The Revenge Pact (Kings of Football #1) - Ilsa Madden-Mills Page 0,40

seeing Donovan and Anastasia. “Never mind the class. How are you feeling?”

“Better today. My hair is coming back. I have a little stubble on top. My nails are weird though. I have no eyelashes, but Callie says I look badass. Four-year-old little girls are brilliant. Let me text you a picture.”

A photo comes through, an image of her in her robe, a yellow headwrap on her scalp, a big smile on her face.

Her face is thin and drawn, her eyes haunted.

I love the daily photos she sends me, but fear spears me. It’s as if she’s disappearing a little at a time. You know that feeling you get, the one that makes your soul shrivel, the one that tells you what’s happening is out of your control. There’s nothing I can do to save her.

I do a selfie of me sticking my tongue out and send it. “I love you,” I say.

“If you did, you’d go skiing.” She sighs. “You’ve never once brought a girl home for me to decide if she’s good enough. If you’re gay, it’s okay.”

“Stop messing around.” I laugh. “I’m not—”

“One of my doctors is gay. So is one of the firemen in town. Super masculine and quite the hottie. Rae had a little crush on him until she met Jagger.” She pauses. “Jagger is moving to Manhattan in January. He got a job at a financial company, and it’s a great opportunity. Did she tell you?”

Jagger is my sister’s fiancé, and they’re getting married in May. I like him a lot, especially the way he treats Callie. When Rae got pregnant, Callie’s bio dad moved to Florida and has nothing to do with them. Rae and Callie have been living with Mom ever since. I just assumed they’d live close to Mom after they were married—but Manhattan is five hours away.

Uneasiness hits. “No, she didn’t. Who’s going to be there to help take care of—”

“Well, it just came about, so don’t give her a hard time about it. She’s worried and I don’t want her to be. She wants to commute between here and New York and that’s just crazy. She needs to get on with her life, and I don’t need someone here twenty-four seven, River. I’m okay! You, however, are on my bad list. No gifts for you. I’m putting dead goldfish in your stocking.”

I bark out a laugh. “I didn’t mean to kill Rae’s goldfish, Mom. I was five and thought they needed a bath.”

“With dish soap. Ten dead fish I had to replace before your sister saw it.”

I laugh. “You’re the best mom in the world.”

She really is.

“God, I love you,” she says as she exhales. “I do have bad moments, but I also have great ones. It’s a mixed bag, okay? Every breath is a gift. I want to see you happy, River. Sometimes, I feel like I’m losing out on memories that I used to have. Which is why I want you to walk in my door after going down that mountain. I need to see that look of serenity in your eyes. Just go fucking skiing. See, you made me say the F word.” She sighs. “I’m feisty tonight.”

My eyes shut, my heart torn.

It’s just a three-day trip, plus she’s only a few hours away… “I’ll go, Mom.”

She shrieks her reply, and I chuckle.

After getting off the phone with her, I crank my truck, just as Donovan walks out of the apartment lobby and heads to his Tesla. I wait for him to pull out, then follow. He’s going to the Kappa house, and I still need to pick up my laundry before I head to my house.

Humming “Apple Bottom Jeans,” I tap my fingers on my knee. A smile flits over my face at the memory of Anastasia dancing. Then, I remember how I let things slide by showing up at her door. It felt like fate meant for me to see her. She left her book and then there was the pan at the house. It made perfect sense to drive to her place and ask her to help me with the paper.

Right, keep telling yourself that.

Donovan turns on Greek Row but doesn’t pull in at the Kappa house, instead driving slowly down to the Delta house. Frowning, I ease back on the accelerator and follow him. He parks and I do a loop and come back, pulling in at the Theta house next door.

I watch as he exits the car, his head down, the streetlight