Page 58 of All Bets are Off

I just can’t accept that she’s not going to be here in a few months. That the vibrant woman who raised me is now that ranting person at the assisted living home. Remembering the rare lucid moments with me she exhibited at the doctor’s office, I wonder if I’ll ever have another moment like that again. My time with her is running out.

My phone rings, West’s name appearing on the screen.

“Hello?”

“Hey,” West says. “What’s wrong?”

I can’t help but smile. “You can tell something’s wrong by one word?”

“Yep. Spill.”

“I had a talk with Dex. He came to tell us that Anna is his sister.”

“What?”

“Yeah, I was surprised, too. Seems she moved here when she found out Dex is working with you. She bugged him to find out if we’re really a couple.”

“What did he tell her?”

“That we were and to butt out. But he felt bad for keeping it from us, so he came clean.”

“That explains a lot,” West mutters. “It didn’t take long for her to start hitting on me, and although I told her firmly that we aren’t getting back together, I can tell she’s still thinking about it.”

“There’s more. Anna called me this morning and asked me to meet her for lunch. Since I planned to visit Mom today anyway, I decided to indulge her. She told me that you aren’t really in love with me and that you and she belong together.”

“What the hell?”

“Yep. The whole conversation was weird. She even has a tattoo in your honor. Then Dex told me what he did and showed me something.”

“What?”

“Pictures on his phone of Anna’s bedroom wall covered in photos of you that you couldn’t have known were being taken.”

“What thefuck?”

“West, I want her far away from my mother.”

“I don’t blame you. I’ll take care of it, don’t worry. Anything else?”

I give a humorless chuckle. “Isn’t that enough?”

“Yeah. Okay. I’ll stop by Garden Oasis before I start home.”

“Thanks.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

West

Behind the desk at Garden Oasis, Anna smiles brightly at me. “West, how nice to see you.”

“Is there someplace private where we can talk?” I ask her.

Her eyes light up. “Sure! Just let me get someone to cover for me.”

She calls to a young man standing nearby and asks him to watch the desk before leading me into what looks like a break room and shutting the door behind her.

“We can talk in here. Want some coffee?” She starts toward the counter, but I stop her with a hand on her arm.

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