Page 39 of Wild Mistake
“Mom?” Gabe’s voice is so unexpected, I wonder if I imagine it. “Mom?”
I turn and find him waiting near the door. He doesn’t appear happy. How long has he been standing there? Did he watch that last round? Did he hear everyone laugh at me?
I stand, maneuvering around the furniture to get to him. “Hey. Everything okay?”
“Can we go?” He won’t meet my eyes. “Please?”
“Now?” I glance at the clock. There’s only another thirty minutes till midnight. “Is everything okay?” I scan his face for distress. He appears fine. But that doesn’t mean it is. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He huffs, glancing around and keeping his voice hushed. “I’m just really fucking tired.”
“Oh, okay.” In the living room they’ve already started the next round, shouting guesses over each other and making it difficult to have a conversation. “You sure you don’t want to stay?”
“I don’t want to be here at midnight.” He shoves his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and drops his gaze to the floor. “Please don’t make me.”
“Okay, yeah.” Something happened. But he doesn’t want to tell me and that’s fair. “Where’s your brother?”
“He’s already by the car.”
“Okay, we’ll go.”
I don’t want to be rude, but I also don’t want to cause a scene by interrupting the game. Saying goodbye to everyone will easily take a solid ten minutes and I don’t want Parker standing out in the cold that long. With my head down, I snag my jacket from where it’s slung over a kitchen chair and slip quietly out the door.
15
AIDEN
Sarah is upset.Of course she is.She has every right to be. God, I’m such a fucking idiot!What was I thinking?I wasn’t. I was thinking about winning the game.
I should have skipped that card the moment I saw it.
She appears so damn uncomfortable that I use the opportunity to use the restroom, but when I return, she’s gone.
“Hey?” I ask Rosalie. “Did you see where Sarah went?”
“I think she left.”
“She left?”Without saying goodbye?
“I’m not sure. She grabbed her coat a few minutes ago and went outside.”
Shit.I practically run toward the door.
“Aiden?” Maeve calls. “Your team is almost up again!”
But I don’t give a fuck about the game. I need to find Sarah. Need to explain. To apologize. Fuck. This last week we avoided talking about the past, but that didn’t erase what happened. I wish I could go back and have a do over. Not just for tonight. But eighteen years ago.
Sarah’s not on the porch, but at the end of the driveway I spot her walking to her car. Shit. She is leaving, and without saying goodbye. She’s more upset than I thought.
“Sarah!” I call out, jogging the distance between us and catching her before she slips into the front seat. “You’re leaving?”
“Yeah.” She barely meets my gaze.
“But it’s almost midnight.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” She steps forward, away from the vehicle and closer to where I stand. “The boys had a long day. I need to get them home.”
“Oh, okay.” It feels as if there’s something more going on. Maybe she doesn’t want to be here when the clock strikes midnight. Maybe she isn’t interested in me the way I am with her. Or maybe she’s just scared. “Want me to drive you home? It’s late.”
