Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 138775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
“Do you have siblings?” he asked.
“No. It was just me and my mom,” I said. At least it had been until I was twelve.
“She lives in Atlanta, right?”
“No, Macon.”
He cocked his head to the side. “That can’t be that far from Florida. If I ever get in over my head with uncle duties, I might have to call for reinforcements. Do you know anything about babies?”
“Not really. You?”
“Nope. But the internet does.”
“Thank god for that.”
He took a bite of his sandwich as he studied me. Finally, he said, “So what’s the deal with you and your mom?”
I took a bite of my own, chewing slowly before answering. “What do you mean?”
“When I asked about her, your shoulders stiffened. And you got a frown line right there.” He touched the pad of his index finger to a spot between my eyebrows.
“You’re very observant,” I said, still stalling.
He shrugged. “I feel like I’m getting to know you better, and I’m glad for that.”
“Me too.”
He smiled. “And okay, I have been observing you. You’re much more fun to look at than Lucas or Kyle.”
That was definitely a matter of opinion, and one I didn’t agree with. “You just like my hair.” That much had been obvious since the study group started last year.
He laughed, but his cheeks reddened slightly. “Okay, guilty as charged. I do like your hair. But that’s not the only thing.”
Since he didn’t elaborate, I didn’t really have anything to blush about—but I suspected I did it anyway. Truthfully, I liked his hair, too. It had some height to it, and he kept his short beard nicely trimmed. I’d never been a huge fan of beards, but his gave definition to his face. All in all, he managed to look well-put together and casual at the same time.
“So, your mom?” he prompted.
I didn’t want to answer because it wasn’t my favorite subject, but on the other hand, I liked getting closer to Jayden. Not just physically, as we had in the hammock, either. Last year, he’d been just a guy I studied with twice a week. This year, he was becoming a whole lot more. “We used to be close.”
Jayden listened intently, but I could tell he knew this was painful for me. “She was a single mother?”
“Yeah. When she got pregnant and the, um, biological father didn’t want anything to do with me.”
“He didn’t want the responsibility that comes with having a baby,” Jayden corrected. “He didn’t even get a chance to know you, which is definitely his loss.”
“Yeah. I mean, thanks. That’s how I see it, too, though sometimes I get curious about him. But that’s not the upsetting part of the story.”
“What is?”
I sighed. “When I was in middle school, my mom met someone. Doug. He was really sweet to her at first, and me, I guess, but then things got bad pretty quickly. He moved in, and everything changed. He was really controlling, and it was like my mom became a different person. She did everything he told her to. It was like she changed her entire personality for him.”
There was sympathy in Jayden’s eyes. “Was he abusive?”
“To her, yes. At least in my opinion. As for me, well, I mostly tried to stay out of his way. He saw me as competition for my mom’s attention. And he was a competitive guy.” I stopped and then corrected myself. “He is a competitive guy.”
Jayden slid his fingers around mine, squeezing. Warmth spread through my chest at the simple gesture. During our walk around campus, I’d wanted to hold his hand. But this was different. This time, I needed to.
“So he’s still in the picture?”
“Off and on. Over the years, they’ve broken up and gotten back together at least half a dozen times. Every time I think that my mom’s done with him, that she’s seen the light, then six months later they’re back together.” I blinked rapidly, not wanting to tear up.
“I’m sorry, Tori. Are they together now?”
I shook my head rather hopelessly. “I don’t know. They broke up over the summer, but when I talk to her on the phone… I get the feeling that they might be back together.” A bitter laugh escaped me. “Isn’t it pathetic that I live halfway across the state, and I can still read the signs?”
His hand was warm and steady on my own. “I would imagine that you have to learn to be observant and to quickly size up a situation when you live in a home like that.”
“Then why didn’t I see Todd for what he was sooner?” As soon as I blurted that out, I realized it had been hovering in the back of my mind for a while now.
There was nothing but sympathy in Jayden’s gaze. “You thought he was a friend, and it turned out he wasn’t. I’m sorry that happened, but it doesn’t mean you’re like your mom, Tori. Unless you’re going to go running back to Todd?”