Just One Night(78)
know, and for the life of me, I can’t understand why his mother—the one person
who should have loved him more than anything—is so blind to the person he’s
become.”
“I love him,” Helena muttered, furiously tapping her cigarette.
“Do you?” Riley said, leaning forward. “Have you ever told him that? Have you
ever said you’re proud of him? Have you seen his distillery? Asked about it? Did
you know that he coached a soccer team last year, even though he didn’t
personally know a single kid on the team? Have you ever thanked him for driving
all the way up here to visit only to have you crap all over him?”
“What do you know of it?” Helena snapped. “You ever had a kid you didn’t want
at twenty? You ever try to tell the father, only to learn that he’s skipped town and
gave you a fake last name and a wrong phone number?”
“None of which is Sam’s fault!” Riley shouted, coming to her feet now. “I can
respect that you’ve had a rough life, Helena, and maybe you’re a little entitled to
a little bitterness, but there’s no excuse for taking it out on your son. None.”
Sam stood beside her. “Riley.”
She shook him off. “He’s good,” she said, her eyes watering as she looked down
at his stunned mother. “He’s the best.”
Helena Compton’s mouth opened and closed several times, her eyes darting to
her son before she stared stubbornly at the blank television.
“Tell him,” Riley said, her voice breaking.
“Riley,” Sam said, his fingers wrapping around her biceps.
Helena lit up another cigarette.
“Tell him!”
“That’s enough, Riley!”
Both women blinked in surprise at Sam’s shout, and although Riley thought for
sure his anger would be directed at his mother, she was the one he was glaring
at. It was Riley he was hauling toward the front door as if she were an
irresponsible child.
“I’ll call you later, Mom,” he said gruffly. He didn’t wait for a response before he
let the door slam behind them. Sam released her then, pulling his hand back from
her arm as though he couldn’t stand to touch her, and made his way toward his
truck without looking back.
“We’re leaving?” Riley asked, slowly following him. “But—”
“But what, Riley?”
“We just got here …”
He spun around then, and if his eyes had been mad before, they were furious
now. She took a step back. “What the hell did you think would happen when you
screamed at my mother, Riley? Did you think she’d hug both of us and make a
pot of tea? Did you think she’d show you my baby pictures? Maybe haul out the
box of trophies from my childhood? Do you really think she has either of those
things!”
“Sam—I just wanted—”
“Right, you just wanted. This was about you.”
“I said that I loved you!” she shot back. “Did you miss that part? Because that was
about us.”
His jaw clenched, but he said nothing. Riley’s stomach twisted.
He glanced at the ground before meeting her eyes again. “You overstepped,
Riley.”
Her eyes filled. “I just hate that she talks to you like that. She’s your mother, and—
”
“Right! She’s my mother, Riley. My only relative. She didn’t need any ammunition
to resent me further, but you gave it to her, so thanks for that.”
“Then maybe you don’t need her—”
“She’s all I have!” he exploded. “I don’t have two loving parents and a bunch of
loving siblings, and a cushy job and a whole tribe of friends, Riley. I have my
mom. That’s it.”
“You have me!” she shouted right back.
“Which I didn’t ask for, Ri! You said just one night, but here we are fighting outside
my mother’s house like a goddamned old married couple! I don’t want that. I never
wanted that.”
“You’re just saying that because you’re scared,” she said, her voice a little
desperate.
He merely folded his arms across his chest. “Look, I’m not trying to be a dick.”
Riley swallowed around the lump in her throat. “You have my family.”
“They’re your family. They care about me, sure, but when forced to choose—”
“Then let’s not make them choose. This can be something, Sam. It is something.”
His eyes flicked away again.
Damn it, Sam. Don’t do this.
She tried again. “Liam’s your best friend. You really think he’ll kick you to the curb