Page 5 of Restorations

I know that’s not completely fair. I’ve always thought she was an excellent mom, until she took Baz away from me. Only to hurt me.

Baz sounds excited as he pulls out of Viv’s hold, still standing close to her. “Uncle Asher moved here! I’m so excited!”

Vivienne is clearly annoyed but forces a smile for him. “That’s great, honey.”

“I not honey. I’m Baz.”

Everyone in the room snickers at that, and she takes his hand. “Okay, Baz. Let’s go to your room and unpack your stuff.”

“Okay.” He gives Mom a big hug and then grabs Viv’s hand as she waves at Mom and tells her a quick thank-you before Baz jerks her toward the hall.

Lola looks at me, studying me and then hugs Mom as she’s already heading for the door. “I’m going to go check on Hayden.”

“Tell him hi for me,” Mom says as they part.

“I will.” Lola’s eyes slide over me again, and then she goes into the kitchen, leaving me with Mom.

I can feel unspoken words hanging between us, and finally I give in. “What’s up?”

Her concerned look doesn’t fade. “You aren’t here to torture that poor girl, are you?”

“Jeez thanks, Mom.” I’m not surprised she’s looking out for Viv though. Though I smile and scoff at how worried she looks, as if she thinks I have some sinister plan to punish Viv. I don’t. Anything that happens between us will be completely and totally spur of the moment. I spend most of my time trying not to think about her.

“You look like your father when you smile.”

“And how the hell would you know about that?” That fucker never smiles. He’s miserable and has been since I can remember.

“He was happy once, Asher.”

“That’s hard to believe, Mom.”

“Asher . . .” She looks defeated, like she’s finally fully giving up on me. “Vivienne is a mom. Sebastian’s mom. And she needs to be able to do that to the best of her ability.”

“I’m not here to hurt her. I’m here for Baz.”

“And for your family, right?”

“Sure.”

She doesn’t believe me, but she pushes through the doubt and puts that fake fucking smile on her face. “Good. I’m happy you’re here.”

She pulls me into another hug, and I hug her back. “Me too.”

“I’ll see you soon then.”

I nod, and we say a quick good-bye before she leaves. I close the door behind her. “You really aren’t, are you?”

I nearly jump when I hear Lola behind me and turn around. “Fucking creeper. Eavesdropping?”

“You know it.” She’s holding a coffee cup now and shrugs. “Hayden is on the phone. And yes, I caught the end of your conversation with Mom.”

“I’m not here for Viv.”

“She’s worried.”

She should be. The hot hatred that spread through my body when I first saw her this morning was overpowering. She looked so fucking carefree and happy as she bounced out of her bedroom with Sawyer. Her brown hair, wavy and just barely to her shoulders, all messy and sexy from that fucker’s hands. No bra and a thin shirt that set my senses on high alert, remembering exactly how her full tits felt in my hands, how her nipples would harden for me without me even having to touch her.

“I’m not here for her. I just want to be around Baz as much as I can be. That’s it.”

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