Page 93 of Special Delivery

Mom not being home messes with my plans, but I take a quick shower and call her.

“Hi, Mom. Where are you?”

“I’m at Roger’s. I left you some food in the fridge.”

I shake my head. Even though I’m a thirty-year-old man, perfectly capable of taking care of myself, she still makes sure to take care of me. “Send me the address, please. I need to talk to you.”

“Did something happen?”

“I’ll explain everything once I get there.” I’m probably offering more than I have, considering that I still have no idea what actually happened.

I park in front of a mansion. There’s no way this place can be called a house. It looks like it’s home to at least eight bedrooms with adjoining bathrooms, as well as a pool and a pool house. The mansion is gated, of course, but the door pings just a few seconds after I park in front of it. I make my way down the driveway, noticing the manicured shrubs on both sides.

Mom and Roger greet me in front of the entrance.

“That’s some house you have here, Roger.”

“Thank you, son.”

“Enough with the chitchat,” Mom interferes. “What’s wrong?”

“Let the boy enter the house first, Kim,” Roger places his hands on her shoulders.

The house is as lavish on the inside as it is on the outside. The floor is covered in marble, a crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling, and there’s an actual spiral staircase right in the middle of the foyer. They lead me to the living room, tastefully decorated in different shades of tan.

As soon as my ass touches the soft cushions, Mom blurts out, “What happened, Ryan? I’m worried sick.”

“Don’t worry, Mom. I’m fine. I’m actually here to talk to Roger. About Paige.”

Roger’s eyebrows sharpen as my mom’s eyes widen.

My gaze drops to the fingers fidgeting in my lap. “Paige has suddenly stopped returning my texts, and after I went by her place to ask her what’s wrong, she told me she doesn’t want to continue with this.”

“This?” he asks, keeping a serious expression.

“Yeah, this. I think all of us here know something was happening between the two of us.”

“What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything, as far as I know.” I lift my hands in surrender. “An acquaintance of both of ours told her I’m seeing someone, but I explained that wasn’t the case. For some reason, it hurt her and broke the trust between us. Do you know why she’d react like that?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Did something happen to her? Why was she so against dating when we first met?”

“Sorry, son. I only know she was hurt after the breakup with her ex, but I don’t know the full story.” His throat bobs with a swallow before he looks at my mom. “To be honest, I wasn’t always there for Paige and Jordan. Not in a way I was supposed to be.” Mom places her palm on top of his, gently caressing it. “I hope to do better in the future, but for this, I think you’ll have to ask Jordan.”

I nod resolutely. “Can you give me her number?”

“I’ll do you one better and let her and Emma know you’re coming.”

“Thank you, sir.”

He exits the room to call his daughter, and Mom escorts me to the exit. “You like her, don’t you?” she asks, her gaze seeing straight through me.

“Yeah, Mom. I really do.”

“Go get her then.” She winks, and my lips tip into a smile.