I drain my cup and lick my lips. "Anyway. Um. I—I shouldn't have taken away their choice. And I want to be brave, and give it back to them, even if…"
"Even if their choice hurts you?"
I nod, silently, hoping the tears that are threatening to drip from behind my eyelids stay put.
"Well. I'm glad to hear you've come to that conclusion. But why did you want to tell me this?" Her voice has softened slightly.
"Uh…" I lick my lips. "I just… I mean, I don't have any of their numbers, um, and—"
Her lips twist into a wry smile and she raises an eyebrow. "You could have just led with that, you know?"
She chuckles, and pulls a sleek smartphone from her bag. She taps on the screen a few times, and I feel my phone vibrate in my pants pocket.
"There. I've sent you all their contact cards."
I blink. "Just like that?"
She shrugs. "Anyone who cares enough about my son to want to protect him from himself—even if it's in a slightlywarped way—and has enough insight to realize when they got it wrong… well, they're okay in my book."
I lick my lips. "I had some help with the insight."
She raises her mouth in a half smile. "Quit while you're ahead, Dellie," she says as she picks up her cup and drains the last of her coffee, "and… do call them soon, won't you? I think they were… well. Let's just say they will be happy to hear from you."
I nod, unsure of what to say. My heart is hammering.
Her eyes crinkle as she chuckles. "I wish you could see your face. Youreallyhave it bad, don't you?"
My cheeks feel hot. "Um. Maybe? Um, would you mind if I grabbed another coffee for the road? I think I need one."
She smiles warmly at me and flags the waiter down. She orders one in a takeaway cup for me, and asks for the bill, and glares at me like she's about to stab me with a fork when I try and put down my credit card.
Lance's car is idling out the front. As I'm about to step into the car, coffee in hand, she lays a gentle hand on my elbow.
"Dellie, what do you think courage is?"
I blink. "Um. Not being scared?"
She smiles and shakes her head. "It means being scared, as an Australian would say, shitless to do the thing, but doing the thing anyway."
And with that, she turns away and walks down the street.
Chapter 27
Clarke's phone lights up again, rattling across the coffee table. I can feel my nostrils flaring at the sound. I can'tfuckingbelieve hestillhasn't put the damn thing on silent.
Part of me wants to take the fucking thing and smash it against a wall. But Clarke—fuck. I'm angry at him,sofucking angry, but he's being harder on himself than evenIwant him to be. Our bond's been locked down since yesterday morning, but I force it further away. Him feeling my anger sure as shit won't help anything.
He's barely slept. I don't think he's eaten. He's sitting on the sofa between James and Allen, staring at nothing.
Fuck.
I stalk into the kitchen and grab a bottle of Powerade, a pack of peanuts, and a bag of jerky, and drop them in front of him.
"Eat." My voice is growlier than I mean it to be. James catches my eye, a half-smile flitting across his lips.
At least he has a few sips when James opens the bottle for him.
Allen reaches over and picks up Clarke's phone. He glances at the alert. "It's your mom, love. She's messaged."
