Page 48 of Carson

“But …” she grabs my sleeve.

“But nothing. He and I are not conjoined twins.” I pull away from her. “I’ve got to get going or Luna and I will miss our flight.”

She doesn’t follow me, but her faint sobs sure do.

I take a deep breath and head back up.

She’s sitting on the bed with her face buried in her hands. “Gosh darn it, Mom. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

When she buries herself against my chest, I really feel like shit.

“Hey,” I push her back gently so I can see her face. “I’ll bring you back a souvenir. Whatever you want.”

She waves her hands in front of her face. “It’s not that. It’s just everything seems to be falling apart.”

“Mom, nothing is falling apart.”

Her tears only fall faster.

“Okay. Okay. Listen, Carver is with Cole. He’s fine. I’m going to be with Luna, so I’ll also be fine. More than fine, actually. But if it makes you feel better, I’ll call him and work everything out. When I get back in a few weeks, all will be back to normal.”

She searches my face through tear-filled eyes. “You’ll call him today.”

“Yes.”

“And you’ll be back in a few weeks?”

“Yes, I promise,” I assure her.

My mom is a big old softy. She doesn’t like it when we’re gone. Another thing she hates is when someone in the family isn’t getting along.

“Is something else going on?” I ask.

She wipes her eyes. “No. I shouldn’t complain. I mean, I’ve gotten everything I’ve ever prayed for. What more could I want?”

“Well, I don’t know. What about a wool sweater from the Aran Islands.”

A small smile lights her face. “Well, that does sound nice.”

“I should get Khloe something too. Maybe a stuffed sheep.”

This puts her in the mood I was looking for. “Oh, Carson, your sister would love that. Get RayRay one too.” She brushes the back of her hand over my cheek. “You remind me so much of your father.” The tears begin to pool again, but that’s just who she is, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

“I’m taking a play out of his book. He told me when you first met, he took you on a trip.”

“He did.”

“I know Ireland seems a bit extreme, but, Mom, this girl has traveled the whole of the United States. I want to take her somewhere new and exciting. And if I’m being honest, I want to have her all to myself for a bit.”

She laughs. “Oh, you Rebel Skull men. Always going over the top for your women.”

“Hey, you’re on the receiving end of that too.”

Her face softens. “I know,” she agrees quietly before taking a deep breath. “You should go. Let her see who you are away from the club … and your brother.” She sits a bit taller. “Show her the man you are, because he deserves to be seen.” She grabs my chin, tilting my head back and forth as if she’s seeing me for the first time. “When did you grow up?”

I give her a big cheesy smile. “Aw, mom, I’ll always be your little boy.”

The tears spill over her cheeks, but she remains stoic. “I hope you have the time of your life, Carson.” She gives me a kiss on the cheek and then stands, pulling me with her. “I’ll pack you some snacks. They never have good snacks on the plane,” she says, leaving me no room for argument.