Page 63 of Reins

“I know sweetie. It’s wrong and I’m going to sit down with Mason in the morning and make sure he knows that. They haven’t heard from you and you made me promise not to tell them anything about what you’ve been doing. I think they just leapt to their own conclusions.” Her tone firms up. “I’m tired of these secrets, son. I hate being the middle man. I want my boys to be together again.”

“I didn’t do it, Mom,” I whisper into my phone. “I found the proof that I wasn’t driving that night.”

She falls silent, but I can hear her ragged sob.

“Oh, honey. I always knew.” Tears stain her voice. “See? It’s going to be all better. I’ll tell Mason you are going to come and talk to him next week.”

“Ma, I can’t—” I rub my eyes as headlights flash past me. “Okay,” I sigh. “Let’s get it over with.”

“You gave me the best Christmas gift,” she sniffles. “Hope.”

God damn it, now there’s a lump in my throat.

“See you soon, Ma.” I tap the red button then am tempted to chuck my fucking cell into the snowbank.

They think I did this shit?

Absolute bullshit.

I could prove in five seconds I had nothing to do with any of it.

Yet they have the gall to even consider it?

My knuckles crack as my fists tighten around the steering wheel.

Maybe fuck all of them and they can figure this mess out on their own?

Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly until it fogs up the windshield for a moment before the heater erases it.

Mom will talk to him. She can calm any of us down.

Then I’ll show Mason and Dixon the evidence I’ve gathered and they can help me pinpoint some of the gaps in my information.

Between the three of us, we should be able to figure this all out, right?

With a feeling of defeat, I pull out of the wide spot and head back home.

“You made it.” Rosalyn beams up at me from the couch.

“I did.” Why does seeing her bring me a sense of peace? “I brought you some more Dr. Pepper.” I shift the bag from one hand to the other as I shrug out of my coat. “And, I got a special surprise.”

My cheeks hurt from grinning as I reach into the drawer before plopping down next to her on the couch.

“You didn’t have to. You spent like four hundred dollars on me today already.” She squints with confusion when I offer her a spoon.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t have fun shopping.” I pause with my arm tucked inside the thin package and raise my brows.

Her lower lip works between her teeth carefully. “I did.”

“That’s the idea, Ros. Here. Merry Christmas.” Pulling the pint of pecan caramel ice cream out with a flourish, I set it on her lap then pull out my own container of peanut butter chocolate.

“Oh my gosh,” she whimpers, those big blue eyes brimming. “I didn’t know you could just buy it?”

“Mmhmm.” I peel off my lid and revel in watching her enjoy the unexpected gift.

She doesn’t know it, but I’m hooked on wanting to make her happy.

Rosalyn is the only person in the world who thinks I’m a good man now that I know my own family hates me.