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  “So that’s it? We’re just…done?”

  Her tears had dried as she walked, and she gave him a dry-eyed stare. “Yes. I think so.”

  “Why do you get to decide that?” Andy ran both hands through his hair, front then back. His fists clenched as he stomped in a small circle. “How fucking fair is that?”

  “Why do you care?” she cried, hating this scene. Hating him. Hating herself, too.

  “Because I love you!”

  His shout stung her like a wasp. “I have to go to work,” she stated.

  “I thought you loved me, too.” He probably didn’t mean to sound so petulant, but he did.

  “I did, Andy!” Bess cried. “I did!”

  “But not anymore?” His eyes turned pleading, a look he knew damn well she couldn’t resist. Eddie appeared on a bike of his own at the end of the alley. He rode closer and Bess wanted a hole in the ground to open up and swallow her. No, to swallow Andy.

  “I don’t know,” she answered as honestly as she could. “A lot’s changed this summer.”

  “Oh, a lot like that guy?” Andy sneered, the pleading gone from his face. “Funny how that works.”

  Faced with his anger, Bess found it easier to keep hold of her own. “Yeah, funny how it does.” She unlocked the door so Eddie could get inside, but she didn’t go in herself. She expected Eddie to push past her, but though he sidled by the bristling Andy, he stayed on the steps with her.

  “A-are you all right, Bess?”

  “Yeah, fine, Eddie. Go on inside.”

  “Who’s this?” Andy sneered harder. “Hey, buddy, this isn’t any of your business.”

  Eddie, bless him, didn’t budge. “Is he th-threatening you?”

  “Hey, get lost.” Andy jerked a thumb down the alley. “I told you this isn’t your business.”

  Andy wasn’t threatening her, but it touched her deeply that Eddie was afraid for her. More so that he was willing to defend her. She smiled and touched his shoulder.

  “Don’t tell me you’re screwing him, too!” Andy snorted.

  “Shut up, Andy.”

  Eddie still didn’t move. He angled his body slightly in front of hers. “I think you’d better get lost. Buddy.”

  “Or what?” Andy, who stood a good three inches taller than Eddie and probably weighed at least twenty more pounds, puffed up. “What’re you going to do? Make me?”

  “Stop it, both of you.” Bess put her hands out to keep them apart, though in fact, neither had actually moved. “Andy, you’re being ridiculous.”

  “Tell me something, Eddie. That’s your name, right? Eddie? Tell me, how long has Bess been banging that fucker with the long hair?”

  Eddie’s cheeks turned dusky. “Just go away, man. She doesn’t want to see you, can’t you tell that?”

  “How long?” Andy asked again. He danced closer, trying to intimidate them. Bess knew he’d never lift a hand against her, but Eddie couldn’t know that. Under her palm, his thin shoulder trembled, but he didn’t move.

  “All summer?”

  “Eddie, don’t answer him.”

  “Why not? You don’t want me to know, right? You want to blame me, but you don’t want to admit that you’re just as bad as I am!” Andy’s voice rose.

  Eddie moved forward the tiniest bit.

  “Oh, yeah, fucker, just come on at me. Come on.” Andy gestured. “I’d love to punch someone right now. Come on.”

  “Don’t, Eddie. This isn’t your fight.” The force in her voice stopped them both. “Andy, that’s enough. Eddie, go inside.”

  After a second, Eddie did as she’d said, and went in. Andy glared, breathing hard. Bess crossed her arms over her chest and stared him down.

  “I came all the way here to see you,” he told her again, as if he hadn’t already said it before. “Can’t we at least talk about things?”

  “Fine. We can talk about it. But I have to work now.” How she’d be able to concentrate, Bess wasn’t sure, but she had no choice. “I’m done at five today.”

  Andy nodded. “I’ll pick you up.”

  “Not here. Let me go home first. Pick me up at seven.”

  Andy looked as if he was going to protest, but it felt good, that small bit of control. Bess breathed a little easier. He ran his hands through his hair again.

  “What should I do until then?”

  “Umm, you’re at the beach,” Bess said. “Why don’t you go hang out or something?”

  “All day?” He grimaced, showing what he thought of that.

  “Andy—” she sighed “—I really don’t care what you do, okay?”

  He nodded, and for the first time since he’d knocked on Nick’s door, gave her a sorrowful look that seemed sincere. “We’ll work this out, right?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “We’ll work this out,” he repeated, as if saying it over and over would make it true.

  “Somehow or other it will all work out, Andy, yes. But who knows how?”

  “I know,” he said, with enough confidence for both of them.

  Bess, instead of answering, turned and went inside the shop.

  CHAPTER 37

  Now

  Bess waited two days before she sought her son. She had a legitimate reason for going to the Office Outlet. She needed a wireless router for her laptop at the beach house, as well as a new printer to replace the one she’d left behind at the other house.

  None of that made it any easier to walk through the doors.

  She sloughed off the eager young man in the red polo shirt and earpiece that made him look like one of the Borg from Star Trek, who accosted her as soon as she entered the printer section. “Sorry, I’m just looking for my son. Connor Walsh?”

  The smarmy salesman’s grin vanished, replaced by a jerk of the thumb. “He’s stocking in stationery.”

  “Thanks,” Bess said, but he was already off in search of other prey. She found Connor bent over a carton of boxed, monogrammed stationery. “Got any Bs?”

  He looked up, then straightened. Did she imagine the shadows beneath his eyes? Mother that she was, she searched his face for signs of malnutrition, his clothes for wrinkles. Connor kept his expression blank.

  “I didn’t get there yet.”

  “I came in for a printer and a router. Can you help me find some good ones?”

  He wasn’t giving her an inch. “I think Roger’s the one in that department.”

  “Connor. C’mon.” Bess sighed. “I trust your opinion and I’m sure you can use the commission.”

  “I’m doing okay.” He set aside the box in his hands.

  Bess waited. He finally gave in, though his expression showed he wasn’t ready to forgive her. That was okay. She could live with it. She followed him through the aisles to the row where the routers hung in their plastic blister packs and boxes.

  Connor showed her the choices and explained which would be the best option for her laptop, an Apple iBook that was a few years old. He helped her pick out a printer, too, an inexpensive model without many bells and whistles, but which suited her budget.

  “You know, I get a discount,” he said sullenly. “I can hold these for you. Buy them tonight. I can drop them off at the shop with Robbie.”

  “Would you?” Bess made sure to keep her voice neutral, like this wasn’t a big deal. “You could come by the house, too, if you wanted. Have dinner with us.”

  Connor nodded. He turned the router box over and over in his hands without looking at her. “Maybe. If I can get a ride.”

  She stopped herself from offering to pick him up. “How’s the roommate situation?”

  He shrugged. “Fine.”

  Which could mean it was fine or mean it was awful, and she’d never know, because Connor was determined not to tell her. “Connor—”

  He held up a hand and looked around to make sure nobody was paying attention to them. “Mom. Don’t.”

  Bess bit back the offer for him to move home. Maybe two days wasn’t long enough