Page 54 of Drifting Hearts
“You’re determined to do this, aren’t you?”
I knew in my bones that it was the right thing to do. Even the idea of talking to Archer had my skin crawling with shame, but maybe if I cleared the air a bit, that lingering sick feeling in my soul would go away. I could never take back what I did, but that didn’t mean I didn’t have to face Archer ever again.
“I am.”
“After dinner,” Kieran said. “I want to see these softball-sized meatballs you made.”
Giving his shoulder a playful shove, I laughed. “I hate to disappoint you, but your mom fixed them and made them into proper meatballs.”
“My mom likes you.” Kieran seemed pleased with this assessment and, though part of me knew she did, it was still a welcome feeling to have it confirmed.
“I like your mom. She makes it hard to want to leave, even though I know I have to.”
“What if you don’t?” Kieran asked.
“That was the agreement. I could stay here until I healed.”
“That was your agreement with my brother. Not with mom. I think maybe Archer isn’t the only person you need to have a conversation with.”
“You’d really be okay with me staying here?” I blinked at him. He said he loved me and I wanted to believe him. Part of me actually did. Part of me was afraid that he didn’t. Or that I didn’t know what to do with that information.
“I want you safe. I’d let you move in with me if you were ready for that, but you’re not.” Kieran brushed the hair off my forehead. “It’s getting long.”
“I kind of like it,” I told him. Hair was a safe subject while I grappled with the idea of talking to Patricia, and then Archer. Hopefully Shane too.
“I kind of like it too.” Kieran leaned in and kissed me. Every kiss with him was a treasure. A gift that I never thought I’d receive. I didn’t understand what he saw in me.
Kieran agreed that after dinner we’d track down Shane and Archer. And before dinner I wanted to talk to Patricia about extending my stay. I found her in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on dinner. Kieran used the bathroom to give us a few minutes of privacy.
“I’m sorry about the scene in the back yard earlier. I didn’t mean to cause problems.”
She turned and wiped her hands on a towel. “You didn’t cause anything.” She gently patting me on the arm.
“I—” I paused and raked my hand through my hair. It was still odd to be without the cast after living with it for what felt like an eternity. “I know the agreement was for me to stay until I was healed, but I—I’d really liketo stay. If I can?”
Patricia looked at me, her face a picture of the kind of motherly affection I’d been starved for as a kid.
“Until you’re healed,” Patricia said, then she brushed the hair off my forehead and pulled me down to her level. She pressed a kiss to my forehead then let me straighten. She looked me in the eyes. “All of you deserves to be healed, Clayton. Not just your arm and your leg. Your mind and your heart are also important.”
“Can you… call me Clay?”
She smiled and put her hand on my cheek. “Can you call me Mom?”
“I’d like that.”
Kieran appeared and slid his arm around me. “That wasn’t so hard, was it? I hope you don’t mind if I steal him tonight?”
“So long as you bring him back in one piece. I think Michael has his heart set on more art lessons.” Patricia shot me an approving smile. “What you did meant a lot to him. As you can imagine, he’s had a rough go of it lately.”
I didn’t want or need to ask what had happened, clearly nothing good for him and his mom to end up here.
“I’ll have him home by lunch tomorrow.”
Kieran calling this place home made me want to pinch myself. But I settled for turning my head and kissing him instead.
Dinner was a nice reprieve from the earlier stress and the knot of anxiety that grew in my stomach when I thought about talking to Archer. Maybe Kieran had the right idea. Get in the car, pick a direction, and go. But I was done running from things that made me uncomfortable.
We found them both at The Anchor, Shane behind the bar. Part of me wished Shane had gone home, but the other part of me was just as glad to not have to intrude on their private space. Kieran held thedoor open for me and walked close to my side, keeping a hand on the small of my back. I welcomed the moral support.
