Mac in producer mode was terrifying.Focused.Efficient.Capable of organizing chaos and turning it into something that paid the bills.
Mac in mom mode was… softer.Still strong.Still intense.But softer around the edges in a way she probably didn’t even realize.
I swallowed and shifted slightly.
The monitor beeped louder.
My mom startled awake with a small snort.
“Oh—” She blinked rapidly, eyes snapping to me.“Star?”
“Hi,” I croaked.
Her face went through about five emotions in three seconds: relief, exhaustion, joy, fear, and then something that looked dangerously close to tears.
I smiled at her.Or tried to.My face felt weird.
“You’re awake,” she said unnecessarily.
“Been awake,” I rasped.“Just… quieter about it.”
She stood immediately, leaned over me, careful not to jostle anything.Her hand brushed my hair back from my forehead.“How do you feel?”
Yesterday, I had been awake longer than I had since being in the hospital, but I think Mom was still traumatized by what happened last week.
I considered that.“Like I lost a fight with a parking lot.”
Her lips twitched.“That checks out.”
“I think I won,” I said.
She huffed a laugh that sounded suspiciously like a sob trying to escape.“You survived.I’m counting it as a win.”
I glanced at the tray table again.“Is that cake?”
Her shoulders relaxed just a fraction.“Yes.”
“Did you bring it?”
“No.”
I raised my brows as much as my head would allow.“Then who did?”
She hesitated.“Your… girls,” she said carefully.
“My what?”
“The club,” she clarified.“The girls.Some of the guys.Mostly Cole.They’ve been rotating.”
I frowned.“Rotating like shifts?”
She winced.“A little.”
I sighed and closed my eyes for a second.“I’m not a zoo exhibit.”
“I told them you wouldn’t really be into them being here while you sleep,” she said quickly.“Several times.”
“And yet.”
