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I held up a hand to pause him so I could keep listening to the rest of Raina’s rambling explanation. “For some reason, that really set her off. I mean, she just kind of started attacking him almost out of the blue with, ‘I know you don’t like me,’ ‘I’m sure Foster told you everything I ever did wrong,’ and ‘I’m sure he blames me for Hayes?—’”
“Who…” Thane shook his head and tried to squint in Raina’s direction. “Who’re you talking to?” he asked. “Is that—Shit. Are you still seeing the girl from the?—”
“Shh,” I warned him, waving a hand in his direction because now I had to know how his conversation had ended with my mother.
“Thane tried to convince her that he didn’t hate her, but then he finally admitted that he did kind of have a chip on his shoulder because she never tried to tell you that Hayes’s death wasn’t your fault, and?—”
“Whoa!” I lifted my hands and turned to Thane. “You don’t like my mom?”
“What?” he glanced in Raina’s general direction with a condemning scowl before turning back to me with helpless desperation. “I never said that. I don’t even think it. Damn, man. Your mom is fierce and loyal and loves the fuck out of you. Of course, I like her.”
I shook my head. “But you held it against her because she never told me that Hayes wasn’t my fault?”
With another scowl in Raina’s direction, he muttered, “Jesus. You’re little friend just listened in on our entire conversation, didn’t she?”
I stepped between her and Thane, even though there was absolutely no reason for me to be protective. “Yes, she apparently did,” I said, tightening my jaw as I narrowed my eyes at him. “And thank God, so I know what actually happened between you and my mother.”
Thane’s shoulders slumped, and he heaved out a big breath. “Okay,” he finally admitted, rolling his eyes. “Maybe I’ve always thought you could’ve healed better ifshehad been the one to tell you it wasn’t your fault, but?—”
“Thane,” I broke in softly, stopping him there. Then I shook my head and heaved out a quiet, bitter laugh. “Man, I appreciate your support and how much you care, but…” After wiping a hand over my face, I glanced over at Raina, who was watching me with big, worried eyes.
Turning back to Thane, I admitted, “I didn’twanther to know.”
He blinked, wrinkling his brow in confusion.
“She lost her seven-year-oldson,” I explained. “And it almost broke her. She was so depressed afterward.” Shaking my head, I glanced toward the doorway to make sure none of my younger siblings were listening in before I lowered my voice and continued, “I wasn’t supposed to, but I overheard her and Dad once, and I—I think she was suicidal for a while.”
“Shit,” Thane breathed, shaking his head sadly.
“My dad blamed himself too. He thought he should’ve been there to help. Weallcame away from it, wracked with guilt. So I never wanted to burden them with mine too. I wasokaywith carrying my burden because they had enough of their own to deal with.”
Heaving out a breath, Thane closed his eyes. “Man, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”
I reached out and clasped his shoulder. “It’s okay,” I said, even though I was still reeling from the whole ordeal. I mean, I’d just been freaking kicked out of the only home I’d ever lived in. “Your heart was in the right place.”
He huffed out a dry laugh. “I seriously only stopped by to see how you were doing.”
I laughed along with him. “Well, Raina let me sleep in this morning. So at least I got some rest.”
“Hey!” she cried indignantly from the wall where she’d been hovering, trying to stay out of the way of my big, emotional moment.
I grinned over at her and winked.
“You’re still seeing her, then?” Thane asked, glancing in the same direction I just had.
I nodded and turned toward Raina, heaving in a big breath and giving her a what-am-I-going-to-do-with-you look. “Yep. I do believe she’s stuck with me twenty-four seven now.”
Rolling her eyes, she muttered, “Or you’re stuck withme.”
Wrinkling my nose, I lifted a finger to try to sort that idea out. “But if I was stuck withyou, wouldn’t I be unable to leave your hospital room?”
“Oh, whatever,” she grumbled moodily and crossed her arms over her chest before backing into the wall and disappearing through it to storm out.
I laughed at her reaction, and next to me, Thane drew my attention with, “So...” Scratching his head, he winced and shuffled his weight from one foot to the other. “Do you think she’d be willing to talk to Parker—throughyou, of course—and try to put his mind at ease? He’s still beating himself up pretty badly over her accident.”
I lifted my eyebrows. “Man, you just wanteveryoneto tell someone else they’re not to blame today, don’t you?”
When Thane cringed, I lifted a hand. “But yeah. I’ll ask her if she’s willing. She doesn’t seem to blame any of us.”
