Flawless Surrender (The Surrender Trilogy, #2)(2)

“I’m sorry, baby, I’ve been yapping away at you and I haven’t even given you a chance to talk! Now that you’re done with school, what do you plan to do?

Zoey hesitated to be sure the Eve-storm was over before she responded. “I got a job with the local school district. I start in a couple of weeks.”

“Really? I guess nowadays with all of the school shootings and stuff it makes sense they would want head doctors in the schools.” The solemn look on Eve’s face had Zoey shaking her head.

“I’m not a head doctor, Mom. I’m a licensed social worker.”

Eve shrugged. “Same diff. I mean really, you listen to crazy self-centered folks all day long and make them feel better about themselves, right?”

Zoey took a deep breath to calm her nerves and pinched the bridge of her nose as she fought back a snarky reply. “Mom, I’ve got to go out for a bit. Will you be okay here by yourself?”

“Oh sure! I think I’ll indulge in a nice long shower and then maybe take a nap. I haven’t slept much either lately.”

Her mom pulled another cigarette from her purse and reached for her lighter.

“Please, Mom, not in here. You know I can’t stomach the smell.”

Eve rolled her eyes and her lip curled up in a half smile-half cringe. “Yeah, you always were sensitive about things like that. I’ll take a quick walk downstairs and be back in a flash.”

While her mom was gone, Zoey cleaned up the mess left behind in the kitchen, and slid her feet into a pair of sandals. She had her purse over her shoulder and her keys in hand as she crossed paths with Eve going to her car. She had a feeling she was going to be spending a lot more time out of her home rather than trapped inside with her mom.

After a quick text to her best friend, Rachel, as she was starting her beat up four-door sedan, she was on the road with all four windows down and the stifling summer heat of Texas blasting through her dark hair. Oddly enough, even the heavy humid air didn’t stop her from inhaling deeply and sending up a prayer of thanks for the distance she had come since her parents split. She was a grown ass woman with ambitions and goals and her mother was not going to get in her way. Being homeless however, might pose a problem.

Kasey Musgraves new song “Blowing Smoke” echoed over her stereo as she rounded the long dirt drive up to Rachel’s home. Brooks Pastures was one of the most prominent ranches around Stone River and the four Brooks brothers had made up the majority of the towns hottest bachelors list until last summer.

Rachel managed to land all four brothers in one fell swoop, shocking the town and making history. Zoey had braced for some flare-ups about the new polyamorous relationship but oddly, the whole town seemed to embrace the happy family and congratulate them as one. The fact they had just had a beautiful bouncing baby girl might have helped that a little.

Juliet was the sweetest little cherub Zoey had ever seen, and every time she was near the little girl, it was as if her womb clenched. She wanted a baby of her own desperately, but at the moment, the lack of male companionship posed a serious problem. She had been so focused on her career goals that she had put every other need aside, and besides the occasional hot and sweaty hookup that left her wanting, she hadn’t really had a serious relationship. She craved cuddling, and the intimacy and affection that went with a serious relationship. Someday she wanted just one man to look at her and want her from the top of her dark hair to the bottom of her ridiculously oversized feet.

Rachel was waiting on the front porch with a tall glass of sweet tea and a chocolate candy bar when Zoey parked and jumped out. It was just the sort of thing that Zoey needed and she hurried up the steps into her best friend’s arms.

“I’m so glad you’re not back to work yet,” she mumbled into Rachel’s shoulder.

“Me too. It sounded like an urgent situation. What the hell is your mom doing back in Stone River?” Zoey took a step back and accepted the sweet treat from Rachel before following her into the house.

“She’s here to crash at my place because she ran out of money and her newest man, Leo, wouldn’t take care of her anymore. I can’t tell if she’s strung out yet, but she’s sporting a fading bruise on her jaw that she didn’t give to herself.”

“Who has a bruise?” Parker Brooks stepped into the living room just as they were settling onto the sofa.

“My mom. She showed up at my place after another bad break up. I’m stuck with her until she gets bored of Stone River again.” Zoey let out a dejected sigh as she took a big bite of chocolate and let it melt on her tongue. It was amazing how much chocolate could do for a girl in need.

“Why don’t you just tell her to get her own place?” Parker asked, bending and pressing a quick kiss to Rachel’s lips before he sat down in a chair nearby. His jeans and button down shirt were covered in dust, and there was a streak of grime on his cheek making him look like the consummate cowboy.

“Because she has no money. She never has any money, mostly because she spends it all on alcohol or cocaine,” Zoey’s sarcastic comment didn’t cover up the hurt in her tone, and she looked down into her glass of sweet tea, blinking rapidly to keep tears back.

“The guys don’t know about your mom, Zoey, I didn’t think it was my place to tell them.” Rachel was looking at her with pity, and if there was anything Zoey despised, it was pity.