do with him or his mother since our divorce and when I formally adopted Wes.”
“I can see why.” Conner shifted in his seat. “If you don’t need me to drive, do you mind if I take a nap?”
“Sure, why not?” Beth said.
He set his coffee down, leaned his seat back and instantly fell asleep, a skill Beth could only envy. She rechecked where she was in relation to the outskirts of the city, mentally plotted the best route into town to avoid any crowds, and settled in to finish the journey.
* * *
“We’re here.”
Conner woke up as Beth spoke and cast a bleary eye over the flashing lights of Reno. He’d been there many times during his navy career, and couldn’t really distinguish one visit from another. He’d gambled, drunk too much, watched some dubious shows, and occasionally gotten laid, but none of it had really helped with the stress of his job. He hadn’t been back for about ten years, but it didn’t look like much had changed.
“Where exactly is here?” Conner reset his seat to the upright position.
“I’m parking in the Greyhound bus station lot.” Beth checked her cell. “Wes and Ted say Mikey hasn’t turned up at home, so we’ll just have to assume he’s still on his way.”
She turned toward him, and he could see the worry in her eyes.
“He’s going to be mad at me, isn’t he?”
“Probably.” Conner wasn’t into lying. “But you’re still his mom and he lives in your house, so he needs to hear what you have to say.” He paused. “What are you going to say?”
“I don’t know.” She grimaced. “I suppose it depends on what exactly he’d planned to do when he got there and whether the idea came from Sean or is something Mikey totally thought up by himself.”
Conner nodded.
“If he really did just decide to take off, I’m still going to be mad,” Beth continued. “But if Sean manipulated him . . .”
Conner reached out and cupped her chin. “You’ve got this.”
“I don’t, but that’s okay. One thing I’ve learned as the mother of teenagers is that you have to think on your feet and be prepared to hear the dumbest reasons for doing things ever invented.” She sat back and fumbled with her seat belt. “Shall we head out? The Gardnerville bus is due in soon.”
Conner followed Beth to the center of the bus station, checking the arrival time for Mikey’s bus as he walked. It was due in way earlier than he’d anticipated and they wouldn’t have long to wait. When the bus swung into its berth, he took a step back into the shadows as Beth went to stand by the opening door. He spotted Mikey at about the same time the kid spotted his mom and tried to back up.
“Mikey?” Beth spoke up clearly. “I need to talk to you.”
Her son sighed, hoisted his backpack higher on his shoulder, and came toward her.
“I suppose I should’ve guessed you’d tried to stop me.”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Mikey shrugged. “Because I’m an adult and I can make my own decisions?”
“Such an adult that you couldn’t even sit down and tell me to my face what you intended to do?” Beth asked.
Conner winced at Mikey’s stubborn expression.
“I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d make a scene—and I’m right because here you are, doing it in public anyway.”
Conner took an instinctive step forward and then restrained himself. This wasn’t his fight, but the disrespect in Mikey’s voice grated on him. Instead he cleared his throat.
“Beth, why don’t we head to the nearest place where we can get coffee and you can talk it out there?”
Mikey’s attention swung to Conner.
“Why are you here?”
Conner met Mikey’s indignant gaze. “Because your mother was worried about you and needed some support. I’m Conner O’Neil. I’ve been renting a cabin up on the Garcia Ranch.”
“I know who you are. I’ve seen you in town. What I don’t understand is what you’re doing hanging out with my mom.”
“That’s none of your business, Mikey.” Beth stepped in between them. “And if you really want to know the truth, I’m damn glad he stepped up to help me.”
She looked over at Conner. “That’s a great suggestion about getting a coffee. There’s a place right on the corner.”
Even as Mikey opened his mouth to object, Conner spoke over him.
“You’ve got two hours until your next bus leaves, son. You can spare the time to talk to your mother.”
Without a word, Mikey followed Beth out of the bus station