Page 53 of Moonstruck
Before Zane could panic further, the door swung open. His mother stood there in her white linen pants and flowy magenta top, dripping with gold jewelry like she was afraid if she didn’t wear it all at once, somebody might steal it. She blinked in surprise, her gaze darting back and forth between Zane and Asa.
“What are you doing here?” she said, her tone sharp enough to cut. She narrowed her eyes at Asa, taking in his full sleeve of ink and his casual attire with a sneer. “Who’s this?”
Zane mentally took a deep breath. “Asa, this is my mom, Beverly. Mom, this is my boyfriend, Asa.” She clearly didn’t recognize him on sight so Zane said, “Asa Mulvaney.”
The change was instantaneous, her expression serene but the look in her eye predatory. “Mulvaney?” she asked, feigning ignorance. “Why does that name sound so familiar?”
Asa gave her a dazzling smile. “You probably know my father. Thomas Mulvaney.”
His mother’s hand floated to her chest. “Oh, my. You are so handsome. Just like your father. And you’re…withmyson?”
God, she’s a bitch.Zane had to agree with Gage on this one. It was no surprise to him that the only person who hadn’t asked about the bruises all over him was his own mother. She either hadn’t noticed or truly didn’t care. Zane wasn’t sure which option was worse.
Zane struggled not to react to his brother’s musings. He was right, though. She was a bitch. No matter how much he steeled himself for her unwavering hatred of him, it never grew any less painful. The way she’d emphasized ‘my’ as if perhaps Asa had just grabbed the wrong boyfriend by mistake was just a twist of the knife she’d lodged in his heart at birth.
Asa stiffened beside him, but his smile never wavered. He wrapped his hand around Zane’s, threading their fingers together and squeezing hard, though Zane didn’t know if it was in solidarity or if even he wanted to punch Bev in the throat. Either way, something about that gesture eased some of the ache.
“You’ve raised an amazing man,” Asa assured her. “I was never really one who believed in love at first sight, but one look at Zane and I was a goner.”
Maybe it was just part of the act but Zane’s heart skipped a beat, especially when Asa’s thumb began to draw circles on the delicate skin of his inner wrist. His mother’s look of confusion wasn’t an act. She truly couldn’t fathom a world that didn’t find him as awful as she did. “Oh. Well, how nice. Has he met your father? I imagine he’s used to you dating men who are far more…suitable.”
What the fuck? Maybe you should let him kill her. At this point, it seems like a public service.
Zane fought not to crack a smile, but then Asa squeezed his fingers so tightly he worried they might break.
“Yes, just this morning. He loves Zane, too. Was excited to welcome him to the family.”
Her hand fluttered. “To the family?” she gasped. She then seemed to remember her manners. “Oh, my. Come in. Come in. I apologize. My son rarely comes to visit, least of all during the week.” She led them into the living room with its white carpet and white furniture, gesturing to the sofa. “Please, sit.”
Zane dropped onto the nearest cushion. Asa followed, sitting close enough for them to touch from shoulder to calf, keeping their clasped hands on his thigh. “Thank you.”
Bev let out a huge breath, her smile almost genuine. “Of course, my future son-in-law is always welcome here. Your family as well, though I can’t imagine why they’d want to come to my humble little home.”
“Your home is lovely,” Asa said, sounding so sincere Zane couldn’t help but gawk at him. Was this public Asa? Was this the Asa of interviews? The one who met with clients and dated supermodels? Zane would take the psycho killer Asa any day. “The truth is, we’re here because there’s something I was hoping—well, my father was hoping—you could help me with.”
Beverly’s well-manicured brows shot upwards. “How could I possibly help Thomas Mulvaney?”
Asa leaned in, still refusing to relinquish Zane’s hand. “This is a bit of a delicate subject and I apologize in advance for any distress it might cause you,” he said, giving her a sad smile.
His mother leaned in as well, always primed for gossip or a juicy story she could use to regale her bridge club. “I’m listening.”
“I suppose you’ve heard of the recent deaths at Henley?” Asa asked.
His mother’s face became a storm cloud. She crossed her legs and clasped her hands together, her lips forming a tight line. “Yes, of course. Such a tragedy.”
Asa nodded. “Yes. My father agrees. He’s creating an event. A memorial of sorts for all the students who’ve taken their own lives, not just at Henley but at your late son’s school as well.”
If his mother crossed any more limbs, she’d turn herself inside out. He could tell she was fighting with herself. If this had been anybody but a Mulvaney asking, she would have shooed them out of her house with a broom and told Zane to never come back.
“Oh, that’s nice, dear,” she said faintly. “But I don’t see how I can help.”
“We were hoping you still have Gage’s computer,” Zane blurted.
His mother’s eyes went wide, her face paling. “What? Why?”
Asa gave Zane a look that screamedshut upthen turned back to Bev. “The other families have given us access to their loved ones’ computers to look for any poems, art, essays. Anything that would allow us a glimpse into a side of them we might not otherwise see. We’re going to turn it into an art installation of sorts. You know my father is a patron of the arts.”
Zane fought not to roll his eyes as he watched his mother attempt to process Asa’s logic. It was a good story. Better than what Zane had planned, which was just to beg or wait until his mother left, then ransack her closet.
