Linda smiled. “That sounds like my George. I was the baker; he was the grill master.” She turned her focus to the lawn mower, which still had a streamof smoke seeping out of it. Looks like you have no choice but to get that heap fixed.”
With a heavy sigh, I nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m probably just going to buy a new one.”
“That’ll make Ayla happy,” she teased, looking over at Ayla’s house. “How are things with you two?”
I wiped the sweat off my brow with my shirt. “Good,” I answered happily. “We’re going on a date tomorrow. She said she’s making me take her to the fanciest restaurant in town.”
Linda tilted her head back and laughed. “That would be Cynthia’s. I love the crab cakes there. My husband and I would go for our anniversary every year.” She averted her gaze to the ground and a sad smile spread across her face as if she was remembering those times.
“If you ever want to go there, I’d be happy to take you,” I offered.
Her head snapped up, eyes wide. “You would do that?”
“Of course.” I held up the plate of lemon bars. “I need to pay you back for all the goodies you’ve given me. Plus, I like talking to you. We can even invite Ayla if you want.”
Linda snorted. “I don’t think so. If she has herown date nights with you, I’m going to want my own. Feel free to tell her I said that, too.”
We both laughed.
“Don’t worry, I will,” I promised her.
Linda said her goodbyes and continued her walk through the neighborhood while I went back to focusing on my yard. Once the mower was put away in the garage, I went inside and grabbed my phone off the kitchen counter.
There was a missed call from my mother.
I sat down on one of the stools at the kitchen bar and stared at her number. The lump in my throat made it hard to swallow, but what I hated more than anything was the tightness in my chest. My own guilt weighed me down to where I could barely breathe. The shame I felt because of the way I treated my parents would suffocate me completely. The problem was that I couldn’t run away forever.
I needed to face this once and for all.
If I kept running, I’d be miserable for the rest of my life. And from my mother’s last voicemail message, I could tell I was the one causing her even more pain by ignoring her calls.
I took in a deep, calming breath and then let it out slowly. It took a few minutes, but I pressed her number, my heart pounding with each ring.
“Declan, honey.” She sucked in a breath and started crying. “I’m so glad you’re calling me.”
Her words ripped right through me.
“Mom, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for leaving. I’m sorry for . . . everything.”
She broke down even more. “There is nothing to be sorry for. I know you left because of Elijah. Because it was too hard to be in New York after everything that happened.”
“It was my fault,” I said, hearing the anguish in my voice. I didn’t even sound like me.
“No,” my mother snapped. “It wasn’t your fault. I don’t ever want to hear that come out of your mouth again. You and your brother both knew the risks with your jobs.”
Eyes burning, I hung my head. “I should’ve been faster. Elijah would still be here if I were. I let you and dad down.”
“We don’t blame you, Declan. Is that what you think?”
I didn’t want to answer her. However, my silence did it for me.
The sobs that echoed through the phone were my undoing. Hot tears fell down my cheeks as I listened to her weep.
“Your father and I have never blamed you, son.The thought of you thinking that these past few months breaks my heart. Please, sweetheart, you have to believe me. I don’t want to lose you, too. Ican’tlose you.”
“You won’t,” I promised. “From now on, things will be different. The last thing I want to do is hurt you any more than I already have.”
She blew out a shaky breath and I could almost hear the smile in her voice. “I’m sure we can figure out a way to remedy this.”
