Just for Now

Chapter Sixteen

His mother didn't say anything else as she slipped her phone back into her pocket, staring at him expectantly. Cole didn't even know where to begin. Everything just fell apart in ways he didn't ever imagine. He didn't know how to pinpoint the first thing that went wrong. There were obvious standout moments to mention, but he wasn't even sure if it would all make sense without proper context.

Cole thought back to the final events of last night with Matthew. The whole thing had been nagging at him. He couldn't help but feel bad. How could he not? He bit the dude's head off for wanting to make his Mom happy. His Mom was the most important person in the world to him. He took that for granted sometimes. Cole had to know if things were as serious for Lorena as they were for Matthew.

So, instead of diving right into things, Cole decided to start off with another route. "Do you love Matthew?"

She gave him a gentle smile. Lorena didn't miss a beat with the change, answering with a simple, "I do."

Cole licked his lips unsurely, hesitantly asking, "Like... like you loved Dad?"

He wanted to take it back as soon as he asked. Cole felt a jolt of panic rush through his body, wondering if he crossed a line. But his mother didn't look bothered. She had a thoughtful look on her face as she leaned forward towards Cole. It was almost as if she thought about it herself before, which she probably had. He couldn't imagine what a complicated thing it had to be for her. If it was hard on him, he presumed it was something that she had thought about before.

"I don't think I'll ever love anyone like I loved your Dad," Lorena told him softly, choosing her words carefully. "It's a different kind of love. It's a bit like how you have different stages in your life. I'll always remember my relationship with your Dad to be something... something I won't get with anyone else. It was the kind of love not everybody finds in their life."

The look on her face changed as she spoke. Cole couldn't describe it, but she looked truly at peace, something he rarely saw with his mother. "But what I have with Matthew is what I need. He takes care of me in a way I didn't realize I needed until I met him. Sometimes... I like to think your Dad sent him to me."

Cole instantly wanted to kick himself. He had been a dick to this guy who was making his Mom happier than he had seen her in years. All this guy wanted was to make his Mom happy. And Cole was treating him no better than gum on the bottom of his shoe. Cole's head dipped down, clenching his jaw tightly.

"I didn't really... realize that," Cole admitted stiffly, the guilt eating at him. But Lorena wasn't having that. She reached forward and took Cole's hand into her own.

"I get where you're coming from, it was weird for me too," she added, tilting her head down to meet his gaze. "To be honest, if I had it my way, Matthew wouldn't have come early for the trip."

He raised his eyebrows at the admission. "Really?"

"Really," Lorena confirmed with a wry laugh. "I told him as much, and we had a talk. I knew it would be a lot at once for everyone. I'm not sure if you noticed, but sometimes his enthusiasm clouds his judgment."

Well, that explained the fucking engagement ring. "Yeah, kinda picked up on that."

Lorena laughed heartily, startling Cole. She placed her hand on her chest, an amused look on her face. "Oh, honey, do you think I don't know about the engagement ring?"