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“Oh my fucking God!” I flung my arms in the air. Somehow, for some reason, right now, sitting on the side of the road, I was done. D.O.N.E. Done. “That’s it. I’m out.”
I turned to face the road, looked over my shoulder to see if a car was coming, then pulled out. She grabbed my arm. “Out? Out of what?”
I headed back toward her house.
“Out of taking care of you. Of wasting my time, my money, my emotions on you.”
“Don’t be silly, I’m your mother.”
I stepped on the gas, driving faster so I could get rid of her sooner. Like Arlo said, I should have done this years ago. She would never love me. I’d been hoping for scraps of affection even when, deep down, I knew it would never come. Why had I seen it so fast with Theo, but not with her? It didn’t matter. I was done with him. I was done with her. I deserved being loved completely.
“I’m dropping you off at home and you will not call me. You will not stop by. You will not get in touch with me in any way.”
“What?” she grabbed my arm in a talon-like grip. “I need you.”
I shook my head. “No, you don’t. You’re an ungrateful, mean woman. If you want to be my mother, then act like one. Until then, we’re done.”
“Oh, it’s Lindy Beckett’s influence that you’re talking to me like this.”
I smiled then, thought of my call with her just a little while ago.
I glanced at Cheryl and said, “Yes, it is.”
Then the screech of tires had me jerking my head back to the road in front of me, but it was too late.
The impact was instantaneous, then the world went black.
58
THEO
The waitress came by,sat a glass of ice water on a coaster in front of me.
“She gavewhatback to you?” Mac asked.
“Mallory. I bought her a house and she returned it. Like a pair of socks she bought in the wrong size at the store,” I explained on a grumble.
Mac’s mouth opened and a piece of bun fell out and onto his plate. “You bought Mallory a house?”
I nodded.
He grinned. “Congrats!”
I frowned again. “Why?”
“Because she’s great and you need someone who’s all sunshiny for your grumpy ass.”
“We’re not together.”
He frowned. “I know I’m divorced and all which makes me a shit judge of relationships, but what the fuck?”
“It’s just sex.”
The walkie talkies chimed all at once. The crew stood, their chairs scraping across the floor in their haste. Food was set down, radios picked up and the crew practically ran out of the place. Patrons turned to watch as they left. Mac stood but hadn’t moved, listening to the dispatcher give the report of the call.
“MVA, mile marker twenty-six on Highway 5. Head on, car versus truck, multiple injuries.”
Mac looked to me, his gaze laser sharp. “You’re coming along. We’re going to need all the help we can get.”
