Page 90 of Luck of the Draw

Constance went stoic. “What problem?”

“Just a mess I made. I’m trying my damnedest to fix it, but I really don’t think I’m going to be able to.” He raked his fingers through his hair and cast a wary glance toward the front windows. “I’m kinda fu— uhh…screwed.”

“What is going on?” She clutched his arm and shook him to make him look at her. “I’m your mother, Brennan. You can tell me things. Especially if you’re in trouble.”

“I can tell you, but I can’t tell Dad. Dad would murder me over this, and, not to scare you or anything, that might be the kind of thing I’m facing with this problem.”

Constance paled. “Darling, if you’re in serious trouble, we are here to help you. I know you and your father are on the outs right now, but if you’re in real trouble he’s not going to just leave you out in the cold.”

Brennan drew one hand over his face and then dropped it in defeat at his side. “Yeah, well you don’t know what this problem is.”

“If it’s something serious, you can come to us for help,” Constance said firmly. “All of this between you two right now is a result of him wanting you to grow up and be responsible.” She gestured down the hall. “What you’re doing with Skye is an example of you doing exactly that. She mentioned what you’re doing at work, and I almost couldn’t believe my ears. All of that is exactly what your father always wanted from you. Come talk to him. Tell him what you’ve been doing. It’ll be exactly what he’s been wanting to hear. And then tell him the problem.”

“Mama,” Brennan said in a tone of warning. “I…owe…someone…money. Alotof money. And the someone is a really bad person who has done really bad things to people.”

Constance straightened her spine and set her jaw. “Well guess what, sugar. We have money. A lot of it. Do you know what we don’t have a lot of? Brennans. In fact, we only have one. Your father is hard on you, but it’s because he loves you and wants you to do better in life than you have most of the time. Right now, it’s clear you’re doing better in every way we’ve ever hoped.”

Brennan couldn’t think of anything to say and merely stared at the floor.

“Come talk to him. Bring Skye. I’ll arrange a brunch.” Constance reached for his face and patted his cheek. “I love you, sweetheart. I’m very proud of you. All of this is going to be okay.”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. “Love you, Mama. Thanks for coming over. Thanks for being sweet to Skye.”

Constance headed for the door, and he opened it for her. “I love her. She’s precious. She didn’t have to say anything specific for me to know she’s been mistreated. I hope she comes around. I’d love to keep seeing her for a lot longer than it sounds like she’s planning to be here. But I understand her need to do what’s best for her.”

Brennan nodded and offered one last wave as Constance slipped out. Skye was precious. He loved her, too. He’d continue loving her long after she inevitably left him with a precious little Skye-shaped hole in his heart to go along with the other two.

Slipping his hands into his pockets, Brennan contemplatively stared at the hardwood planks as he made his way back to the bedroom. Poking his head in, he found Skye curled up on her uninjured side, eyes closed as though she were sleeping.

As if perceiving him looking at her, she lifted her eyelids. “You okay?”

He nodded. “Just a little tired.”

“You can lay down with me if you want.” She nestled her cheek against the pillow and closed her eyes again. “I’m pill-drowsy, so I’m probably going to pass out for the rest of the afternoon.”

He couldn’t have hoped for a better invitation and climbed in behind her. And even though she wasn’t his and never would be, he shifted close to her and swept her hair away from her neck.

“My mama loves you.” What a shitty substitute for what he really wanted to say. “That’s what she said.”

Skye hesitated for a long time. “She doesn’t know me. If she did, she wouldn’t have said that.”

“I know you, Skye.”

She hesitated again. “No, you don’t.” She gave a weighted pause. “If you did, I wouldn’t be in your bed right now.”

“Honey, I can assure you there’s nothing you’ve ever done in your life that’s as bad as things I’ve done. I don’t know what you think is so shocking about you, but I promise it wouldn’t even faze me. If it’s your background you’re worried about, everything you said to my mama just makes me wish I could do more for you.”

The air between them crackled with a sharp sense of foreboding.

“It would faze you, Brennan. It would faze you in a big way.”

“Wanna bet?”

“No, I want toleave,” she clipped. “If you knew, you’d want me to leave, too.”

He wanted to punch somebody. Namely, the pieces of shit who mistreated her so badly that she believed there was something so bad about her that he’d want her to leave.

Brennan reached for her face and used it to nudge her to turn toward him. “Try me.”

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