Worth the Chance

Chapter 45

Vince

I’ve never been a morning person, but waking up to Liv’s naked ass might help change that. I’m just about to show her how much I enjoy the view, when my phone rings on the end table.

Reaching over, I’m ready to hit REJECT. Who gives a shit who it is, they can wait. Until I see the name and picture come up on my phone. It’s worse than throwing a bucket of cold water over me. My mother. She never calls, especially at 8AM on a Saturday. I get the pang of unease in the core of my gut.

“What’s up?”

“Can you stop over today so we can talk?”

“Yeah, everything okay?” She sounds sober, that alone sends up a red flag, oddly enough.

“I’m fine. I just need some help in figuring things out.” Her voice cracks. “I’m sorry to bother you. I know I don’t have any right to ask you for anything, but…” Her voice trembles as it trails off.

“I’ll be there in an hour. We’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

Tossing the phone back on the table, I scrub my hands over my face and lie on my back, taking a deep cleansing breath to try to relax.

“You okay?” Liv’s sweet voice whispers, I didn’t realize she was awake. Planting a soft kiss on my pec, she rests her head on my chest and wraps her arm around my stomach, snuggling in tightly. I fucking love the way it feels. Used to hate women touching me, outside of sex. Didn’t see the point of lying in bed with someone else unless we were working toward one of us, or both, getting off. Yet now I lie here wanting to do nothing else but run my fingers through her hair and feel the warmth of her cheek against my chest. Fuck, I’m becoming whipped. Turning into the same sap I watched Nico turn into, and made fun of every step of the way.

“My mother. She wants me to come by.”

“She didn’t say why?”

“Nope. But something’s up. She doesn’t call unless there’s trouble.”

“Can I come?”

“You want to come?”

“Sure, I’d love to meet your mom.”

Why? I wish I could forget I ever met her. “If you want.”

“I do.”

“Then okay. Told her I’d be there in an hour…so we have about half an hour to kill.” I flip her over on her back. She laughs and giggles as I toss her around. The sound makes me smile. So fucking whipped.

“Mom?” I’m surprised when I let myself into her apartment that she’s not in her usual place…on the couch, in front of the TV

She comes out from the bedroom, not looking too bad. “Hi, Baby.” She’s too skinny, needs some color on her face, but at least she seems lucid this morning. And her clothes might even be clean. Is today a holiday and I forgot?

Taking Liv’s hand, I bring her into the living room. It smells of stale cigarettes and a lifetime of spilled shit that rotted under the carpet because she was too wasted to clean it up.

My mother looks at Liv and then me, a look of confusion on her face. I’m not sure why…I’ve brought women to her house lots of time. A different one each month for the years seventeen through nineteen, before I finally moved out.

“This is Olivia.”

Liv smiles and walks to greet my mother with her hand extended. Such a class act, I feel like an idiot for bringing her here. “Hi Mrs. Stonetti, it’s really nice to meet you.” Her smile is genuine, I can tell. Although I’m not sure why, seeing as I would much rather be anywhere but here at this moment.

“Nice to meet you too, Olivia.” My mom smiles at Olivia and then back to me. I hadn’t given it any thought until now, but it’s been a very long time since I saw that smile. Too long.

The three of us sit, my mother taking her usual spot on the couch, Liv and I sitting together on the love seat across from her. “What’s going on Mom?”

Pensively, she looks between me and Liv, not saying anything, clearly unsure if she should air her dirty laundry.

“It’s fine, Liv knows what’s going on,” I reassure her.

“The two guys were back. Said they haven’t been able to find Jason and I only have a few days left. I’m sorry for burdening you with this, all I ever do is cause you grief.” Tears well in her eyes. “I just don’t know what to do. I can’t find him anywhere.”

Exhaling loudly, I fill her in. “He’s up north. Has a sister up there.”

“How do you know?”

“Liv and I went on a road trip, had a lead on where to find him. He was gone by the time we got there. But the losers he was staying with said he went to hide out at his sister’s. That’s if you take the word of a bunch of lowlife drug addicts.”

My mother winces. It’s not nice, but it’s the truth…that’s what they are. Untrustworthy, crackhead, fucking losers. Liv’s hand goes to my thigh and squeezes to get my attention. Turning to look at her, she gives me a look of admonishment.

“I’ll go talk to them. See if we can get more time. Loser’s bound to resurface when he burns his bridge with the sister. Shouldn’t take too long for him to burn through all his support and snake his way back here.”

A little while later, back in my truck, Liv’s quiet. Until she’s not. “Can’t you be a little nicer? She’s your mother?”

She’s gotta be kidding me. “I’ve been the parent since I was old enough to carry her to bed at night, Liv. She doesn’t get special consideration. This isn’t the first time I’ve dragged her ass out from trouble, and it won’t be the last.”

“I know. It’s just…”

“No. You don’t know,” I cut her off. “You grew up in your little perfect family, with your perfect grades and your nice life. You have no idea, so don’t tell me you know anything.”