As I strip down to my boxers and climb into bed, I can’t help but wonder if she’s still awake, thinking about me the way I’m thinking about her.
Nah. She made it more than clear what this was from the very beginning. And here I go, wanting to break the rules.
Rolling onto my side, I punch my pillow into submission and close my eyes.
Sleep doesn’t come easy, though. Not when my mind is racing with words I’m too afraid to say, cock throbbing for the woman sleeping right down the hall.
A woman who I’m starting to think just might be everything I never knew I needed.
forty-two
The shadowson the ceiling are the only things keeping me company as I toss and turn.
Knowing sleep isn’t going to happen, at least not for a while, I reach for my phone and check the time. It’s just after nine-thirty, which means it’s not too late to call my mom.
I sure could use her particular brand of hippie wisdom right about now, even if I don’t plan on telling her everything that’s going on. The last thing I need is for her to worry.
Tapping her contact icon, I wait as it rings.
“Hello, my darling girl!” Her voice, just as warm and melodic as always, flows through the speaker making me grin.
“Hey, Mom.” Unable to keep the smile from my voice, I roll onto my side. “How’s Arizona treating you?”
“Oh, it’s absolutely magical right now. Sunsets here are always full of purples and oranges, setting the sky on fire.” I can picture her gesturing wildly as she speaks. “Dean and I have been collecting new stones for my dreamcatcher’s. We found this gorgeous piece of turquoise yesterday I could’ve sworn was calling to me.”
“That sounds awesome.” I snuggle into the pillow, letting her enthusiasm fill the tiny fissured parts of me.
“How’s the new Summit coming along? Grand opening is soon, right?”
“In a couple of weeks,” I confirm. “Everything is falling smoothly into place. The equipment arrived, and we’ve got most of it set up already. We’re having a soft opening in a few days. I’m going to host a free introductory yoga class for the town. After we put it up on the website, the spots filled up in just a couple of hours.”
“I’m so proud of you, honey. Following your passion, building something beautiful.”
There’s a pause, and I cringe, knowing what’s coming next.
“And how about your personal life? Anyone special I should know about?”
I hesitate, my mind immediately going to Jax. “It’s... complicated.”
“Mmm. The best ones usually are,” she chuckles knowingly. “Is he handsome?”
“Mom...”
“Is he good to you?”
I think about how Jax offered to help with the blackmail situation without hesitation, and how he insisted I stay with him to keep me safe.
“Yeah,” I admit softly. “He is.”
“Then, un-complicate it, sweetheart. Life’s too short. I know after what your father did, and then Ryan…” She sighs. “You can’t let what they’ve done hold you back from finding someone good.”
If only it were that simple.
“How’s Dean?” I ask, deliberately changing the subject.
She lets me off the hook, telling me about Dean’s growing meditation class and their plans for the upcoming art festival in Sedona. I listen, grateful for the distraction.
“You sound tired, sweetie,” she says eventually. “Get some sleep. And remember—the universe always has a way of sorting things out. You just need to let it.”
