for her to win. “She’s leaving, Mom. She’s leaving and I can’t go with her.”
“Why not? Zéphirin, you love her. Don’t try to tell me you don’t.”
“It doesn’t matter how I feel. Long distance won’t work.”
“Then go with her. Baby, if she’s the one, then you can’t let her go,” his mother implored. “You have to try with her.”
“She’s a cop and I . . .” His mother didn’t know where he’d been for those months he’d been gone when he was eighteen. Remy had been the one to find him and come get him. Remy had kept his secret all these years. His mother should have run a trace like everyone in Roxie’s family.
“You what?” she asked. “You don’t think you’re good enough for her? Because you are.”
“I think I would drag her down. She can’t do what she needs to do if I’m with her,” he said.
“Why? I know the idea of moving to New York might seem scary at first, but it’s just a city. It might even be exciting. And you can always come home and see us. I know you have that new job, but this is more important than any job. A job won’t hold your hand. A job won’t grow old with you.”
He wasn’t getting out of this, and maybe it was time for his mother to truly understand how badly he’d screwed up in the past. “Stop. I can’t go with her because when I was eighteen, I went to jail for writing a hot check. When you thought I was in LA, I was actually in a prison in Arizona.”
His mother’s jaw dropped, her shock easily apparent. “What? You were in jail?”
“He was in jail?” a soft whisper echoed.
He glanced over and realized they weren’t alone. Armie and Lila lived next door and they were sitting out on their porch. Lila had a mug of something steamy in her hand, and Armie was dressed in sweats and a tee.
Great. His humiliation had an audience, and now the sheriff would likely tell him he wasn’t interested in him working part time for the sheriff’s office. Of course, once Sylvie found out, she likely wouldn’t want him heading a department.
“Yes, Doc,” he replied with a sigh. “I was in jail, as my momma just found out. My first attempt at adulthood landed me in the pen.”
“What happened? You didn’t even call me.” Tears slipped from his mother’s eyes. “You were all alone out there and you never called me.”
“I was ashamed,” he admitted.
“And dumb as dirt because I read those case files and I’m pretty sure he got set up,” Armie offered.
Zep stopped, utterly shocked that Armie knew about his past. He thought he’d been so careful, but it turned out, he’d simply been a fool. Again. He couldn’t show his mother his frustration, but he damn straight could take it out on Armie. “Do you mind?”
“I’m sorry,” Armie said, getting to his feet. “We were sitting out here enjoying some cocoa and then you were talking and we didn’t want to interrupt you. Or we’re horrifically nosy. Delphine, don’t be upset. It was minimum security. It sucked, but he was released early for good behavior.”
Zep laughed but it wasn’t because he was amused. “Of course you’ve known all this time.”
Armie stepped onto his lawn. “You should understand that if I’d been the sheriff at the time, I would have come out there and dealt with this myself. And I definitely would have called you, Delphine. Like I said, I learned about it years later and I was curious. I followed up. Did you know that girl of yours had three other boyfriends steal from her mother?”
“Who is she?” His mom had a look of pure rage on her face now. “I want a name and an address, Armie.”
“She’s in jail. Her mother finally turned her in after the last check cleaned out one of her accounts,” Armie replied. “You don’t have to worry about revenge.”
“Is that why the dad hauled you off tonight?” Lila asked. “Was he giving you some bull about how Roxie can’t possibly have a career with an ex-con for a boyfriend?”
“He said that?” His mother had switched her outrage to the next available target. “I will have a talk with that man.”
“No, you won’t.” Zep had to put a stop to that right quick. The last thing he needed was his momma to show up at the Kings’ doorstep, trying to put the whammy on them. Of course,