mistaken belief that she wasn’t strong enough to take care of herself. It might have been true once, but it wasn’t any longer.
“You and Dad can’t keep carrying me around on a pillow. I’m fine. I’m not on death’s doorstep anymore. I’ve got a long, healthy life ahead of me.”
“I know, honey.”
She moistened her lips, worked up the courage to say what she needed to say. “It’s time I started acting like a healthy twenty-five-year-old woman.”
“I see.” Her mother’s lips pursed. “You mean sex.”
Yes, among other things, she meant sex, but she didn’t want the conversation with her mother to veer off in that direction. She needed to get a life of her own, and while that included sex, it wasn’t her only objective.
“If you’re ready for sex, I’ll book an appointment with—”
“Mom! I can book my own doctor appointments. I’m not talking about sex.” Well, not to her mother. “I’m talking about finding myself. Now that I’ll be getting an advance for ghostwriting Rowdy’s book, it’s time I moved out.”
Her mother looked crestfallen. “All on your own?”
“I’ll get a roommate. I’m placing an ad in the Stardust flyer looking for someone to share a house with.” She’d thought about it, and decided a roommate was the best option just in case the ghostwriting thing fell through. She didn’t want to have to come crawling home.
Her mother’s hand crept across her throat. “What house?”
“There’s no specific house. Not yet.”
“Getting a house is a big step, Breeanne.”
“You didn’t say that when Jodi moved into the boxcar she renovated when she was nineteen.”
“Jodi’s different. She’s always been more mature than other young people her age, and she’s got a good head on her shoulders.”
Meaning Breeanne didn’t? “And what about Kasha? She’d backpacked through Europe after her sophomore year of college.”
“Kasha was homeless until she was six years old. She knows how to take care of herself.”
“And you don’t think I can.”
“Honey, it’s just that you’ve been so ill and—”
“You’re right. I was a sickly kid who needed a lot of attention. I’m not self-assured like Jodi, or strong like Kasha, or spunky like Suki, but I’m not going to be if you and Dad won’t let me stretch my wings. I need to make up for lost time.”
“Well.” Mom blinked, and rearranged her features, struggling not to show how upset she was. “If that’s the way you really feel.”
Her mother had no idea how hard this was for her. The last thing she wanted was to hurt her parents, but she had to do this. “Please, Mom, try to understand.”
Her mother didn’t say anything for a long time. The second hand on the kitchen wall clock clicked so loudly it was all Breeanne could hear.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
“Does this mean you’re not coming back to the bookstore once you’ve finished writing Rowdy’s book?”
“No, no. I love working at the bookstore.”
“Oh good.” Her mother’s eyes lightened. “Because we depend on you. If you’re worried that you’re a financial burden to us, please don’t be.”
“I’m so very grateful for everything you and Dad have done for me. You’ve got to know that.”
“Of course we do. And we love you.” Mom hugged her. “So very much. We’re always one hundred percent behind you.”
“Thank you.”
“Now.” Mom reached to tuck a strand of errant hair behind Breeanne’s ear, a loving touch. This woman had saved her life. She and Dad had nursed her to health when no one else believed she would live. “When are you supposed to start writing this book?”
“Rowdy and I begin the interview process on Monday, but I’ll start doing preliminary research right away. I told Rowdy that I had to train my replacement at the bookstore. Plus my agent has to iron out the contract details with the publisher.”
“You don’t have to worry about training someone. Suki can take over at the
“You and Dad can’t keep carrying me around on a pillow. I’m fine. I’m not on death’s doorstep anymore. I’ve got a long, healthy life ahead of me.”
“I know, honey.”
She moistened her lips, worked up the courage to say what she needed to say. “It’s time I started acting like a healthy twenty-five-year-old woman.”
“I see.” Her mother’s lips pursed. “You mean sex.”
Yes, among other things, she meant sex, but she didn’t want the conversation with her mother to veer off in that direction. She needed to get a life of her own, and while that included sex, it wasn’t her only objective.
“If you’re ready for sex, I’ll book an appointment with—”
“Mom! I can book my own doctor appointments. I’m not talking about sex.” Well, not to her mother. “I’m talking about finding myself. Now that I’ll be getting an advance for ghostwriting Rowdy’s book, it’s time I moved out.”
Her mother looked crestfallen. “All on your own?”
“I’ll get a roommate. I’m placing an ad in the Stardust flyer looking for someone to share a house with.” She’d thought about it, and decided a roommate was the best option just in case the ghostwriting thing fell through. She didn’t want to have to come crawling home.
Her mother’s hand crept across her throat. “What house?”
“There’s no specific house. Not yet.”
“Getting a house is a big step, Breeanne.”
“You didn’t say that when Jodi moved into the boxcar she renovated when she was nineteen.”
“Jodi’s different. She’s always been more mature than other young people her age, and she’s got a good head on her shoulders.”
Meaning Breeanne didn’t? “And what about Kasha? She’d backpacked through Europe after her sophomore year of college.”
“Kasha was homeless until she was six years old. She knows how to take care of herself.”
“And you don’t think I can.”
“Honey, it’s just that you’ve been so ill and—”
“You’re right. I was a sickly kid who needed a lot of attention. I’m not self-assured like Jodi, or strong like Kasha, or spunky like Suki, but I’m not going to be if you and Dad won’t let me stretch my wings. I need to make up for lost time.”
“Well.” Mom blinked, and rearranged her features, struggling not to show how upset she was. “If that’s the way you really feel.”
Her mother had no idea how hard this was for her. The last thing she wanted was to hurt her parents, but she had to do this. “Please, Mom, try to understand.”
Her mother didn’t say anything for a long time. The second hand on the kitchen wall clock clicked so loudly it was all Breeanne could hear.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
“Does this mean you’re not coming back to the bookstore once you’ve finished writing Rowdy’s book?”
“No, no. I love working at the bookstore.”
“Oh good.” Her mother’s eyes lightened. “Because we depend on you. If you’re worried that you’re a financial burden to us, please don’t be.”
“I’m so very grateful for everything you and Dad have done for me. You’ve got to know that.”
“Of course we do. And we love you.” Mom hugged her. “So very much. We’re always one hundred percent behind you.”
“Thank you.”
“Now.” Mom reached to tuck a strand of errant hair behind Breeanne’s ear, a loving touch. This woman had saved her life. She and Dad had nursed her to health when no one else believed she would live. “When are you supposed to start writing this book?”
“Rowdy and I begin the interview process on Monday, but I’ll start doing preliminary research right away. I told Rowdy that I had to train my replacement at the bookstore. Plus my agent has to iron out the contract details with the publisher.”
“You don’t have to worry about training someone. Suki can take over at the
Similar Books
