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“Got it,” said Greg, sounding relieved. “Please, let us know when you’re back in your apartment. I won’t be able to rest until I know you’re okay.”
A smile curved my lips. “All right, then. I’ll catch up with you guys when I get back.”
The waitress returned with my coffee.
I inhaled the heavenly scent of the brew. Picking up the cup, I took a tentative sip. “Mmm,” I moaned, tasting the deliciously smooth coffee. It was made exactly the way I wanted it. Strong and sweet.
I hadn’t planned on visiting Mom this morning. Even though I was calmer than before, there was chaos raging in my mind.
It’d been a while since I missed her presence.
Over the years, I got used to licking my wounds and dealing with things on my own.
Today, however, I couldn’t lie to myself.
My need for revenge was still strong. I wanted to snatch the very thing the Amhurst brothers were afraid to lose.
Even though Corey and Caleb promised to help me, there was something else that scared me. For the first time in five years, I felt my body reacting to the touch of another man.
I’d tried dating guys.Reallytried.
They’d been handsome, smart, and treated me like a princess. On paper, they wereperfect.
And yet, my heart refused to beat for them. I felt no heat. No excitement. The kisses were sweet but they didn’t light my body on fire.
Those moments I spent hitting and punching Corey sent my heart pounding so hard, I was surprised he couldn’t hear it. His touch seared my skin. Every time his hot breath skimmed over my neck, I felt mini tremors wracking through me.
The small skirmish with him was enough to arouse me.
Why did it have to be him?Them?
Why had I been incapable of falling for guys who were better than them in every aspect?
Why am I still so broken, Mom?The thought made me close my eyes and fight against the urge to cry.
Taking a deep breath, I drained my cup and stood up.
My decision to see Mom was made up. It was the only way I could have some clarity about my feelings toward the men I’d vowed to hate.
A strong cold breeze whipped around me as I climbed the worn stone steps leading to the top of the cemetery hill. The church building in the distance stayed visible through the gaps between the bare tree branches as I reached higher.
My chest heaved as I panted from the climb. The view from the top of the hill gave me a look at the vast valley surrounding the church.
This place was away from the noise and bustle of the city streets. It was quiet except for the wind rattling the tree branches and the occasional cry of a bird.
Brian chose the perfect place for Mom to rest.
This was the first time I was visiting my mother’s grave since returning to Silverlake City. For the longest time, I avoided seeing her.
Career-wise, I’d achieved several great things, but I was still the scared, unsure, and awkward girl she left behind. My insecurities kept me holed in my office over the weekends and long into the night.
Most people thought it was my dedication to my work. Truth, however, was that I loathed returning home to an empty apartment with no one to talk to.
A subtle fragrance wafted from the bunch of pink carnations I liked. The smell of sugar and cloves reminded me of the times Mom bought them to decorate our little apartment. They were her favorite and an easy choice to find at most florists.
Nostalgia wrapped around me like a warm blanket as I walked toward the area where Mom was buried.
Something in the distance suddenly caught my eye. Halting in my steps, I looked toward the figure in black that was hunched before my mom’s grave.
