Page 33 of Chance
Sullenly, Mom sat in the passenger seat of my truck, arms crossed over her chest, staring at the house in front of us.From the yard next door, I could hear Raven’s grandkids screaming and laughing along with a few of the other younger kids from the neighborhood who always converged on Raven’s house.She wasn’t just our MC’s queen—she was the town’s wise woman, the stern but never judgmental grandmother figure that everyone needed in some capacity.
Every minute I sat there waiting for my mother to start acting like a rational adult again was another minute Evie was upset with me.Once I was sure Ma was safely in the house where she couldn’t cause more mayhem, I could get back to the hospital and sort everything out with my peaches.
“I need to go, Mom,” I told her, trying for calm and reasonable.
Dad was on his way home from taking a load of special-ordered material to a worksite we were about to start a few counties over.He’d texted me a couple times, letting me know he was aware of what was going on.His current level of pissed off was in an entirely new sphere than I’d ever witnessed from him.After seeing how smitten he was with Evie the night before, how enthralled she already held me, I knew she’d touched a part of my father that he rarely allowed anyone close to.
“Go where?”she snarked.“Back to those dirty?—”
“Don’t say it,” I barked, cutting her off.
“You said you weren’t picking sides, yet there you sit, taking up for complete strangers over your mother who raised and loved you every day of your life.What’s so special about that girl, Chance?She’s no one, from God only knows where.”
“All you need to know is that she’s someone important to me, Ma.”
She rolled her eyes.“By tomorrow, she will be like all the other castoffs.We both know the only reason you’re even mildly interested is because she’s a new toy for you to play with.Eventually, you’re going to realize that Casey is perfect for you.She’s been patient with you so far, son.Why can’t you see that you’re losing time with the person you’re meant to be with and settle down with her?No one is saying you should marry her, just commit for once in your life.”
“You’re right.I am wasting time.”Her triumph was lost on me as I got out of the truck and walked around to her door.Opening it, I waited until she was out before continuing.“Wasting time listening to your nonsense when I should be with my girl right now.”
“All you ever do is break my heart.You don’t care about anything I say, do you?”
“Right now, no.I couldn’t possibly care less about anything you say.”Slamming the door, I went back to the driver’s side and got behind the wheel.I didn’t bother looking back to see what she was doing as I reversed out of the driveway.
Back at the hospital, more people had arrived to check on Everly.Elias, Max, Tanner, and Jack were in the waiting room with Mila, Sammy, Jos, and River.I jogged over to the group.“Any news?”
“We just got here,” Elias informed me.“Reid’s back there now.”
“I need to head over to the store.Lyric locked up for me since we left in such a rush, but I should close everything out,” Mila said.
“I’ll take you since everyone but Rory rode with Jos,” River offered.“Plus, I need to get home.”
“Sammy, let Everly know that one of us will drive her Jeep over later tonight or tomorrow.”Mila hugged her, then Jos.“Keep us updated if anything changes.”
“Is Ben going to get involved?”Max asked after the other two had left.
Everyone looked at me expectantly.“Don’t ask me.I’m not my mother’s keeper.If she does, she does.”
Jos sighed, shaking her head at me in disappointment.I gritted my teeth.She could make me feel guilty without saying a single word.“Rory kept saying she was going to call him.She was just as much at fault as Everly.If she calls him and files charges, it wouldn’t amount to anything but a possible restraining order.”
“Never a dull day around here,” Tanner grumbled, scrubbing the hand that was missing its pinkie over his face.“Jack, go ahead and talk to your mom, just in case our girl needs a lawyer.We are calling dibs on her to represent Everly before Matt does.”With a grunt, Jack walked off, his phone already to his ear.“Where is my brother anyway?”
“We needed a special order picked up for a project.It was last minute.With you and the boys dealing with MC business, no one else was available who was licensed to drive the truck,” Jos told us.“At least not anyone I trusted with that particular shipment.”
“Okay.Well, that explains why Rory was left unattended.Anyone hear from Raven on where she stands with this?”
“She said she would remain neutral until someone gave her a reason not to,” Max said with a shrug.
That was the best option for me.If Raven stayed out of what was going on, she wouldn’t cause trouble for either my mother or Evie and her sister.
“I can live with that,” Tanner muttered, shooting me a look that I ignored.I didn’t need a fucking lecture or anything else he might want to mouth off about.
The door beside the nurses’ station opened.Evie walked out with Abi and Vaughn.Seeing me, Evie scanned the waiting room, no doubt looking for my mom.I went to her, but she stepped back, lifting her hands defensively.“No, I’m not doing this here.”Her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen, her face sickly pale.
Tanner stepped around me, putting an arm around Evie before she could shy away from him.“You doing all right, darlin’?How’s your sister?Does either of you need anything?”
Tipping her head back, she looked at him, a little shell-shocked.“I…I’m okay.Evy is being discharged.I don’t know what will happen now.This is all new to me.”
Jos hugged her from the other side.“Don’t worry, sweetheart.Reid will get everything sorted with Everly, and then we’re going to get you both home.It’s been a long day, but tomorrow will be better.”
