I kissed her on the cheek. “I’m sorry I’m late. I was talking to my history professor.” I dared not tell her I failed a quiz, but she knew I was struggling in history.
“Did he find a tutor for you?” Her hazel eyes sparkled in the daylight.
I slid into a wooden chair adjacent to her. “He thinks so. He wants to vet them first before he sets up a date and time, but I imagine it will be next week.” I didn’t have an opening in my schedule until after the homecoming game this weekend.
“It's a step in the right direction. I would hate to see you lose that scholarship so close to graduation.”
I couldn’t blame Mom for being concerned that I could lose my scholarship. She couldn’t afford the tuition, and neither could I. After what my father had done, it had taken my mom years to regain her financial independence. I’d helped out as much as I could, taking a job at age fourteen cutting lawns and working at the tractor supply store all through high school.
“Senior year is tough.” I sipped the sweet tea in front of me. “But I got this.” I wasn’t about to repeat my senior year. That wouldn’t bode well for my future.
“I’m happy you aren’t working so you can concentrate this year,” she said. “Are you doing okay on money?”
“Yes, ma’am. Ryker is paying the rent, or rather, Franklin is. So I have plenty in my savings for basic necessities.”
Franklin, who served as both Ryker’s family lawyer and my mom’s attorney, had married Ryker’s aunt Kari. Since Ryker’s parents left the house to Kari in their trust, she wanted to move in before she gave birth to their first child.
“Franklin told me he feels guilty for forcing Ryker to move out of his parents’ home.”
“Ryker needed a change. He was too depressed living there,” I said, glancing out at the eighteenth hole.
She placed the cloth napkin on her lap. “Well, I also think that Haven has been good for Ryker. A nice woman can make all the difference. Speaking of?—”
“Mom, I know what you’re going to say.” I set my glass down as I watched a golfer lining up to putt his ball. “I’m not ready for a steady relationship with anyone.” Liar. You want Mazzie. But I can’t have a girl who doesn’t want me.
“Son, I do want grandkids one day. That is, before I die.” She reached over and patted my hand, her silver watchband catching the light.
“Mom, I haven’t even graduated college. Is this why you asked me to lunch? To talk about my love life?”
“We’ll get to that in a second.” Pursing her lips, she straightened in her seat.
As my brow rose in confusion, the waitress, Kimmie, came over. “Are you ready to order?”
My mom handed the menu to Kimmie. “I’ll have the chicken Caesar salad with no croutons, please.”
“I’ll have the Hole-in-One Burger, hold the onions.”
Kimmie collected my menu then darted off.
My mom resumed her motherly look. “I called you so we could chat about your father.”
The hunger pains vanished. I’d planned to tell her I’d seen him at the casino gambling. But the days had gotten away from me, and Coach was riding our asses in preparation for homecoming.
She was quiet for a beat before a veil of darkness dropped over her, and that crease between her eyebrows was a clear indication she was mad. “Why were you at the casino? You know a place like that is off-limits for two very important reasons. It’s a disgusting environment that sucked your father in, and most importantly, are you trying to ruin your football career?”
I didn’t need to ask her who had ratted on me. But I did. “You talked to Kurtis?”
“He’s worried that you could be in trouble.”
I laughed, albeit it wasn’t nice. “He is now? And did he also tell you he was gambling?”
She wagged her finger at me, leaning in. “Don’t be smart.” Her voice was low as she glanced around, eyeing the few customers eating lunch. “Yes, he came clean. He knew you would rush home and tell me, but you didn’t.”
I slouched under her glare. “Mom, I get you’re upset that I was at the casino, but aren’t you mad about Kurtis? He said he was a changed man.”
“Son, your father has an addiction that will take years to overcome,” she said softly. “I’m not surprised. But as much as I want to be angry with him, I can’t. He’s in charge of his actions, not me. Not you.” She paused to take a breath. “We both can’t control what he will do or not. However, I still have authority over you, and I don’t want you anywhere near that casino. Do you hear me, Lucas?”
I cowered. “Yes, ma’am.” I would rather have her on my ass than Coach.
