Page 52 of Just Can't Fall for the Enemy

I squeezed Mom’s hand. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I whipped it out to see Jill’s name and sent her to voicemail once more as my brother made his way over to Mom, kissed her forehead, and left with his family. After the door closed, I took Ben’s chair and leaned over my mother’s bed. Her eyes hung heavy, as if even our short conversation had drained her.

“You should be resting,” I told her. “Can I do anything for you?”

“Yes. You can stop hovering now that they’re gone. They were driving me nuts. I had to feign sleep to get any peace.” She returned my hand squeeze and turned her head to look directly at me. “You can also tell me what happened to put such a sad look in your eye. Don’t lie to me.”

Mom always knew. It was one reason I’d stayed away—she had a habit of prying details of my life from my unwilling lips. But this time, I wanted to tell her everything. For the first time in years, I was ready to have a vulnerable, real conversation. That, I guessed, was the difference she saw now.

“Okay,” I agreed, “but I’ll make it quick so you can sleep.”

“Nonsense. You’ll take as long as you need.”

So I told her everything that had happened in my personal life since Olivia, all the way up through arriving in Huckleberry Creek. I slowed down then and gave Sophie the time she deserved, including details I didn’t realize I’d noticed at the time, such as how her eyes were a doe brown in the center with dark brown along the rings laced with flecks of gold that reminded me of tinsel at Christmas. As the story laid itself out between us, my mother listened intently despite her exhaustion. I almost hesitated to tell her about Olivia’s arrival and what followed, but Mom deserved no less than the truth.

When I finished, she sighed. “Well, that settles it. You need to go back to Huckleberry Creek as soon as I’m released tomorrow and get that girl back.”

“You sound like her grandmother.”

“That’s because grandmas are smart. Don’t tell me I have to talk you into this.”

I scooted my chair closer so I could hold Mom’s hand without bending over her bed. “I could use a pep talk, but I think it should wait until tomorrow so you can rest. You just had heart surgery.”

“So did you, but in a different way. Yours was more painful, I daresay. Now, hush so I can ask you a very important question. I want to know why your channel means so much to you.”

I pursed my lips. “I liked to travel and wanted to meet new people. They say to make a living doing what you love most, so I did. Turns out I’m good at it too.”

“I know why you started the channel, but I want to know why you’re still doing it. What are your reasons now? Do you still like to travel? Do you still want to meet new people and make a living doing what you love?”

Lifting my leg to rest it on the other, I gave her words the consideration they deserved. After a full minute, I spoke again. “I’m getting tired of traveling. I still like it, but I’d like it better if I had somewhere to land and take a break on occasion.”

“It’s a start. Go on.”

I looked at her thoughtfully. “I do like meeting new people, but they all seem the same after a while. At least, until Sophie. Meeting her was like jumping into a cold pool after sitting in a hot tub too long—a shock but a delightfully refreshing one.”

Her lips curved into a soft smile. “And the last question. Do you still want to make a living this way?”

My phone buzzed again. I whipped it out to find a text from Jill.Big news. Huge. Call me NOW.

I groaned. “Will you excuse me a moment? I’ll be right back.”

“This body isn’t going anywhere.”

I stepped into the hallway and called Jill back, speaking quietly so I wouldn’t disturb the other patients. “Hey. I’m at the hospital with my mom. Everything okay?”

“Not just okay. It’s great!” There was no indication of her anger from yesterday. Her voice held only excitement. “Guy saw our episode and loved it. He wants to meet with you tomorrow for dinner in New York to discuss a permanent collaboration. It worked!”

“It worked,” I repeated numbly.

“I’ve already notified Ohio that you’re rescheduling. I know you’re in LA, so I’ll arrange for a late dinner to give you enough time to get to JFK. I’ll text your travel info over as soon as I can. I’m coming too, by the way. You’re firing me, but we still have a deal and I’m not missing this.” She paused. “I assume you want to stay with your mom overnight or whatever?”

I’d intended to stay with her longer than that, but now that I knew her condition, I felt better about making this work. “A nonstop flight first thing in the morning would be ideal if you can swing it. Actually, get one for Ben too.” I needed my brother there as much as I needed the lawyer in him. He’d be irritated about the timing, of course, but hopefully Emily could hold down the fort for a couple of days in our absence. I’d pay a residence nurse if I had to.

My dream had come true . . . and I barely cared.

I stood there after we hung up, processing the news. The clock was ticking, so I called Ben to explain tomorrow’s plan. It went about as well as I expected. The arrangements took longer than I wanted, and when I stepped back into Mom’s room twenty-five minutes later, her eyes were closed. I turned down the lights and stacked a couple of pillows on the couch that wasn’t really a couch, preparing to settle in for the night.

“It’s people who matter, Tanner.”

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