“I know you’re mad at her,” he said.

“Mad? No. She makes me crazy. She’s intrusive.”

“She has something important to tell you. Listen to what she has to say.” He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. “For me.”

“For you?”

“I wish I’d had the chance to make amends with my parents before they went. It would have saved me years of gut-wrenching agony. You have to take this opportunity to set things straight. Not for her. And not really for me. For you.”

Aggie cupped his cheek, knowing how hard it had been for him to let go of his past and forgive himself. He wanted to save her that life-crippling regret. She’d never figure out what she’d done to deserve this wonderful, caring, understanding, selfless, brave, loving man, but she’d be forever grateful that she’d found him. That he was hers. Aggie nodded, unable to refuse his simple request. “Okay. I’ll hear her out, but if she claims the spare bedroom, I’m tossing her out on her fanny.”

He squeezed her knee. “Do you want me to stay while you talk to her?”

She hesitated and then nodded. The man gave her strength, and she was pretty sure she would need it to stand up to her mother and tell her no. Jace stood, kissed her gently, and went to retrieve the woman from the foyer. Aggie was surprised she wasn’t puffing on a cigarette when she entered the room. Jace directed Mom to the deep blue, semicircular chair, and then sat beside Aggie on the sofa. He took her hand in his, offering nothing but infallible support.

“Is Maynard listening in?” Mom asked, nodding at Jace.

“His name is Jace.”

“I know what his name is.”

“He will soon be my husband,” Aggie said. Saying it for the first time made her heart flutter with happiness. “Anything you have to say, you can say in front of him.”

“Oh,” Mom gasped quietly. Her eyes sought the ring on Aggie’s finger. “Marriage? Really? Well, congratulations… I guess.”

Aggie rolled her eyes. Was it possible for her to say anything that didn’t make Aggie want to slap her?

“Thank you,” Jace said, blushing crimson under his beard stubble. Aggie’s heart did that warm, melty, fluttery thing it did every time she looked at him. She grinned, and he lowered his lashes over his chocolate brown eyes.

“Gary is waiting for me at the hotel. I can’t stay long.”

Aggie gaped at her. “Gary? Loser Gary?”

“He’s not a loser. We got married a few weeks ago. He’s taking me on a honeymoon. To Hawaii.”

“You got married?” Aggie sputtered. “How come this is the first I’ve heard of it?”

“I didn’t think you’d approve,” she said quietly.

“Congratulations,” Jace said and squeezed Aggie’s knee. Hard.

She glanced at him in question, and when she met his eyes, he gave her mother a pointed look.

Aggie sighed. “Congratulations, Mom. I hope you have a long and healthy relationship with Loser. He was one of my most well-behaved slaves.”

Jace choked.

Mom lifted her gaze to Aggie’s. Aggie was surprised to see tears on Mom’s clumpy lashes. “I know I don’t make good decisions.” Mom sighed, looking defeated. “I do love you, Aggie. You must know that. I’m sorry I wasn’t a better mother.”

Aggie stared at her. At least she was admitting she hadn’t been a good mother. Never the mother Aggie had wanted or needed. It was a start. Aggie took a deep breath and clung to Jace’s hand. “Apology accepted.”

Mom took a shuddering breath. “All things considered, you’re doing okay, kid.” She glanced from Aggie to Jace and back again, a slight smile on her thin lips. “You have a great guy at your side who loves you. You know who you are and what you want out of life. That’s more than anyone can say about me.”

Mom climbed to her feet and kissed Jace on the forehead. “Thanks for looking after my baby girl. Welcome to the family, Jace.” She kissed Aggie’s forehead next. “We okay?”

Aggie nodded. Yes, the woman drove her insane, but she loved the crazy broad. What could she do? “We’re okay.”

“I don’t know when I’ll be in touch. When we get back from Hawaii, Gary wants to buy an RV and see the country. I’ll try to make it to your wedding.” Her blue eyes darted from Aggie to Jace apprehensively. “I’m invited, aren’t I?”

“Of course,” Jace said.

Mom hesitated, looking as if she’d been struck by lightning. “Wait a minute. You two aren’t planning on having kids, are you?”

“Someday,” Jace said without hesitation.

Aggie’s heart stuttered over a beat. Kids? She glanced at him. Again with the warm, melting, fluttery heart thing. A baby Jace to shower with affection. What could possibly be more wonderful than that? “Yeah, someday,” Aggie agreed.

Mom’s nose crinkled. “Hold off on that for a couple decades, if you would, please. I am in no way ready to be a grandmother. I’m a newlywed.”

Aggie rolled her eyes. “You know, not everything is about you, Mom.”

The front door opened. “You guys home?” Eric called from the foyer.

“We’re in the living room,” Jace yelled.

“I’m going now,” Mom said. “Gary is waiting, and I have the only key to his cock cage.” She twirled a key ring on the end of one finger.

Aggie’s eyes widened. “Too much information, Mom!”

Mom chuckled and kissed Aggie on the top of the head, before taking her chin in one bony hand and staring her hard in the eyes. “I love you, baby girl.”

“I love you too, Mom.”

Mom cuffed her cheek with one knuckle and smiled warmly before turning to go. She passed Eric as she left the room.

“Yo, Aggie’s mom,” Eric said, and saluted her with two fingers.

Mom looked at his strange haircut and pursed her lips together. “Yo, freak.”

Aggie heard the door close behind Mom a moment later. Aggie figured the next time she saw the woman, she’d be in trouble again. She hoped she was wrong, but some things never changed. They just had to be accepted.

“I don’t think she likes me much,” Eric said as he entered the room. “You two ready to go see Dave?”

“Yeah, we’ll follow you over on the Harley.” Jace stood.

“You guys go,” Aggie said. “I’m going to stay here.”

“Are you okay?” Jace asked. “She begged me to tell you about her getting married, but I thought it was something she should tell you herself. That’s why I asked her to stop by. Are you upset?”

“Not really. I’m glad you had her come over. I just need a little time to adjust to the idea that I used to kick butt plugs up my stepfather’s ass.”

Jace bit his lip and stroked her hair behind her ear. “If you need me to stay home—”

“What’s this?” Eric said, lifting a drumstick off a pair of hangers on the wall. He inspected it closely.

Jace’s eyes widened, and he strode across the room to snatch his treasured drumstick out of Eric’s hand. “It’s nothing.”

“Why do you have an old nicked-up drumstick hanging on your wall?” Eric asked. “Do you play drums too, tripod?”

“No, I don’t play drums. It’s something I caught at a live show.” Jace carefully set the drumstick back on the pegs he’d installed to display his most prized possession.

“Did your favorite drummer throw it to you or something?”

Jace smiled. “Yeah, something like that.”

Aggie could not resist the opportunity to meddle. “That’s your drumstick, Eric.”

Eric glanced at Jace, who was doing his best impression of a cranberry again. “Mine? Why did you steal one of my drumsticks?”

“I didn’t steal it. You threw it at the end of a show, and I caught it.”

Eric’s dark brows drew together. “How did you manage to catch a drumstick while on stage?”

“No, dumb ass. It happened ten years ago. I was in the audience.”

“Oh.” Eric grinned. “So does this mean what I think it means?”

“What do you think it means?” Jace asked.

“That I’m your favorite drummer.” Eric picked up the drumstick again and twirled it in his right hand.