Page 32 of Destroyed

She swats at him.

“We will figure this all out, Little Mouse, so don’t worry.”

Riley goes quiet and I’m grateful for the moment to think. I haven’t yet started digesting what the events of last night mean for Xavier and I. We park in the city near my place, and Riley suggests we stop for lunch to talk through the weekend.

After we get seated and order our drinks, I look at the two expectant people across from me.

“So?” Riley asks. “Aside from the monumental finding this morning… How was the rest of the weekend?”

I roll my eyes. “Can I at least sip my bloody mary before we get into this?”

She smiles and nods, waiting patiently for the server to return.

He arrives soon and hands me my red drink, brimming with celery and olives, and I take a long sip from my straw. I feel like shit.

“So,” I start, “the weekend was full of ups and downs.”

“Like going down?” Sebastian asks.

“Okay. Why are you here again?” I ask him, raising an eyebrow and smirking.

“C’mon, I want the details!” Riley practically squeals, and she winks at me, saying “You know Sebastian will just ask me anyways.”

I nod. “Yes, I agree you’re both despicable.” Then I smile, liking the way they’re so invested in this story between Xavier and me. “We had a nice time, but only after we both had a lot to drink. It was like before that I was working with a shell, trying to get him to remember some part of our old life.”

Riley looks sad, which makes me feel bad. “We had fun,” I say then. And smile. “Let’s just say he hasn’t forgotten how to do things in bed.”

Riley claps her hands and shoves her shoulder into Sebastian. “See, I told you that it would work.”

I laugh then. Of course, there was more to this weekend than I thought. Riley was making a play to get us back together.

“I just don’t know how long I want to hang in this in between, where he sort of remembers me but also cringes from my touch. It’s fucking exhausting. You know?” I look at them and Sebastian nods. He does know, as his best friend is also kind of missing right now.

“Let’s assume he’ll recover his memory fully,” Sebastian says. He looks at Riley, and then at me. “And trust me, the guys and I will not let any of the Lockharts anywhere near you two. Ever.”

I nod, uncertain now that Sebastian can keep that promise. Then I take a long, comforting gulp of my drink. It’s going to be a long day.

Chapter 26

Xavier

I pull up to the white colonial-style home and around the circular drive right up to the base of the steps. My father isn't home so I won’t have to hear him bitch about it. He despises when I pull right up in front of the house. He says it makes me look like I’m trying to be some sort of royalty. I don’t point out that if I were royalty, I would have a driver all the time.

Not that I can’t afford a driver. I have more money than would ever be needed in this lifetime or the next, I just prefer to drive myself around. Could be PTSD from the now two car accidents I have been in but who the fuck knows.

I skip the steps and the front door altogether and choose to walk around the side of the house. I know exactly where my mother is, where she always is on a beautiful day. I round the corner to see she’s down on her knees, gloves on, and looks to be pruning or picking something green in her garden.

“Xavier!” She exclaims, standing up and attempting to wipe her gloves on her pants before wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace. “What a pleasant surprise. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming over?”

“I didn’t want you to fret and prepare some elaborate lunch. Anyway, can’t a guy just visit his mom and surprise her every once in a while?”

She huffs before sinking back down next to her garden. Clearly she’s still angry over me cancelling dinner again.

“If you're going to be here, I might as well put you to work,” she says and slaps some gloves against my chest as I crouch down next to her. I laugh and pick a small cherry tomato off before plopping it into my mouth. The sour taste explodes in my mouth, making me grimace.

“That's what you get for picking it before it is ready,” she laughs, looking over at me. “What are you really here for Xavier? Is everything okay?”

I sit down entirely in the grass, getting comfortable, and blow out a breath. My fingers twine around a blade of grass, and I pull it out and fiddle with it. She’s still staring at me, patient as ever.

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