Chapter 52

▪️Ace▪️

“Your sex monster returns—”

Too late he saw Emily sitting and motioning for him to be quiet, then burying her head in her hands.

“Is that Ace? Ace is there with you?” His mother’s voice sounded from the phone lying on the bed.

Oh, fuck. Speakerphone. He set the bowls and beer bottles on the dresser. “Hi, Mom.”

“What are you doing at Emily’s at three in the morning?”

Thinking fast, he opened the beer and took a quick gulp. “I couldn’t sleep and figured Emily would be up too, and I was right.”

“I see. I guess that’s why there was no answer when I called your phone?”

“Yeah. I was in the kitchen, making us a middle-of-the-night snack. How was the flight? Have you seen Doug?”

“Yes. My poor son.” He heard her grief-stricken voice, and his hand shook. Emily took the bottle from him and set it on the night table.

“What do the doctors say?”

“They’re hoping to do X-rays today to see if there’s a skull fracture. He had a quiet night, and he’s stable. Other than that…