“Mom!” He pulled her tightly against him, then swung her around. “I missed you.”
She laughed. “And you missed all the drama with Mindy. Payne showed up two days ago, and no one knows what’s happening. Are you hungry? Want some tea?”
He glanced at the table. “Any coffee?”
“There should be some.”
She got Austin coffee, along with a couple of bananas. When she returned to the breakfast room, he was seated next to Lillian and eating a scone.
“Did you drive back this morning?” she asked.
“I couldn’t sleep, so I checked out of the motel a little before six. Because it’s Saturday, traffic was light, and I made good time.”
He reached for a banana. “I toured the campus. I liked it a lot. I want to apply there, Mom.”
Robyn told herself to act calm. Shrieking would only make him question his decision. But on the inside, she was jumping and dancing. College! At last. Austin could take time and figure out what he wanted to do with his life. He would meet new people, see there was a world beyond working for his Dad.
But instead of saying all that, she nodded and murmured, “It’s a great school. Plus, San Diego is a fantastic city. Do you know what you want to study?”
He finished his banana, then wiped his hands on a napkin. His gaze met hers.
“I want to apply to the navy ROTC.”
He kept talking, but she didn’t hear anything else. There was a roaring sound, and she thought maybe her heart had stopped beating. Except she was still sitting upright, and if her heart had stopped, wouldn’t she collapse?
Fury, fear and a sense of betrayal battled for dominance. How could he? She’d trusted him. She’d slept with him! And all the time he’d been going behind her back to convince her son to—
“Mom!” Austin said sharply. “You’re not listening.”
She ignored the pounding in her ears and the sense that she couldn’t catch her breath so she could focus on her son. “I’m here.”
Austin’s mouth twisted. “I know what you’re thinking. Mason has nothing to do with this. This isn’t a new idea. I talked to the ROTC people last year. One of the times I went to visit Harlow, I went by the office and got information. It’s been on my mind for a while. I just wasn’t ready, you know. After high school? It seemed too soon. I wanted to be sure. It’s a big commitment.”
He looked at her. She could see the man he would become and the little boy he had been. Images flashed in her mind. Of him learning to ride a bike. Of him surfing when there was a riptide and how she’d struggled to drag him on shore. Of them laughing together, and the Saturday afternoon his first girlfriend had dumped him and broken his heart.
“Don’t cry,” he whispered.
“I’m not,” she said, even as she wiped her face and found tears.
Lillian squeezed his hand. “I’m so proud of you, Austin. You’re going to be a wonderful naval officer.”
He kissed her cheek, then got out of his chair and came around to Robyn’s. He crouched next to her and hugged her tight. “Mom, you gotta let me go. It’s time, and this is what I want to do.”
What if you get killed? Only she didn’t ask that because they both knew it was a possibility. On any given day, something awful could happen.
She forced herself to nod. “If it’s what you want, then it’s what you should do.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. Congratulations. That’s a big decision.”
He grinned and returned to his seat. “I have it all worked out. I need a year to establish residency so I can pay in-state tuition. I’ll get a job working for a charter company or at a marina. I want to sign up for an SAT study course and take the test again. I could do better on my scores.”
“You have a plan,” she said, impressed by how much he’d thought through.
“I’ll apply this fall, start next fall. I’ll be a year older than most of other students, but that’s okay.” He flashed a grin. “The girls will think I’m hot.”
“They will. Be careful with that.”
“Mom, come on. It’s me.” He picked up another scone. “This changes things for you, back in Florida. Maybe you don’t want to buy a house. You could get a condo, or rent somewhere and figure out your next act.”
“You should both live here,” Lillian said firmly. “I’d like the company. Austin, you can find work here just as easily as anywhere else. Robyn, you know how I feel about you staying.” Lillian turned to Austin. “I’ve practically been begging her not to go on a daily basis.”
“You’ve asked twice,” Robyn said with a smile.
“Now you can think about it seriously.”
“Let’s take things one at a time,” she said easily. “Austin, I’m really proud of you.”
“Thanks, Mom.” He turned to his great-great-aunt. “And thank you for letting me stay here. I’d like that a lot.”
“Excellent,” Lillian said with a sigh. “I’m very happy. Now to ask the awkward question, my dear boy. Have you spoken with your father?”
Austin shifted uncomfortably. Robyn held in a groan. Cord wasn’t going to take the news very well. He’d never wanted his kids to consider military service. He would rather they worked with him.
“I was gonna call,” Austin said, a definite whine to his voice. “It’s hard with the time difference.”
“He’s not expecting you back anytime soon,” Robyn offered. “You quit your job.”
Her son nodded glumly. “Yeah, but we both know he expects me to come running and beg for it back. I’ll call him later today.”
“If it gets too bad, tell him to call me. I’ll talk him down.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“You’re welcome.”
Robyn excused herself and went in search of Mason. In the middle of the morning, he could usually be found in his office.
Sure enough he was seated there, typing earnestly, his focus on the screen in front of him.
He didn’t notice her at first, so she had a second to study his face. She knew his moods now, could read when he was happy, annoyed or about to lose control in a vortex of pleasure that was thrilling to watch. She recognized his scent and his voice. She knew that while he was polite and restrained in public, he was more than willing to let go in private.
He was a good man, she thought, knowing that was a more rare characteristic than she would like to admit.
He looked up and caught sight of her. His mouth immediately curled into a slow, sexy smile. He was halfway across the room before she stopped him with a raised hand.
“Not so fast, mister.”
One eyebrow rose.
“Austin’s back,” she said, putting her hands on her hips. “You didn’t want to tell me he was interested in the navy ROTC program? You didn’t think that was information I should have?”
“I didn’t talk him into anything.”
“I know that. He’s not a kid who’s easily influenced, but he came to you with questions, and you knew where he was going.”
Mason’s dark gaze was steady. “I told him I wouldn’t keep secrets. That he had to tell you what he was doing or I would tell you myself. He said he wanted to visit the ROTC office first, to make sure it was what he wanted, and if it was, he would tell you as soon as he got home.” His expression softened. “He didn’t want you worrying until he’d made a decision.”