Chapter 10

TEN

Adam

"Dad, what the hell is going on?" Vaughn demanded as we moved into the hallway.

"Not now, son." I was tired, scared, and conflicted.

"She's going to be okay." His tone softened. "Juliet said it was a minor TIA and the doctor isn't worried."

"The doctor may not be worried, but I am." I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. "I should have seen how tired she was, how?—"

"Okay, stop." Vaughn eyed me. "This type of thing happens, and you know damn well she would never have admitted she didn't feel well."

"She was popping antacids like crack," I muttered. "And not sleeping. I?—"

"Dad. Focus." Vaughn stood in front of me. "Tell me how you're married to my mother-in-law."

"I fell in love with her." I had a lot of complicated shit to think about, but my feelings for Maria were simple. "Look, I know it's tricky for you to think about me as a man and not your father, but I'm fifty fucking years old. Your mom, the love of my life, died. Same with Maria's husband. We are not related. There's no biological relationship between in-laws. I wasted too much time in life already, so I wasn't going to let her go. Not even for you."

Vaughn seemed to take it all in, breathing deeply as our eyes remained locked. Finally, after what felt like an hour but was probably only about twenty seconds, he nodded. "That's fair. You love her. She loves you. You want to be together. So why not just talk to us?"

"Because of that." I jerked my thumb in the direction of Maria's room, where Mario was still with her. "What the hell is he even doing here?"

Vaughn rolled his eyes. "Young new girlfriend, wanted to impress her with a long weekend in Vegas."

"Figures."

"What can I do?"

"Nothing. I appreciate the support."

"Did you think I'd be upset?"

"I wasn't sure," I admitted.

"I'm upset you didn't trust me with it, but I'm happy for both of you."

"Thanks." I clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Now. Go back to Phoenix. Maria's on the mend, Juliet will be here soon and?—"

"You think I'm leaving before I have a chance to kiss my wife?" he asked glibly.

I chuckled. "Fair enough. You want to sit?"

Before I could answer, Mario came into the hallway, hands in his pockets. "We need to talk."

"Okay." I sank into the nearest chair, and Vaughn sat beside me, but Mario remained standing. "Say what you need to say."

"Look, I know you think you're in love," Mario said quietly. "But the truth is, she vowed to love, honor, and cherish one man. My father. Maybe she married you, but she didn't do it in the eyes of God. No matter what she said to you, her faith is important to her. So if this was about sex or?—"

"Don't do that." I interrupted him, though I kept my voice quiet. "Say what you need to say but keep it respectful because I can and will knock you out."

"See? That's what I'm talking about. You think you're the type of man for my mother? You going to share all the most important things in her life with her? Because you're not getting our money. I talked to our attorney today, and the will is ironclad. He confirmed she hasn't changed it."

His words hit me like a physical blow. I'd been working so hard to change, to be a better man. Not just for Maria, but for my son and the potential grandchildren I was hoping to have. And it didn't seem to matter. People still saw the old me.

"That's what you were thinking about today?" Vaughn asked when I didn't respond right away. "Your mother's will?"

"My father worked too hard to let some guy just show up and take it."

"You believe, with all the money I make, that my father needs?—"

Vaughn was pissed, and I laid a restraining hand on his arm. "Don't, son. It's all right. I told him to say what he needed to say. So go ahead. Get it all out."

Mario sighed, as if this was somehow a burden for him. "Look, I know your son has money, but Vaughn was very clear that he's not giving you shit. And we both know you weren't the best father."

Vaughn started to talk again, but I cut him off. "No. I said let him finish."

Vaughn looked pissed, but that was okay. He was sticking up for me, so I'd done something right in the last year or so.

"My mother needs a man who can take care of her," Mario continued. "Not a broke grifter with a record who basically has been living rent-free in her house, working in our restaurant, and pretending he left his biker life behind."

That got my attention. "What are you talking about?"

"I saw your friends at the house," he said. "Working on your Harley. Long beards, leather vests, all that shit. That doesn't work for me. I don't care how many times you can kick my ass. I'll get a restraining order if you bring that shit around my mom."

"But I'm not—" I stopped, suddenly exhausted.

"You don't have to like me, but I'm not the only one who feels this way about you. Even Vaughn has said he was surprised you stuck around this long."

"Dad, he's taking what I said out of context."

"It's all right, son. I'd be surprised if I was you too."

"So you see what I'm saying?" Mario continued. "If you really care about my mom, you'll leave her alone. Like you did your first wife. You did what was best for your wife and son so your biker friends would never use them to hurt you. It's a slightly different situation now, but you know Mom is better off without you."

Jesus. Nothing I'd done the last thirteen months was good enough.

If he couldn't accept our relationship, the others wouldn't either. And without the support of her children, Maria would never be truly happy. Guilt would gnaw away at her and our marriage, until it broke us. She was far too invested in her family to give it up, not even for what we had. I wasn't the man he was describing anymore, but if he believed I was, then maybe they all saw something I didn't. I'd started to believe I had friends in Fort Lauderdale and had built a life there separate from my relationship with my son.

Apparently, I'd been wrong.

The idea that everyone saw me as some kind of gold-digging ex-con hurt.

"Vaughn!" Juliet's voice startled us, and Vaughn got up to greet his wife.

"Hey, babe." They whispered quietly for a few seconds, and she frowned, turning to her brother.

"Mario, what did you do?"

"I'm just stepping up to do what I should have done a long time ago," he said. "Becoming the patriarch of our family and making sure Mom has the support she needs. I've been dropping the ball on that, but that stops now."

"I don't think this is an accurate reflection of everything going on," Vaughn said slowly.

"It doesn't matter," I replied, slowly getting to my feet. "I want what's best for everyone, especially Maria. Maybe I'm not who Maria needs in her life."

"Exactly." Mario nodded.

"Dad—" Vaughn tried again, but I held up a hand.

"I'm going for a walk," I said. "Need to clear my head."

"Dad, wait." Vaughn followed me to the elevator.

"I'm fine, son. Just let me do some thinking, okay? That's all. I'll see you later." I stepped into the elevator and stopped him when he tried to follow.

As the doors moved together, it felt like a goddamn metaphor for my life.