“Itwillall be okay. I know you’ll be amazing, and the only real question is whether you like it or not and want to accept their formal offer.” Reese was sure the fans, the cameras, and the network would love Sydney. She wasn’t a hard sell.
In spite of the nervousness that sluiced through her at the idea of Sydney moving on from Stoneport, fromher, encouraging her had been the right thing to do. For both of them.
“I’m coming in there. Everyone better be decent,” a voice called from beyond the hedges, and Reese heard the faint click of the gate opening.
Sydney burst into laughter, throaty and full as it echoed into the night. “My god. We cannot catch a break.” She gave Reese another quick kiss and rolled her eyes before finding Reese’s hand underneaththe water.
Hallie rounded the corner, and both of them stood up a little straighter, not knowing who she was coming to find.
“Your mom’s here.”
Sydney moved to speak, but Hallie held her hand up before pointing at Reese. “Yourmom. She said she texted you.”
Truly, what had people done without cell phones? She’d been away from hers for an hour, and suddenly it was like everyone in the world needed her immediate attention.
But her irritation at their moment being interrupted was quickly replaced when she realized how strange it was, her mom showing up at the inn at almost ten o’clock at night.
Taking Sydney with her, she moved toward the pool steps, apprehension drawn across her features. “Is she okay?”
Hallie didn’t speak immediately, her face inscrutable. “I’m honestly not sure, but I told her I’d try to find you. She said it was important.”
Urgency propelled Reese forward. She moved quickly up the steps and put on the robe she’d brought down with her.
“Later?” she asked, shooting Sydney an apologetic look. Her focus had shifted in the blink of an eye, and all she could think about was getting to her mom, trying not to catastrophize about whatever was wrong.
“Definitely. Let me know if I can help with anything,” Sydney said, no hesitation in her voice.
And with that, Reese was already sprinting toward the gate, wondering what other surprises this day could possibly have in store.
“I’ve left your father.” The words hung heavy in the air, Reese struggling to make sense of them, even though they were about as clear as could be.
She’d taken her mom over to the sitting room off the lobby after she’d made sure that nothing was urgentlywrong. Her mother had insisted she just wanted to talk, so being seated seemed like the best idea. Which was how she found herself on the sofa in the lounge area, her mom seated next to her. Goose bumps were already prickling her skin in the air-conditioning, but that was the least of her worries.
“Mom, what happened?” When she grabbed her hand, she realized it was shaking slightly. All it did was make Reese hold on more tightly.
And then, she waited.
Not that Reese needed an explanation on the why. More than anything, it was thewhynow.
Their divorce was long overdue, given everything Reese had seen this summer. But still, her mom hadn’t hinted at anything like this. Not after he’d left her on her own with her cancer scare. Not when he abandoned her with the Fitzpatricks a few weeks ago. Not even when he did the least but expected the most credit, putting her mom in the impossible position of constantly navigating around Grant’s absurd behavior at every turn.
Long seconds passed; then her mom let out a strangled titter before taking a deep breath. “Something in me just cracked today. I can’t even explain it.”
“Did you two have a fight?” Reese asked, trying to help her find a path toward explaining what had happened. Something she herself was desperately curious to understand.
“I don’t think you could qualify it as that.” God, she was making Reese work for it.
“Will you talk to me about what happened?” To her mom’s credit, she looked a little shell-shocked by what she’d just done, which was why Reese was trying to approach the situation with kid gloves.
“We had…” Her mom stilled, trying to find the words. “I’d call it a difference of opinion regarding your brother.”
“What about him?”
“I didn’t want to get into it today, given that I was trying to keep the party on track, but you were right. It’s more than just ‘some mood.’ He’s the worst I’ve ever seen him, and I don’t know what’s causing it. Contrary to his flaws,” she said, looking at Reese pointedly, “of which I am well aware, he’s my son. The same way you are my daughter, whom I’d do anything in the world to help.”
Her mom took a deep breath, and Reese stayed silent to give her the space to get her thoughts out. “After your brother left with one of his friends, I tried to talk to your father about it. About whether he knew what was causing Grant’s behavior. He blew me off. Told me not to worry about it, that nothing was wrong.”
The room was silent around them, and Reese reached out to grab her mom’s hand.
