Work was crazy. Joe had decided to give Olivia a chance at reopening the café, and she’d attacked the project with gusto. We spent our time searching for deals on furniture and décor to spruce up the place, comparing suppliers and costs, and trying to get Joe to sign off on the new store layout. He had some very particular requirements and didn’t want to budge. It was no surprise he hadn’t been using the space efficiently. It was hard to get it all organized to his satisfaction.

We’d been hoping to get the first events going before the holidays, but things had taken longer than we’d anticipated. It was mid-December, and there was still work to do. But Joe hadn’t minded waiting, and the store was getting more business as people shopped for gifts.

This week the chaos had settled to a dull roar. Olivia was in Phoenix to visit her parents and sell some of the things she didn’t want to move. Charlie couldn’t go because of work, so he’d been pouting since she’d left. The first night, Sebastian had declared him impossible to live with, so he’d come to my place.

He’d been staying at my house all week. I didn’t mind. I loved falling asleep next to him every night, and waking up to him in the morning. I think we were both starting to realize it was something we could get used to.

The house was empty when I got home after work, but Sebastian texted me minutes later.

Sebastian: We still on for our date tonight?

Me: Yes! What are we doing?

Sebastian: Movie? New horror flick is out.

Me: OMG WE ARE THERE

Sebastian: Done. Already checked times. Should we do 9?

Me: Sounds perfect.

Sebastian: I’ll be at the library another hour or so. Finals are going to be brutal.

Me: Come straight here when you’re done. I’ll make us dinner.

Sebastian: Have I told you lately how much I adore you?

Me: Yes, but you can say it again.

Sebastian: I’ll tell you with my tongue later.

Me: Promise?

Sebastian: It’s either a threat or a promise. You can tell me after you’re done begging me to stop.

I laughed and set my phone on the counter. If he kept talking like that, I was going to have to change my panties. I thought about sending him a dirtier text—maybe see what it took to get him to pack it in and come here now—but I decided to try it another time. He’d been studying his ass off for finals. If he needed another hour, I shouldn’t mess with him. He’d have time to make good on his tongue threats later.

My phone rang, so I grabbed it. Mary. That was strange. I hoped everything was okay with Olivia.

“Hi, Mary.”

“Hi, Brooke,” she said. Her voice was serious, putting me immediately on edge. “Do you have a minute?”

“Yeah,” I said. “Did Olivia make her flight?”

“She did. She should be landing in about an hour,” she said.

“Okay, good,” I said. “What’s up?”

“Well, there was an accident on one of the freeways, just outside Phoenix,” she said. “The driver who caused it was killed.”

My heart felt like it was in my throat and my hands trembled. I didn’t understand why she was telling me this. Car accidents happened all the time. Why was this one important?

“Um, okay.”

“The driver who caused the crash was intoxicated,” she said. “I think that’s why it made the news. That and the fact that multiple cars were involved with only one fatality. But… honey, the driver who died was your mother.”

“What?” A sick feeling turned my stomach. My mother? “How do you know?”

“The news article online gave her name,” she said. “I made some phone calls to confirm that it was her. She had a Texas driver’s license, plus an old one from Arizona.”

I stared at the counter, numb with shock. “She… she caused an accident?”

“Yes,” Mary said.

“But she didn’t kill anyone?” I asked.

“No.”

“Were people hurt?”

“The news said there were minor injuries, but no one was hospitalized,” she said.

“Oh god.” I pressed my hand to my stomach, wondering if I was going to throw up. “Do you know anything else? Why was she in Phoenix?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know,” she said. “I have the name of the funeral home where her body was taken. Do you want me to call for you?”

I took a deep breath. “No, I can call if you give me the number. Can you text it to me?”

“Yes, of course,” she said. “If you need to come to Phoenix, you’re welcome to stay with us.”

The Harpers still lived in the same house. I wasn’t sure if I could face that again. “I don’t know, Mary, I’ll think about it.”

“Brooke, I am so very sorry,” she said. “If there’s anything we can do, let me know. I mean that.”

“Thank you,” I said. “And thanks for letting me know.”

“You’re welcome,” she said. “At least let me know if you come to town.”

“I will.”

We said goodbye and a minute later, I got her text. This was so surreal. What had my mother been doing back in Phoenix? Why had she been driving drunk? What had she been doing all these years?

I couldn’t help but wonder if she’d gone back to Arizona looking for me.

* * *

An hour later, Sebastian came back from campus. He found me in my bedroom, packing.

“What’s going on?” he asked. “Is everything all right?”

I folded the shirt I was holding and put it in my bag. “I have to go to Phoenix. My mom died.”

“Oh my god.”

Instantly, his arms were around me. I leaned into his thick chest and breathed him in. Let him hold me. I didn’t feel like crying. I wasn’t sure how I felt. I was still too shocked to feel much of anything.

“I’ll come with you,” he said.

I pulled back. “You have three finals this week. You’re not missing those.”

“Fuck my finals,” he said. “I’ll get them rescheduled.”

“Seb, I’m okay,” I said. “I’m going for a few days, that’s all. Her current boyfriend already took care of a lot of stuff, so it’s not like I’m being saddled with funeral arrangements.”

“Is there going to be a service or something?” he asked.

“I think maybe something small, but I’ll find out more when I get there.”

“I’m absolutely going,” he said.

“No.” I put my hand on his chest. “I just need to go take care of some things. I know it’s my mom, but… god, this makes me sound like a horrible person, but the last time I saw her she tried to beat the crap out of me. And that was years ago. It’s not like we were close.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “I’m going.”

“I already booked my flight,” I said.

“I don’t care—”

I gently touched his lips. “Sebastian, listen to me. I’ll feel terrible if you miss your finals. There’s no way I’m doing that to you. It’s bad enough that I have to go. Please don’t make this worse for me.”

“What about Olivia?” he asked. “Can she stay in Phoenix with you?”

“She’s on a plane coming back here right now,” I said. “I can’t ask her to turn around and go back. She has to work.”

He put his hands alongside my face. “Will you stay with the Harpers?”

“They offered, but…”

“Stay with them, and I’ll stay here and take my finals. I don’t want you to be alone.”

I took a deep breath. “Okay, I will.”

His brow furrowed and he brushed my hair back. “I still don’t like this. I should be there with you.”

“I know, but I’ll feel so much better knowing you’re getting your finals out of the way,” I said. “Please. This is what I need you to do for me right now. Ace those tests. I’ll be back Friday and we can celebrate.”

He kissed my forehead and wrapped me in his arms again. I knew he didn’t like it, but the guilt would kill me if he missed his tests because of this.