Page 80 of Midnight Mooring

“Good. You deserve to be happy. You know I’m very fond of Forde.”

Despite my earlier determination to keep things light, apparently I couldn’t help myself. “Mum … I don’t say this as an attack on you. I’ve always admired how you looked after us by yourself when Dad left …” I watched her brace, her expression tightening instantly. “But I do think that you and I don’t really … we’ve never really … I always wondered if you even liked me.” It sounded pathetic and I instantly regretted how vulnerable the confession made me feel.

Mum’s eyes widened. “Of course I do. My god, what a ridiculous thing to say to me.”

“Mum—”

She swiped a hand through the air. “I’m not having this discussion with you, Cameron. You need to get over this silly insecurity.”

I clamped my lips shut and studied her for a few seconds.

And I knew.

She would never admit that she had a favorite between me and Quinn. That she kept a wall up between her and me for whatever reason. Mum wanted to live in denial about it, maybe because she didn’t want to feel guilty or explore why exactly she and I had never had a tight bond.

But I didn’t want to be hurt by it anymore.

Therefore, I decided in that moment to try to make peace with the fact that this was our relationship. It wasn’t amazing. But it wasn’t terrible. She was here with lunch, and she wanted to be part of my life in some capacity.

“Okay.”

She reached to open the bakery box. “Bryan said you love a knob.”

My lips twitched at her unintended innuendo. Bryan and Harry made these little cake pops that were shaped and decorated like doorknobs and because they had a wicked sense of humor, they had a sign above them that said “Enjoy our knobs.” Tourists who understood that Brits, Australians, and New Zealanders often referred to a penis as a knob were always taking pictures. Generally, the people of Leth Sholas thought it was hilarious.

Mum either tended to miss innuendo or pretend like she didn’t understand, which just made it funnier.

“I do love a knob.” I reached to take out a little pink decorated one and eyed it. “You know this is actually cute. They’d look great on my bedroom furniture.”

“Always designing.” Mum chuckled as she popped one of the knobs into her mouth.

“Good knob?” I asked, trying to keep a straight face.

She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.”

I chuckled. “Well, I wasn’t sure if you understood after you said with a totally straight face that Bryan told you I love a knob.”

Her eyes twinkled. “I was trying to make you laugh.”

My resultant laughter was cut off at the sound of a bang behind me. Instant fear prickled my skin, and I was back to that night the crash of breaking glass woke me up.

My mum’s expression tightened with concern. “Sweetheart, it was just your post coming through the letterbox. I’ll get it.”

At the relief of realizing I was safe, I tried to cool the adrenaline shooting through my body. My gaze followed Mum as she crossed to the door to pick up the mail the postman had delivered.

“There’s a parcel. That’s why it was so loud.” Mum tutted under her breath as she picked up a heavy padded envelope. Sometimes I had stuff for work sent straight to the house and as I eyed the logo on the package, I realized it was, ironically, the door knobs I’d ordered.

Mum was shuffling absentmindedly through my post as she strolled back to the couch. “What’s this?” She turned the envelope over, and my heart lurched into my throat.

“Oh my god.” I stood, snatching it from her, my fingers trembling as I tore it open.

Deer Cameron,

He dusint luv u. He luvs me. Stay away frum him or ah will make u stay away frum him, bitch.

Am Forde’s 4ever

“What on earth …,” Mum squeaked after reading the letter over my shoulder.