“What’s done is done, Presley. I came here today because I respect you and needed to see for myself how this break-up was affecting you. Finn won’t talk to us, but a mother knows when her child is in agony. The second we walked into that hospital room in Baton Rouge, I knew what was happening, but I could only hope it worked itself out. Obviously, that didn’t happen.
“Now that I’ve seen you, it’s apparent you’re as bad off as him. So why am I here?”
“Evelyn, you have every right to hate me, but I need your help. I’ve seen the error of my ways and fought like hell with myself internally to rationalize my actions. But nothing works. It all boils down to being a big fat idiot with a penchant for fear.” I fall to my sofa and lean my elbows on my knees, staring at the floor, not able to take her disapproving glare. “You may not believe me, but I love Finn with every fiber in my soul. When I left him in the hospital, I also left behind a huge chunk of my heart. I tried to get him to talk to me, and it was useless. Then I gave him space.
“It’s been almost a month, and everything I’ve done was with him in mind.”
“Can you explain?”
I figured I’d have to spill my guts before she’d decide if I was worth helping. If the end result is getting Finn to listen to me, I’ll gladly tell her anything she wants to know.
“How much do you know?”
“Does it matter?” She raises one eyebrow at me and tilts her head in the signature ‘mom’ move.
I choke back a giggle, but a small cough escapes. “I’m sorry, you remind me of my mom when she gave us an expectant look.”
I scoot over and pat the sofa next to me. When she sits, I launch into the whole story—my nightmares, the decision to break things off, our fight, Dad pushing me to a counselor, and finally, my confession two nights ago to my support group. I don’t glaze over any of the details, and when I finish, she’s in tears, holding my hand tight.
“Oh, dear, you’ve been holding in so much, taking on responsibility for things out of your control.”
“I lost Finn, and I don’t expect a reconciliation, but I’d like to share with him what his love and losing him did to me. If I could go back and change things, I’d do it, but as it stands, he made me a better person without even knowing it.”
“You said you need my help. What can I do?”
“Showing up at his condo with this forlorn confession doesn’t seem like enough. I’m looking for a grand gesture, the kind that will make him truly listen to me and understand I won’t ever ask him to be someone he isn’t.”
She scrunches her eyes, tapping a finger against her lips. Then she snaps her fingers and turns to me with a cunning grin. “I think I have it! But we need to move fast!”
“Fast is fine, the quicker the better!”
“Let me tell you my idea, and then we need to make some calls. This is going to be tight, but I’ll make it happen.”
Her enthusiasm is contagious, and I finally feel like I can put an end to this nightmare.
Chapter 32
Finn
The heat of their stares singe into the back of my head, and I struggle to keep my temper intact. What the fuck is everyone’s problem tonight? I veer off to the restroom with an audience on my heels.
When the door slams, I spin and point at Robbie. “What the fuck is going on?”
He, Tripp, and Max look to the ground, the walls, the ceiling… anywhere to avoid eye contact. Right then, the door swings open and Johnny walks in with Jeff in tow.
Fuck! It pains me to see them, but knowing they’re here solidifies my theory that Presley is, too. Mom warned me their family RSVP’d to the Gala. Knowing this, I had the perfect excuse to bow out of this year’s event. Until Governor DeSantis called me personally and asked me to sit at his table.
This Gala has always been about supporting, recognizing, and empowering the men and women of the Armed Forces. This year, they chose to hold the event on the Saturday after Thanksgiving because so many servicemen and women tried to get home for the holiday. She wanted to honor as many as she could.
Jeff and Johnny come to me together, both of their faces blank. I’ve spoken to each of them once since being released from the hospital and coming home. The subject of Presley never came up, mostly because I shut them down when they mentioned her name.
Jeff stops and lays a hand on my shoulder gently. “Son, good to see you again. Glad you’re better.”
“Thanks.” I force the words.
Jeff steps up next and extends a hand toward me. “You look a lot better than the last time I saw you.”
“Thanks,” I repeat.