Chapter 159 Never Too Late to Apologize
The sound of Case’s voice from the living room was faint as Andrea struggled to fully wake up. She hadn’t meant to doze off, but she was still tired from the energy she’d expelled the night before, getting through the storm, and then the retelling of what had happened to Uncle Joe had also taken a toll on her.
He was talking to his mom; he could tell by his tone. Andrea didn’t want to eavesdrop, but it was hard not to when it was so unusual to hear him so mad. She listened for a few moments and then decided it really wasn’t her business and went to the restroom. When she came out, he was off the phone.
Case was sitting on the couch, hunched over, his hands between his knees, clutching his phone, an exhausted look on his face.
Andrea sat down next to him and ran her hand down his back. “I guess that didn’t go well?”
“She cried,” he said with a loud sigh. “I hate to make her cry. Hell, I hate to make anyone cry. But she can’t keep talking to you like that.”
Slipping her fingers through his hair, Andrea leaned her head on his shoulder. “Thank you for trying.”
“She said she wants to apologize. If you’re not up for it, I understand, but she wants to go to dinner so she can say she’s sorry in person. She says she’ll try harder.”
“Do you think she means that?” Andrea asked, her stomach knotting up at the idea of having to listen to Rhonda apologize. Even the thought of being around her again was unsettling.
“I have no idea,” Case admitted, “but I told her I’d ask you.”
“All right. I’ll go.” The least she could do was try.
An hour later, Andrea found herself sitting across from Rhonda in a fancy restaurant, picking at her salad while Rhonda talked about a whole bunch of people she didn’t know and Case didn’t care to hear about. It wasn’t until they were almost done eating their dessert that Rhonda let out a loud sigh. “Well, Andrea, I suppose I owe you an apology?”
Andrea’s eyebrows raised. It was such an odd way to bring up the topic. “What’s that?” she asked, not sure she understood what Rhonda wanted to say.
“It’s just… I’m not used to sharing Case with anyone. I’m very particular about who my children date. That’s why his older brother and I aren’t speaking at the moment.” She dabbed at her eyes.
Case never mentioned his brother, and Andrea had almost forgotten he had one. “That must be hard on both of you,” Andrea noted.
“It is on me. That’s for certain. But you see, I had just gotten my mind wrapped around the idea that he would be marrying Sarah when she was out and you were the new girl.”
“Mom, Sarah and I had been broken up for months when I met Andrea.” Case took a sip of his water since he didn’t like to drink the night before a race.
“It seemed quick for me,” Rhonda said with a shrug. “I realize I haven’t been fair to you, and I apologize. I will try harder.”
“Thank you, Rhonda. I appreciate that.” Andrea smiled. “And I will do my best to be polite to you as well.” She didn’t think she’d ever been impolite, but she could extend the olive branch with the best of them.
“That’s very kind of you,” Rhonda said politely.
They finished their dessert, and Rhonda immediately started talking about someone else Andrea didn’t know, as if the apology hadn’t even taken place. It was just as well, as far as Andrea was concerned. She didn’t particularly want to continue to talk about all of the things Rhonda had done wrong or could do better.
After Case dropped his mom off, he reached across the console in the car and took her hand. “Thank you, Andrea. You were much nicer to her than you needed to be. In fact, you’re always much nicer to her than you have to be.”
Andrea couldn’t help but smile. “I can imagine it’s probably difficult on her to lose a son, especially if she feels as if she’s already lost your brother.”
“That was her fault, too. I hardly ever even talk to Mike now. He married a woman mom didn’t approve of, and he doesn’t want to have anything to do with any of us. I thought we might see him at New Year’s, but he didn’t make it, and I can’t say that I blame him.”
She could tell the mention of his brother made him sad. “Maybe the two of you can patch things up.”
Case shrugged. “I don’t think he’s upset at me, but talking to me means he might have to talk to or about Mom, and it’s just easier to cut himself off from all of us.”
“You’d think she’d be nicer to people then, if it bothers her that he won’t speak to her.”
“That’s what I said to her on the phone earlier. I think that’s what it took to make her realize she’s doing it again. So… hopefully, she’ll behave herself now.”
“I hope so, too,” Andrea admitted. “You should be able to see your mom and not have to worry about it upsetting me.”
“And you should be able to see your boyfriend without worrying that his mother is going to say something awful to you. So thank you for going out of your way to be kind to her.”
“I love you, Case. And if that means I have to be nice to your mom, or spend part of my weekend traveling, or inhale racecar fumes for the rest of my life, so be it.”
He chuckled at her statement, but she was serious. “Good. Because I’m not sure what I’d do without you. And I don’t want to find out.”
She wished he wasn’t driving because she desperately wanted to kiss him. Despite the obstacles they’d had to overcome, she was growing more and more sure by the moment that Case was the man for her. Forever.
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