Page 92 of A Simple Regret

I love you.

Pressing my lips to her forehead, I fall into the deepest, best night of sleep I’ve ever had.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-TWO

Maren

I’m still smiling.

Camden woke me by quietly stripping off my clothes and having his wicked way with me. Then, after kissing me soundly and promising to come back later today, he slipped out of my house and hurried back over to his so he could get ready for work. Even after getting ready myself and opening the door for my dad, who is watching Theo for the morning while I work at the salon, I was smiling. Throughout the morning, doing what I love for my growing list of clients, I was smiling.

And now, after waking Theo from his nap and getting ready to make dinner, I’m still smiling.

Theo’s sitting in his chair, drinking juice and watching Bluey, when there’s a knock on the front door. I instantly think of Linda, Camden’s mom, and wonder if she’s dropping by for another visit. I really hope so.

Unfortunately, when I glance through the peephole, it’s not Linda Miller I see.

It’s my own mother.

I take a deep breath and release the lock before slowly pulling the front door open. “Mom,” I say, unable to hide my shock. “What are you doing here?”

She holds out her arms. “Can’t a mother come see her only daughter?”

“Of course,” I reply, taking a step back. “Come on in.” I can’t help but notice she’s holding bags when she enters. Not shopping bags but travel bags.

“Where’s my grandson?” she asks, stepping inside and dropping her things onto the floor beside the door. “Theo!”

“Gwam!” he hollers, getting up and running straight to his grandma.

“I’ve missed you so much! I can’t believe your mommy took you so far away from me,” she tells my son, setting off the hairs on the back of my neck.

“Mom,” I say.

She looks up and smiles. “What? It’s true. You took my grandson all the way back…here.” Disdain. It’s evident in that one single word.

“We’re loving it here, right, Theo?” I ask, catching my mistake right away. This isn’t for him to defend.

“Yep!”

He runs back over to his chair but sits on the floor and plays with his cars.

“So, what brings you to Cooper Town?” I ask again, knowing there’s a reason. There’s always a reason.

She shrugs and brushes past me to check out my house. “This is cute.”

“Thanks. I love it,” I reply, even though there’s a touch of something in her words I can’t put my finger on.

“Where’s the guest bedroom?” she asks, going to the hallway.

“Uhh, I don’t have a guest room,” I reply, hot on her heels.

She stops, and I almost slam into her back. “You don’t have a guest bedroom? Where will I sleep?”

“Umm,” I start, at a loss for words.

“I mean, when you said you were returning to this godforsaken town, it was to better your situation. This house is barely bigger than your apartment, Maren.”