Jonny's Redemption (Gemini Group Book 7) by Riley Edwards (audio ebook reader TXT) 📕

Fuck that.

He was done with that, too.

“I wouldn’t dare to do what?” he asked.

“You can’t tell anyone. You know how the town is, they’ll talk. Think about Aurora and Caleb. What would people say to them?”

That was a low blow using his beloved niece and nephew against him. Since the day Caleb had come into this world, Jonny had done everything he could to shield his nephew from the Spencer lies.

“The man is dead, yet you’re still choosing him over your son.”

“You’re being ridiculous,” Anita scoffed.

The ugliness in his mother’s voice broke Jonny’s heart. Not because he hadn’t heard it before, the way her tone turned hard. The nasty sneer, however, the snarls and biting words had been for her husband and only when she thought her children were asleep.

That part of his life was a lie, too. Anita and Calvin didn’t argue in front of their children. They did that behind closed doors. The rest of the time they pretended nothing was amiss.

“And you’re a drunk, Ma. Who needs help. You’re also a mother and I suggest you start acting like one or you’ll find yourself not that anymore. I’m ending the call,” Jonny warned. “But before I let you go I’m going to tell you one more time—do not call Macy and the kids. You do, you won’t like what happens.”

“I am your mother!” she screeched.

“Then start acting like it.”

With that, Jonny took the phone from his ear while his mother was shouting. He couldn’t make out the words but he knew they were utter bullshit.

Further, he knew he was a shit son.

And worse, Bobby being privy to the whole disastrous conversation knew it, too.

He hadn’t put his phone away before Bobby announced, “My mother was an alcoholic.”

Woodenly, because his body had turned to stone, Jonny shoved his cell in his pocket and looked over at Bobby. “Come again?”

“Of course, no one called her that,” she went on. “Not because she wasn’t one, it was no one thought anything of her drinking because it was normal where I grew up. Kathy Layne was the life of the party, or so I’ve been told. Only time she was happy was when she had a bottle in hand. And I do mean a bottle. She’d sing and dance and smile and tell me and EJ how she was gonna be one of those showgirl types. The problem was she was so drunk all the time she was delusional. Not only could she not carry a tune in a basket, she must’ve forgotten she sounded like a dying rhinoceros. Not that she was ever sober long enough to remember anything. This included making the two children she’d pushed out supper. Then one day she’d totally forgotten she was a mother at all and she took off cleaning out my daddy’s best shine.

“To this day I’m not sure what my daddy was more upset about, Kathy taking his booze or his wife leaving him. Though he wasn’t upset for long and he didn’t have a mind to the two children who were left living with him and what they might need. Hell, he didn’t notice us at all until EJ was old enough to make him money and I was old enough to clean his house.”

Jonny stood, his body locked tight, breath caught in his lungs, and he stared at Bobby. Unable to formulate words. Unable to process all that she’d told him. And finally unable to picture this beautiful, kind, smart, loyal, honest woman not having…what didn’t she have? A good mom to show her the way, a dad who loved and praised his little girl, good role models.

How in the hell had Bobby Layne become all that she was all on her own?

Because she’s smart, kind, and determined.

“I’m telling you that,” Bobby continued. “Because I won’t be apologizing for not giving you privacy to speak to your mother. I’m telling you so you’ll know I understand. But also because you said we were starting something, so you should know who you’re starting with. So that’s me. My daddy’s a criminal. My brother’s no better. My mom is…I don’t know what she is because I haven’t seen her in over twenty-five years. But when I had her, she wasn’t much so I don’t think she’s much now.”

“Baby—”

“No, Jonny. I heard what you said to your ma and I don’t pity you. So you’ll be returnin’ the favor. Not only don’t I want it, I don’t need it. I left that girl back in Kentucky. I’ve worked myself to the bone getting rid of all that was Shady Hollow. I’m not that girl and you won’t be treatin’ me as such.”

Jonny needed to add strong and resilient to the list of things that Bobby Layne was. And would, later, after he fed his woman and came clean.

If one good thing had come from his mother’s call, it was a resolute certainty Bobby Layne was meant to be his.

8

I was a little nauseous as Jonny led me into the house. A little light-headed, too.

So much for leaving the past in the past.

I should’ve kept my big trap shut, but I couldn’t stop myself. Not when Jonny looked the way he did when he was speaking to his mother. Beyond tortured. Beyond pained. The man had practically begged his mother to seek help. Something he’d said he’d done in the past to no avail.

I had no idea Mrs. Spencer drank. I’d only met her twice and neither of those times had she been intoxicated. At least, I hadn’t thought so—now I wasn’t so sure. What I did know was Jonny openly spoke to his mother while I was standing next to him; he hadn’t walked away, asked me to leave, or cut the conversation short.

He’d let it all hang out.

And there was a lot to sift through. His mother’s issue with alcohol was only the beginning. He’d mentioned his father had cheated and lied. I got the