generation did. Instead of pulling out a book or engaging with a person nearby, they stared at their screens.
“Where’s my mom for real? I went to Reginald’s social media, and he’s posting all kinds of pictures, but none of them are with her. In fact, he’s with some other lady. Not my mom. What’s going on?” Sam demanded. “Why am I being lied to?”
Emma didn’t know how to answer. “This is something you need to discuss with Jack, not me. I know he’s been trying to call you, and he’s worried about you right now. Call him and ask him these questions. Or better yet, go back to his place and do it in person.”
There was a beat of silence on the other end of the line. “I want you to be there,” Sam said.
“Me? Why do you want me there?” Emma asked.
“I don’t know. He’ll get mad because I didn’t make curfew and…I just need someone to make him listen to me. In case he doesn’t.”
“He will. Of course he will.”
Sam grunted. “I’m not going back unless you agree to be there.”
Emma didn’t really have a choice. “Okay. I’ll pick you up. How about that? Where are you?”
“I’m at the parking lot behind your café. It’s good skateboarding turf.”
Emma stood and started looking for a pair of jeans and a T-shirt to pull on. “I’ll be there in ten minutes. Don’t leave.”
She disconnected the call and dialed Jack.
“Hi,” she said as she dressed. “I just spoke to Sam. I’m going to pick him up and take him home.”
“I can do that,” Jack said.
Emma grabbed a brush with her other hand. “He asked me to. He wants me to be there to moderate your conversation tonight.”
“What does that mean?”
“He has a lot of questions about what’s really going on with his mom, Jack. I think you need to tell him the truth because he knows she isn’t on vacation with her boyfriend.”
Jack groaned.
“I told him I’d be there in ten minutes so I better go. I’ll see you soon.”
“Yeah,” Jack said. “I’ll be here. Emma?”
“Mm-hmm?”
“Thanks.”
“Of course. This is what fake girlfriends are for, right?”
They disconnected, and she quickly pulled her hair back into a low-hanging ponytail. Then she grabbed her keys and headed to her car in the driveway. Five minutes later, she turned into the lot behind the café.
Sam was seated on one of the curb stops, holding his skateboard. He stood and headed over when he saw her. Then he climbed into the passenger seat.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Yep.” He stared out the passenger window.
She’d expected that he’d pepper her with more questions as she drove him back to Jack’s, but he seemed to be saving them for his uncle. She hoped Jack came clean with the teen. It was no fun to be lied to.
Guilt settled in her gut. That’s what she and Jack were doing though. Just another lie, this one for Amanda’s sake. Amanda was the one who didn’t want Sam to know she was struggling with addiction. She wanted to spare him and make sure he had a good summer, which was a noble effort, but Sam wasn’t having any fun right now.
Emma pulled into Jack’s driveway, parked, and got out. The quarter moon offered only a sliver of light as they headed up his porch steps. His motion detector light flicked on when they reached the top step and Jack opened the door.
His mouth was set in a grim line. “You can’t just skip curfew,” he said in a gruff tone of voice as soon as they crossed the threshold. “We’ve already had this discussion. I thought you understood.”
Sam folded his arms over his chest, mirroring Jack’s posture. “Well, you can’t just tell me lies.”
“Who’s lying to you?” Jack asked.
Emma held up a hand. “Okay, you guys. Take the tone down a notch or nothing will get resolved tonight.”
Jack looked at her and took a breath.
“Maybe we should sit on the couch and talk civilly,” she suggested.
The guys hesitated and then took her advice, leaving a space for her to sit between them. She was glad that Sam had invited her over. Otherwise, she thought Jack would be too upset over Sam staying out late and worrying him. And Sam would be too defensive to get the answers he needed.
“Sam, tell Jack what you told me.” Emma gave a soft nod at the teenager.
Sam still had his arms tightly crossed. “I’ve been on my mom’s social media. She’s not on vacation. And her boyfriend isn’t