance, it looked as if Jessica was giving me updates of their day.

I hit one at random.Room 103, remember to bring your swimsuit.

I glanced up at my mother, my brow furrowed in confusion.

“See?” she asked.

I scrolled back to the very first message Jessica sent me that morning. I’m taking your son and running away. Clara is being particularly mean this morning. She is yelling and playing victim and threatening me. I got a room at the Valley Verge Hotel. Max and I are going swimming. I’ll keep you posted.

I looked up and narrowed my gaze on Clara. “You care to explain yourself?”

She pursed her lips and blinked several times. “I don’t think I like your tone.”

I closed my eyes and silently counted. I let out a deep breath before opening my eyes and leveling a glare on the woman. “Your position here is secure as long as my mother likes you, but you are skating on thin ice with me. You can explain everything to me in a calm manner in front of my mother.”

Clara stiffened up. “Your son was causing problems this morning and I defended your mother. That Jessica?—”

“Clara,” Mother started, “You need to excuse yourself for a moment.”

I stood in silence as I waited for her to leave the room. Not that her lack of presence made a difference. I knew she was standingon the other side of the door listening in. How else did she know about Jessica and me?

“What’s going on here, Mother?” I asked as calmly as I could manage. “I’ve had a difficult day, and I come home to Clara’s histrionics.”

“She’s only trying to protect me.”

“She’s causing problems, and I do not appreciate her telling me that Jessica kidnapped Max. She is out of control. The only reason I don’t fire her is you that keep insisting that I don’t. Why are Jessica and Max staying at a hotel?” I crossed my arms and looked down at my mother.

Mother let out a shaky sigh. “Max tried to play catch with me. I didn’t catch the toy very well and it hit me in the eye. Clara reacted. You know her default is to clear everyone away from me, give me my space. It didn’t go over very well. Jessica, I believe, is as fierce a defender of Max as Clara is of me. They butted heads a bit. Jessica decided it was best to leave. That’s all there really is to it.”

That was not all there was to it. After all, if that’s all it had been, there was no reason for Clara to cry foul and accuse Jessica of running off with Max.

“Would you please speak to Clara? She needs to reclaim her focus and cut out the dramatics. I know you like her. She treats you well, but she treats everyone else excessively. And not in a good way. There are other nurses out there,” I said.

“Please,” Mother pleaded. “You can’t take Clara away from me.”

“I’d rather not, and you know that. But she is being ridiculous.”

“I’ll speak with her,” she said.

“Good.” I leaned down and kissed Mother on the cheek.. “I’m going to pack a few items and join Jessica at the hotel. I think an evening poolside might be a good idea.”

“You have a nice time, dear. And tell Max his Nana misses him.”

She could tell him herself when we came back. Clara was nowhere to be seen when I left my mother’s room.

In my room, I tossed a few items into a bag. I looked at the earrings I planned on giving to Jessica and decided to leave them at home. It was too easy to lose things at hotels, and these were important. At least the meaning behind them was, and it would be a shame if the first significant gift I gave her got lost.

The drive to the hotel wasn’t going to take very long, and if I knew my son, he wasn’t going to want to get out of the pool for dinner. I drove out of my way to the locally owned pizza place, the good one with the brick oven and wood fired pizza.

I didn’t know if Jessica had plans for dinner, but the point was to surprise them. By the time I arrived, the surprise was on me.

Ryan Carmichael was there. He towered over Jessica with his arms crossed. She stood by the edge of the pool, gesticulating wildly. I didn’t see Max.