Not My Hero

He shakes his head and then digs a piece of paper out of the inside pocket of his jacket. “Here.” I take it from him, a frown settling on my forehead. “I never want to hear your name again. Stay out of the media and our lives.”

Without another glance, he walks away. I pull my hand free from Colton’s and open the paper, and then my eyes grow wide. It’s a check for one million dollars. “Holy crap.” I turn my stunned gaze to Colton, who looks just as surprised as me. “I should give it back. Right?”

Colton’s eyes dart between my hands and my face, but before he can answer, Cassie comes to stand by us. She looks at the amount on the check then says, “You should keep it, Brie. Take it as payment for years of hell being stuck with his daughter.”

“Won’t it be wrong of me?” I ask, not sure I should take any money from him.

“Not at all,” Cassie says. “You don’t have to spend it now. You can invest it, and one day when you realize how much you deserve that money, you can use it.”

It sure would help with my personal expenses, so I don’t have to depend on Cassie and Colton for everything. I look at the amount again. I can even donate most of it to a good cause if it bothers me so much.

I hold the check out to Cassie and ask, “Can you keep it for me. I’m scared I’ll lose it.”

I watch her tuck it in her purse before I glance at my mother’s grave. A reporter catches my eye, and as she takes a step toward us, I say, “We better go. A reporter is heading our way.”

We begin to walk away, and then Cassie glances over her shoulder. “Shit, she’s catching up. Let’s run.”

We all dart forward, and Colton’s taller, so he keeps tugging at my hand. Then Cassie passes us, letting out a burst of laughter, which makes me chuckle.

We all bundle into the truck, and Colton quickly drives away. With a smile, I glance out the back window and watch the reporter shake her head.

Turning my gaze to the front, my eyes meet Cassie’s, and impulsively I ask, “Will it be okay if I called you Mom?”

Her smile widens, and she pulls me into a hug. “It would make me so happy. I always wanted a daughter.”

When she pulls back, I say, “You’re the best mother I could’ve asked for.”

“As long as you both know we’re first going to finish our studies before there’s any talk of marriage,” Colton suddenly says.

I look like a gaping fish while Cassie laughs, “Who said anything about getting married?”

“Just saying,” Colton shrugs, then he playfully grins at us. “Also, it looked like you were both about to cry, and I thought dropping a bomb would stop the floodgates from opening.”

Our laughter fills the cab as Colton drives us home, and then my thoughts turn back to Cassie. The moment just felt so right, and honestly, she really is the only mother I’ve ever known. I know it’s sudden, but for me, it feels natural.

I also know it’s weird that it happened after Serena’s funeral, but I guess she did more for me by dying than she ever did while alive.Chapter 25COLTONBrie’s been staring at the check since we got home. Her facial expressions keep alternating between determination and doubt.

Sitting down on the couch next to her, I ask, “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

Her eyes dart to mine before they return to the piece of paper. “I can’t decide whether I should keep it or tear it up.” She shifts her body, so she faces me, then asks, “What would I do with so much money?”

“Anything you want to do,” I reply. “You can pay for college.”

She nods. “Still, at most, I only need ten percent of it.”

“Then invest the rest, like Mom said.”

A grin spreads over her face. “Mom. I like that.”

“Me too,” Mom chuckles as she walks into the kitchen. “What do you want for dinner?”

“Mac and cheese,” I call out.

“Mac and cheese, it is then.”

While Mom starts with dinner, Brie moves closer to me and whispers, “Don’t you think we should take Mom for a picnic to the waterfall on Sunday?”

My eyebrows raise at the idea. “Yeah, she’ll love that.”

“We can make sandwiches and get some muffins or cupcakes from the store.”

“Sounds good to me.”

When Brie’s eyes turn back to the check, I pull the paper out of her hand. “You don’t have to decide today. Let’s watch something.” Getting up, I walk to the kitchen and hand the check to Mom, then I pour us all some soda while asking, “Brie, What do you feel like watching?”

“Maybe something to do with college?”

“Oooh!” Mom almost starts jumping from excitement. “Let’s watch After.”