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Teague blew out a long breath and shook his head, searching for the right words. But there was no right or wrong. There was only the truth.
“I screwed up.”
“Hmmm,” Eden said softly. “I thought you might have.”
“I’ve never been good at the relationship thing. You know that.”
“Well, the fact that you actually said, ‘relationship’ gives me hope. What happened?” she gently prodded.
“Syria was something that I had to do. You know that. But I should have come home when it was done. I should have flown straight here to Sabrina and made things right but…”
“But you went to Paris instead and you saved a child.”
He glanced at his mother sharply.
“Jack filled me in. I know you were largely responsible for helping the police track down that poor girl.”
“Yeah,” he said slowly. “We found her.” The horror of what he’d witnessed would stay with him for a long time.
“I’m glad you did, Teague. Don’t ever doubt that. I’m glad you were there for that little girl and all the other little girls you’ve been there for in the past. But now it’s time to be here, in this moment, in this life.” She pressed her palm to his chest. “It’s time for you to be here for yourself. You’ve done so much good, Teague. Helped so many people in so many countries, and…and I’m so very proud of you. Your father and I and every single member of this family are. Please know that.” His mother’s voice caught and the sound of her sadness nearly did him in.
“Hey,” he said, folding his mother into a hug. “I’m good. Jesus, Mom, I’m here and I’m in one piece.”
“Are you, Teague?” she asked softly. “Are you whole? I’ve always felt that there was a part of you that wasn’t happy. And as a mother, it’s kept me awake at night. I won’t lie about that. Out of all my kids, you are the one I worry about. It’s not because your job puts you in dangerous situations or that months go by with no word. It’s because I’m so afraid that you’ll lose yourself in all that darkness. I’m afraid that life will pass you by before you take the time to grab everything that you deserve. Before you take the time for love and a family of your own.”
She turned in his arms, her hands creeping up to either side of his face and he had to bend slightly to give her access.
“You would do anything for someone in need. Anything to make someone else’s wrong a right. Can you promise me that you’ll do something for yourself?”
“I’m working on it,” he managed to say.
His mother smiled, a gentle sort of thing. She caressed his brow and stepped out of his embrace.
“Good,” Eden said, her voice matter of fact. “You need to find your place, Teague. You need to find that one spot on this earth that’s strong enough to keep you grounded. That’s strong enough to keep you with us.” She paused. “Might help if you told Sabrina how you feel.”
He shouldn’t have been surprised at her frankness. But still, it took him a few seconds to get his thoughts straight. Was he that transparent?
He cleared his throat. “I’m working on that too.”
“Don’t expect her to fall at your feet. She’s no pushover, that one. She’s strong and fierce and with two little ones to protect, it’s not going to be easy to get back into her good graces.”
He was starting to get that.
Eden glanced to their right. “And honey, I wouldn’t waste any time if I were you.”
His smile faded as he followed her gaze. Sabrina was deep in conversation with Cooper Simon.
“Son-of-a-bitch,” he growled. Damned if the man wasn’t standing just a little too close for his liking.
“Let me take that,” Eden said reaching for his half empty beer bottle. Teague handed it to his mother and, with determined strides, headed toward Sabrina.
They both looked up as he approached—Sabrina’s expression was shuttered, while Cooper’s, well, he had that look in his eyes and it was one Teague had seen before. The guy was interested and there was no way in hell Teague was letting him anywhere near Sabrina or her kids.
“Can we talk?” he asked rudely, ignoring his cousin and totally focused on Sabrina.
“Jesus, Teague. You lose your manners somewhere over the Atlantic?” Cooper frowned, straightening.
Teague ignored his cousin. “Sabrina?”
