Her glare deepened as Jordie slowly rose. “Phil, it was wonderful meeting you, and I hope you enjoy the game tomorrow.”

He nodded, his brow furrowing as Kacey stood, and he said, “You’re leaving? Already?”

“Yeah, I made a mistake coming. But again, it was great meeting you. Good luck.”

“You too, I’m sorry that you have to leave.”

“I’m not,” Jordie said softly, taking Kacey’s hand in his. Looking at his mother, he just shook his head. “Have a nice life.”

He turned, pulling Kacey with him, and she went willingly. But when she noticed that Stacey was following them, her stomach dropped.

“Jordie, she’s following us.”

“I figured she would,” he said, but he didn’t seem as affected as she thought he would be. It worried her. Ushering her along, he went out the front door into the chill of the night. Wrapping her arms around herself, she kicked herself for not bringing her jacket. Turning, Jordie handed his ticket to the valet and asked her, “Do you want to get into the car first?”

She shook her head and said, very fiercely, “I’m standing beside you.”

He nodded before removing his jacket, sliding it over her arms just as Stacey burst through the door, her face red with anger.

“How dare you embarrass me like that!” she yelled, her hands striking her hips, her face tipped up at him. “Are you a dumbass?”

“I don’t think I embarrassed you. I was honest.”

She faltered. “There was no reason to announce being an alcoholic! How stupid are you?”

Kacey’s heart lurched in her chest and her nails bit into her palms as Jordie shook his head. “Most parents would be proud of their children for bettering themselves.”

“Oh, what the hell ever! You think you’re hurting me, Jordie Scott Thomas? Do you forget who gave you life? Who supported you all those years? Therapy isn’t cheap, you shit, and I can’t believe you’d embarrass me in front of my fiancé like that!”

“I could never forget, but you were never a mom to me,” he said sternly, but she was already screaming.

“Oh, because I didn’t coddle you or feed into your lies? I saw right through you. Everything that happened, you caused! You were jealous and came up with this lie about Gary, and then he was gone—”

Kacey was shaking with anger, but Jordie…he was calm. His eyes were on Stacey’s as he asked, “If it was a lie, then why did he admit to it? Why is he still in jail?”

“Because of you! You caused him to do it!”

Kacey couldn’t control herself. She really tried, she did, but the words left her mouth before Jordie could stop her. “You are a disgusting piece of shit. You really need to reevaluate your life if you think a four-year-old boy would be jealous enough of husband number one billion to ask to be raped, molested. You have some serious problems, and I suggest you go to therapy.”

She laughed. “Don’t need it. I’m not fucked up like him.”

Kacey closed her eyes, her hands squeezing his as Jordie asked, “Why do you care, Mom? Why are you making this big scene when you obviously don’t love me? Listen to the way you are speaking to me. The things you are accusing me of. A mother doesn’t act like this.”

“You’re right, and I never wanted you,” she seethed and Kacey’s eyes squeezed tighter.

“Jordie, please, let’s go,” she begged, but still he didn’t move.

“Well, you’re in luck because I’m gone,” he said before turning to wrap his arms around Kacey and leading her to the car.

“I’m not done talking to you,” Stacey yelled just as Kacey’s foot stepped into the car and she looked up at him.

“I can still Spartan kick her,” she offered, but Jordie shook his head, no smile curving his lips as he pushed her other leg in.

“I just want to go,” he said quickly before shutting the door. She could hear Stacey yelling something, but when Jordie opened his door, she heard him as he said, “Don’t contact me again.”

Sitting in the driver’s seat, he slammed the door and gripped the wheel. Sliding her hand on his thigh, she waited as he took three deep breaths in and let them out, slow and steady. For once, she couldn’t read his body language. On one hand, she thought he looked relieved. But on the other, she was worried he was two seconds from sobbing like a two-year-old. Still no words left his mouth as he put the car in drive and took off.

As Stacey disappeared in the side mirror, Kacey was glad to see her go, but she was pretty sure that she wouldn’t disappear as quickly out of Jordie’s heart.

Nothing was said the whole way home or even when they entered the house. Jordie could do nothing but replay his mother’s words over and over again. There was a lot for him to relive, but the most hurtful thing was that she was embarrassed by him instead of proud. He blamed his sad need for her approval for that being what bothered him the most. She wasn’t nice to him, but then, he hadn’t expected her to be.

He also hadn’t expected the whole night to come crashing down like that though.

He could feel Kacey’s gaze on him the whole ride home, yet she didn’t say anything to him. As he walked through the house, he went to the fridge for a Gatorade before opening it and downing the whole bottle. He could feel her watching him as he reached for another and downed that bottle too. When she looked away, he knew that she knew what he wanted.