The cynic in him argued with his heart, telling him to take the gift he’d been given and let her walk away. But he loved her even though she’d hurt him.
He was tired. He’d think about this tomorrow.
* * *
Two days later, the pleasant aroma of bacon woke Cap. How much he’d actually slept was up for debate. Between the lingering aches and pains from his surgery every time he rolled over in bed, and the pain in his heart from being dumped, he’d bet he’d only slept a couple of hours at best. So much for the doctor telling him to get rest.
With as much as he didn’t want to get up and go to the kitchen, the smell of the bacon had him flipping the covers back. What he dreaded was the pathetic look his sympathetic mother would flash him. It was the same look he recalled from five years earlier when Blythe had dumped him.
Mom and Dad insisted on staying with him on his first night home. That was nice, he supposed, but he really just wanted to be alone, and he wanted to get his life back on track. Pretend he’d never met Emma Brown.
“Good morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well?” Mom asked in a tone as if she were talking to a six-year-old boy.
“Morning,” Dad said from his seated spot at the kitchen island as he looked at him over the top of his newspaper.
“Morning.”
“The bacon is almost done. I’ll also scramble some eggs for you, just the way you like them.”
“I eat them over medium now.”
Mom’s smile faded. He’d upset her. It might have been the tone he used that he shouldn’t have. She was just trying to be nice and help him. But he was edgy and couldn’t shake it.
He sat next to Dad, and Mom cracked six eggs into a frying pan.
When he looked at Dad, he got that look. The one that said he should be nicer to Mom.
Mom placed a plate with eggs, toast, and bacon in front of Dad, then one in front of him, and then she filled one for herself. Rather than sitting, she stood opposite him and Dad at the island.
“Looks great, Mom, thank you.”
She smiled.
He was back in her good graces.
“I talked to Hunter this morning. He and Cici have worked out a schedule to cover your charters.”
His sister was already busy with her own charters, and Hunter had stores to run. They couldn’t possibly take on all of the scheduled charters. He dreaded the thought of having to cancel some. That wasn’t good for business.
“I’m grateful, but maybe I should try to reschedule some of them. I’m sure I’ll be able to take over again soon, maybe next week.”
“You will not, Capricornus,” Mom said firmly. “The doctor said the recovery is four to eight weeks.”
He cringed at her use of his full name. First, he hated that dumb name; second, she knew it and only used it when she really wanted to grab his attention.
Cap glanced at his dad, who kept his focus on his food. No help there. Smart man.
“But…” was all he said before her hand raised into the air in the stop position.
“I’ll stay here the entire eight weeks if that’s what it takes to keep you from doing anything you shouldn’t.”
The placement of her other hand on her hip showed she meant business, so he needed to convince her he’d comply. Not that he minded having his meals cooked for him; but the issue was that, since the surgery, she spoke to him and treated him as if he were still a young boy.
“You don’t need to worry. I’ll follow the doctor’s orders.”
His mom took a bite of eggs while boring into him with her gaze. Probably trying to decide whether she should believe him.
“Tell me more about this girl,” Mom demanded.
