Page 25 of Tangled Vows

Doc: LOL, it’s a rage room downtown. We go there every few months to blow off some steam. We have a reservation for 6:00.

That sounded rather enticing. There was plenty of rage bubbling up inside me, and the thought of turning it loose in a safe, controlled environment was more alluring than I cared to admit. Despite further appeals to my father to release my trust fund early, he still wouldn’t budge. I’d been working off all my anger in the weight room, but it wasn’t enough. I still felt it simmering beneath my skin every time I thought of his smug face or saw him around the arena.

It was tempting, taking Claire up on her offer, but I didn’t want to leave my mom. She was so weak from yesterday’s treatment, and I worried she would forget her nausea medicine if I wasn’t here to give it to her or she would get dizzy if she got up to go to the restroom. Reluctantly, I tapped out a message declining her invitation.

Me: I wish I could, but my mom had chemo yesterday, and she’s not feeling well. Maybe next time.

Claire was the only person at work who knew about Mom’s illness. Well, except for my father, but unlike my friend, he didn’t seem to care.

I’d broken down in front of Claire the day of Mom’s first treatment. Her keen doctor’s eye had recognized something was off, and it only took the slightest bit of prodding for me to open up. Once I did, there was no stopping the torrent of emotion that poured out of me.

Doc: I understand. Let me know if you need anything, even if it’s just to talk.

This made me tear up. With so little family support, I was thankful to

have someone else in my corner. My friends had all rallied around me since finding out that Mom’s cancer was back. At least one of them checked in on me daily, but I hadn’t confided in them about my worries over the financial strain this put on our family or how my father refused to help. I found that every time I thought about it, I got so angry I wanted to scream and hit something. That made turning down Claire’s offer all the more difficult. I could use an hour of just smashing shit and not being judged for it.

“What’s wrong?” My mother’s voice pulled me from my spiraling thoughts, and I looked up to see her concerned gaze studying me.

“Nothing,” I lied.

“Shayla,” she began in that knowing tone of hers.

“It’s just a friend from work,” I replied, waving her off. She saw right through me, though.

“Are you making plans for this evening?” she asked hopefully.

“I’m not going anywhere tonight. I’m going to be right here in case you need anything,” I offered sincerely, grabbing her cool, soft hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. I didn’t want to be away from her. The few times I had to leave her to travel with theteam the last couple weeks had been entirely too nerve wracking. It didn’t help that things had been tense and awkward between me and Easton since the whole hot tub thing. Claire had been fishing. She could sense that something happened between us, but I never indulged her curiosity. So she thought she’d trick us into admitting something. But Easton and I never had sex. No, he kicked me out before things could get that far.

Mom sighed and offered me a sad smile.

“I love you more than anything in the world,” she began and my throat constricted as tears pricked my eyes. I didn’t know how many more times I’d get to hear her tell me she loved me, and I wanted to soak in every declaration and tender moment we shared. “But you are a twenty-five-year-old woman who has done nothing but go to school and take care of her family for the past few years. You need to go out and have fun. Life is too short.” Her voice cracked, and her eyes misted. I choked back a strangled sob as the reality of her words slammed into me. “I will be okay. You don’t need to stay here and babysit me,” she added with a watery smile. “And if I need anything, your sister will be here.”

Makenna was working on her latest fighting robot in the garage and would be around all evening. She wasn’t the type to go out and party, and the few friends she had were into the same things she was: robotics and chess.

Mom squeezed my hand. “Go,” she prodded, and I searched her eyes. I didn’t want to leave her, but her words replayed in my mind.Life is too short. She was right, and I needed to start living mine. I glanced at my watch and noted I had just enough time to shower and throw on enough makeup to hide the fact I hadn’t been sleeping well to make it there in time.

“Okay,” I relented, and a peaceful look washed over my mother’s features. I stood and leaned over, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

“Have fun.”

It would be hard knowing she was here suffering from post-chemo nausea and debilitating fatigue, but I would try. For one night, I could pretend that I was just like any other woman in her mid-twenties who wasn’t worried that her mother might only have months left to live.

Who was I kidding?

I pushedthrough the door at Raging Richmond, the bell above me tinkling to signal my arrival, and halted in my tracks. The sight of Easton standing at the desk had me wanting to turn and walk right back outside. Instead, I squared my shoulders and walked up to where the five men stood talking with the clerk. Claire and I were going to have words later. She’d conveniently left out the part where the players would be joining us.

“There’s a max capacity of four people per room for safety purposes, and we have two rooms left,” the guy working the front desk announced.

“I can stay back with Walker, and you three can go together,” Weiss announced, motioning to Kent, Slater, and Quinn.

“You’re just trying to get me alone, aren’t you?” Easton teased, playfully punching Weiss in the arm.

“Never mind, you’re on your own,” Weiss quipped with a chuckle.

“Hey, there’s Shayla,” Quinn announced, catching sight of me stalking toward them. Easton’s shoulders stiffened almost imperceptibly, and I fought an eye roll.

“Didn’t think you were coming,” Kent said as I closed the distance between myself and the players. Easton finally turnedto face me, that signature smirk turning up one side of his perfect mouth. He was about to speak, but Quinn beat him to it.

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