Page 23 of Make or Break

“Yeah, tell Marcia and Drew I said hello.”

I sat down at the table and sipped my soda.

Tundra pulled out the chair next to me and settled his bulk in it. “I’m sorry, but Mom, you should have called me right after.”

He paused. I hated feeling like an eavesdropper like this.

“Right. She got a hold of me later, and I set her straight. We’re definitely over, and if you can’t figure out how to block her number, I’ll handle that for you when I see you after your cruise.”

I had a hard time not making an ‘aww’ sound because a man who took care of his mother was a man after my heart.

The timer beeped and I hurried to the oven, grabbed some mitts, and pulled the casserole out.

“I love you, Mom. Have a Merry Christmas.”

No sooner had I pulled off both oven mitts than Tundra snatched them from me. “Baby, you fucked up.”

I shot him a questioning look. “What do you mean?”

He tossed the mitts on the counter. “We’re taking a ride, you can’t be under the influence.”

Hmm. Somehow, I’d forgotten about that.

I nodded. “Fine. I’ll put it in the fridge.”

“Suit yourself, but watered down rum is just wrong. I can’t believe you don’t have a fuckin’ coffee maker.”

I chuckled. “Counter space is tight, and except for chicory coffee and the occasional iced vanilla latte, I don’t normally drink that stuff.” I glanced at the cabinet behind him. “Sorry, honey. You’re standing in front of the cabinet with the plates, so how about you grab two for me, please.”

He did as I asked, and I scooped out casserole for each of us.

We sat down and shoveled sausage, egg, and cheese goodness into our mouths.

I swallowed a bite and pointed my fork at him. “You’re a very good son, offering to take care of your mom’s phone for her.”

He shook his head. “That doesn’t make me a good son. That’s what I’m supposed to do for her. Hell, she never should have had Sarah in her ear to start with.”

“That’s on Sarah, not you.”

“Yeah, but it’s still wrong.”

“All right. Enough about her. Do you need seconds?”

“No. I’ll be in a food coma. You don’t skimp on food, woman.”

I held a finger in the air. “It’s holiday food, so no.”

“There anywhere you want to go on our ride?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Not particularly. If you have a ride you enjoy, let’s do that.”

I thought we were headed to Gainesville when we rolled through downtown Starke, but then we went west on State Road 100 and I second-guessed myself.

“Where are we going?” I called out when he slowed for a car making a left.

He turned his head a touch. “Alachua.”

I shook my head. “You mean the county.”