“I shouldn’t have to hear my son is out from Jem,” his mother scolded. “And a day later, no less.”
“I had no idea he would come here, and it was late when he did,” Charlotte responded coolly. “I was overwhelmed. I didn’t think to call you at three in the morning.”
“Is that really why?” Megan sounded uncertain. “Or is it because you’re afraid I’d tell him about you and Locke and what I walked in on that day?”
There a long moment of silence. Thames’ head snapped to attention, a sense of whiplash running through him. He held his breath, begging for her response. Though, part of him didn’t want to find out anything this way.
“You can tell him what you want,” she finally said, boldly. “I have nothing to hide.”
He stepped into the room, immediately catching the icy tension between them. Megan was sitting around the island of the mammoth white themed kitchen and Charlotte was standing with her back against the stove, her arms spread out on the counter behind her in an unthreatened pose. Her eyes jumped to his and Megan followed. His mother’s frown disintegrated into surprise followed by joy.
Charlotte knew he had heard them, and she looked sorry. His eyes were directly on hers as Megan stood up and rushed to him.
“Conor! I can’t believe you’re here,” Megan sniffed into his chest, burying her head into him. “I rushed over as soon as I found out.” Her arms wrapped around him, squeezing him tight. He wrapped an arm around her in return, refocusing his attention to her. She was older now, even though her hair was still done up in golden blonde curls. Still dressed in designer outfits, her nails pampered, her face had work done in places, but it wasn’t overdone. She pulled back to look up at him, genuine tears in her eyes as she looked him over. He noticed she found the name on his neck, and he didn’t miss the way her lips pursed. It made his eyes flicker back to Charlotte. By now she had turned her back to him, staring down at the counter. Something was very wrong, and he knew it had to do with what he just heard.
Megan demanded to know how he was, and he answered every question, assuring her he was okay, that he missed her too. But his heart was in his ears and all he kept thinking about was what the fuck Megan had walked in on.
He wasn’t going to jump to conclusions. It didn’t mean it was anything sexual. Charlotte swore she’d been with no one, that she waited, and Locke had backed that up. But the way she was behaving now after knowing Thames had overheard made him worried. He didn’t want to feel conflicted at a time like this, not when his baby was upstairs and due to get up. He swallowed his impulsive need to know and forced himself in the present.
Charlotte had not seemed bothered by Megan’s words. She had been firm, telling her she had nothing to hide. He reminded himself she would never deceive him like that. She would have been truthful last night, and he felt her honesty. It was genuine, and besides, Megan was a loose cannon when she wanted to be. She had a history of overdoing it with the most basic dramas, habitually blowing them out of proportion.
It could have been something.
Could have been nothing, too.
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, already calming down.
“You could have let us know ahead of time,” Megan chided, frowning up at him. God, was his mother always so little?
He took her face into both his hands and looked down at her, a small smile twisting his lips. He was genuinely happy to see her. This drama queen who had never left his side despite what a fuck up he was.
“I’m two minutes out of prison and you’re already giving me a hard time,” he said, lightly.
Her cheeks went rosy, and she sheepishly shrugged. “A mother’s stripes never change.”
He pulled her in for another hug and this time buried his face into her hair, breathing her in. She hugged him just as tightly, crying softly into his shirt. His gaze flickered up to Charlotte, who had turned around now to look at them. She smiled softly at them, genuinely happy to see their reunion despite whatever bullshit was between her and his mother.