Page 72 of Lose You to Find Me

Dad raises a brow at the news, distracting him from the nurse. “Who the hell would be dumb enough to rob a bank?”

“Attemptingto rob a bank,” I correct, sitting back on the couch with a grin when I catch the roll of his eyes. “Remember the Nardini kids? It was the oldest boy and one of his friends.”

He thinks about it, one of his fingers scratching at the bald patches on his skull from where his hair has fallen out. “The ones who were always getting in trouble for smoking weed in the school bathroom?”

“They’ve moved on to heavier stuff from what Owen told me.” The former police chief heard through the grapevine that the boys had heroin on them when they were brought into custody. “Anyway, Jackson Nardini confessed to a string of robberies around Lindon, hoping it would get him a better deal. Threw his friend right under the bus for it all.”

Dad huffs. “Fucking idiots.”

I nod in agreement and listen to Mom fuss around in the kitchen. Rubbing my hands down my jeans, I break the silence. “I know I already apologized, but—”

“I don’t want to hear it again,” he cuts me off, eyeing me firmly. “What’s done is done, son. You can’t go back and change it. If the cops have them, we’ll probably get some sort of payout, if not the actual items they stole back.”

I grip my knees. “I know I can’t change it, but I’ve always been careful about locking up. The leak at my apartment just had me a little absent-minded that day.”

Dad shakes his head. “It’s nothing you can’t handle. You’re tough. All Anders men are.”

Having to look away so he doesn’t see the doubt in my eyes, I reach over and scratch Frank’s head. The basset hound looks as tired as I feel.

Still, I tell Dad, “Yeah. You’re right.”

The football game playing on the screen takes up Dad’s full attention, leaving me sitting with their dog until I decide to go see if Mom needs anything.

As soon as I walk up to her, she winds an arm around my waist and squeezes me. “Hi, sweetie. Everything okay?”

I nod. “Yeah. Dad is watching the game, so I figured I’d come to see if you need help.” I reach over and grab one of the rolls she’s putting on the tray to heat up. “He’s changing.”

The statement gives Mom pause, causing her shoulders to drop a fraction. “They told us his personality would start to change.” The smile she gives me is forced. “But he’s still there. I see it.”

There’s so much pain trapped behind her eyes, and I feel horrible because I don’t know how to help her.

Mom clears her throat and goes back to spreading out the dinner rolls. “Tell me about Caleb. I feel like we never talk anymore.”

I pull apart the bread. “We talk almost every day, Mom.”

She gives me an exasperated look. “You tell me that the store is doing fine and that you’re passing your classes. Nothing personal. Do you see your friends? Do you see…other people?”

Her way of hedging for information makes me chuckle. “Subtle.”

She cracks a grin. “I thought so. So are you? You went from talking about Raine and Emma to nothing about either of them. I know your father and I weren’t exactly fans of what you were doing, but you can still talk to us about it if you need to. What happened?”

Lips twitching, I pop another piece of the roll into my mouth. “I fucked up.” I know Mom doesn’t like that kind of language, so I lift my shoulder when she gives me a narrowed look and say, “Imessedup. You guys were right. I shouldn’t have gotten involved with Emma. She’s a good person who didn’t deserve to be sucked into my issues.”

Sadness creeps onto Mom’s face, and I hate it. Her husband—the love of her life—is dying, and she pities me formylove life. “It’s true that your dad and I wished you would have waited to start seeing somebody, but we only want you to be happy. Emma seemed to take away some of the stress you were obviously going through.”

“Who says I deserve that though?” I question. “You’re going through just as much, if not more. Where is your relief from that?”

All she replies is “You.”

I blink, confusion twisting my face.

“Seeing you live your life is good enough for me, baby boy. Even if you make some mistakes along the way. Because that means…” Her voice cracks as her gaze roams to the other room where Dad and his nurse are. “That means that you’reliving.”

Clearing my throat to avoid the swarm of emotions, I offer her something that distracts her from the reality sitting in the living room. “I sold the engagement ring. Didn’t get a lot of money for it, but I’m thinking about putting it toward the store or maybe a different truck.”

When I’m greeted by silence, I have to look up at her to see if she heard me. “Does that mean things between you and Raine are over?”

Haven’t they been since graduation? To Raine, it was obviously over sooner than that. I just didn’t realize. “Things weren’t what I thought they were between us.”

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