She wished she could go back to a simpler time—seventy-two hours ago, at least—before she realized that her ’80s music fiend, sci-fi movie–loving best friend wasn’t just her friend. He was a man. A single man, sweet and sexy, who color coordinated his sock drawer, rescued stray canyon dogs and made her heart flutter.
She resisted the urge to drop her head between her knees. There was no way out of this. She, Sassy Colton, had a devastating crush on Nick Malone, and it didn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.
Chapter 10
“It’s nothing,” Nick quickly explained. “Just a sprain. I’m fine, Mom. I swear.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, sounding weary and strained. “Just because I’m here doesn’t mean you need to hide things from me. I can handle bad news.”
Nick wasn’t so sure. He scrubbed the heel of his hand across his brow. “I’ll have Sassy drop Riot and me off tomorrow at River House so you can see for yourself. I won’t miss seeing you again like I did this morning.”
“Everyone was asking where the two of you were. They all missed you.”
“Well, I miss you,” he said, needing her to hear and understand that just because she was there didn’t mean he’d stopped thinking about her night and day.
“I miss you, too, Nicholas,” she replied softly. “How is Sassy?”
Nick glanced toward the open door to the guest bedroom. He could hear rustling down the hall from hers. There was no way he could tell his mother about what had happened here last night. “She’s doing okay.”
“You know, I’ve been doing some thinking. If she wants to buy that house she was talking about—the fixer-upper—I think she should. She sounded so excited about it.”
Nick froze. He was currently sitting in the fixer-upper—the one Sassy had made the leap and purchased two years ago. The smells of semifresh paint and sawdust from her months of DIY renovations didn’t mix well with the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. “Mom…”
“I could even dig into our savings—the money from your father’s estate—and help her put down the down payment if it would help with the interest rate.”
The room swam for a moment. Nick kicked for the surface, fighting to breathe through the tight feeling wrapped around his chest. His mother had spent that money in the grips of her addiction, so much so they’d had to sell the house they’d lived in since Nick was born. He put his head between his knees.Goddammit. Not this. Not now.He’d thought the therapy sessions at River House, the proximity to urgent care and his regular visits with Riot had been keeping the worst of her disease at bay.
He knew what the end game was. He knew eventually he’d lose her to dementia. But he’d thought the status quo would hold. He thought there’d be more time…
“Nicholas?”
“I’m here,” he rasped. “I, uh… I’ll talk to her.”
“See that you do. She’s practically a daughter to me. I’m happy to help. She doesn’t even have to pay me back.”
“I’ll tell her,” he promised, feeling numb. “Do you need me to bring you anything tomorrow?”
“Just yourself. And maybe some of those shortbread cookies. You know the ones?”
“I do.” He cleared his throat when his voice splintered. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too, Nicholas.”
“See you tomorrow?”
She chuckled. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Something stabbed the corners of his eyes, hot, biting needles of emotion he couldn’t stanch. He said goodbye and sought Riot’s warmth next to him. His large snout rested on Nick’s knee. He petted him, knowing his buddy needed the rest after visiting so many different people. Riot might be sociable, but spreading his love around could be wearing on him.
“Everything okay?” Sassy called from down the hall.
Nick swallowed the knot in his throat. “Fine.”
“Is your mom up for a visit tomorrow?”
His hand traced unthinking circles across the top of Riot’s head. “She says so.”
“Good. Chayton’s grandmother gave me a gift basket. She wanted me to take it to her.”
