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“Let’s get you home.”
“Let’s!” She groaned, standing up way too fast for somebody past their limit. Thankfully, the couch was behind her because she fell back but quickly stood again, still trying to prove she was sober. “I’ve had enough of this shit!”
Adria swung her purse on her shoulder so hard it damn near knocked the lamp over, but security had quick hands and caught it.
“Thanks, Prince. This should cover it.” I slid the bills toward Prince, but he refused to accept them. “Even though you took my best bartender from me it’s on the house,” he joked.
“I appreciate it,” I yelled out, darting to catch up with Adria, who was wobbling at the top of the stairs. The last thing I needed was her taking a tumble.
Grabbing her arm, she looked up and smiled as I served as her anchor, guiding her safely to the bottom and then outside to my car. Once she was tucked safely in the passenger seat, I joined her so we could get home.
Adria was drifting asleep until I hit a pothole and made a right turn, which jolted her eyes open, and she grabbed the door handle.
“Whew,” Adria groaned. “Slow down on the corners, Mack Attack.” Her eyes were closed while her neck reclined against the headrest. “That’s what Cam calls you.” She smiled, thinking about her only grandchild. “Cam loves you so much. You’re a good man, Mack,” she patted my shoulder before continuing her drunken rant. “Better than any stepfather I ever gave my girls. That’s for sure.”
Adria didn’t know me well enough to know I wasn’t a talker. She was drunk as fuck, so it didn’t matter that I hadn’t offered a response. Her head was gently rolling side-to-side as she used the time to finish baring her soul.
“Had I met a man like you, our lives would’ve been different.” She smiled, likely imagining that scenario, before her eyes settled on me, “So different.” Adria sighed, trying to sit herself up. “I know how frustrating Sky can be. She gets that shit from her daddy’s raggedy-ass side of the family. Oh, and that attitude of hers. Jesus! It’s all fun and games until Cam is sixteen and has the same one.”
Adria chuckled, thinking about Cam giving Sky hell before her expression stilled to something more serious. “Be patient with her, Mack,” she mumbled, and light snores took over for the remainder of the ride.
I didn’t know what to make of Adria’s confession. I was trying, but like I told Lo, I couldn’t fix us alone, and Sky was making that shit impossible right now. After pulling into the driveway, I helped Adria out of the car and inside, where she walked to the table near the door.
“What the hell is going on?” Sky asked, racing down the stairs because she was a light sleeper.
“She was at the bar drunk, and Prince called,” I explained, kicking the door shut with my foot.
“Jesus Christ.” Sky moaned, trying to help Adria balance on her legs. “Come on. You need to lay down.”
“I don’t need to do anything.” She fussed, pushing away from Sky.
“You can’t even stand up on your own!”
“Come on, Adria. I’ll help you upstairs,” I offered because my anger didn’t stand a chance against Skylar. I planned to walk in here and put my foot down, reminding her that she had a decision to make. I had practiced the whole speech in my head. I knew it by heart, yet watching Sky in distress swallowed my anger.
“I got her, Mack,” Sky insisted, but Adria pulled away again.
“Oh no! I’m not going anywhere with her!”
“Enough is enough! You need to lie down and sleep whatever this is off!” Sky yelled, sounding more like the mother in this scenario.
“You’re walking around here telling everybody what they need to do when you’re keeping secrets from your fiancé,” Adria said, using air quotes to infuriate Sky.
“Mom, don’t!” Sky warned.
“Don’t what?” Adria yelled, flailing her arms in the air. “Don’t help you. Isn’t that what mothers are supposed to do? Help their children. Save them from themselves when they’re too stupid to help themselves.”
Adria stumbled into the living room through the foyer, with Skylar trailing closely behind.
“I used to need your help. Now, I need you to go upstairs and rest so you can get out in the morning.”
“I’ll go, but not before I tell Mack how Marcus is blackmailing you. Threatening to tell you about how fucked up she is but don’t be mad at her.” Adria used what strength she had to rush over to me, pleading on Sky’s behalf, “It’s my fault you’re so fucked up. Isn’t that right, Skylar!” Adria gripped her shoulder while Sky stared at the floor, massaging her forehead.
I was the one in disbelief. Not so much about Sky keeping secrets but Marcus being at the center of it all. He wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I thought he had sense enough to heed my warning. A warning that was given as a courtesy to Camdyn and Camdyn only.
“Your baby daddy is the reason you’ve been trippin’ on me?”
“It’s complicated,” Sky quipped. She hated it when I used that term because it linked them together.
