In Too Deep by Eliza Jane Page A

thanks.” He smirks.
    We watch mindless middle of the night infomercials while I polish off the last of the Chinese food.
    When I come back from brushing my teeth, Colt is sprawled out on the bed, looking a little too comfortable. I let it pass and lie down next to him.
    I think about how different my life has become in the past few months. I miss living at home with my parents, I miss our pancake breakfasts on Saturday mornings, and working side by side with my dad on the computer – on things that would never get you attacked by a German jewel thief.  I miss them more than I thought I would.
    “Colt?”
    “Yeah?”
    “Do you miss your family, being away at the school, I mean?”
    He’s quiet for a second, as if considering my question. “I miss my mom. My dad, not so much.” He rolls over onto his side, facing me. “Are you homesick?”
    I nod, meeting his eyes. “I guess so.”
    “Do you have a boyfriend back home?”
    “Nope.” The memory of Wes rears its ugly head, but I push back down.
    “So what about you? After your heartfelt breakup with Bria yesterday…no girlfriend?”
    He smirks. “ I know you’ve heard the rumors about me by now,” he says calmly. “Not all of them are true, by the way.”
    I notice he doesn’t deny that some of them are true, or clarify which ones are fact and which are fiction.
    “L ove is a farce” he says.
    Oh, how original. A hot guy that doesn’t believe in love. I keep my mouth closed, waiting for him to explain himself.
    He continues, “I mean love as an emotion, yes, that exists. I love sushi, for instance. But being in love – with one person? No.”
    So he’s never been in love. I guess I haven’t really either. But I never doubted it existed. Seeing my parents together – the way my dad was an ass sometimes and my mom was calm and loving with him when I felt like storming to m y room and slamming to the door –told me there was something deeper at work. Of course I loved my dad, but she was clearly in love with him. They still cuddled on the couch during movies and kissed goodbye every morning. I knew I wanted that someday. I believe in that.
    “What about your parents? Are they still married?”
    “Ah, no.” He clears his throat. “My mom passed away when I was fourteen. Cancer.” 
    “I’m so sorry.” I prop up on my elbow and look at him.
    “Thanks.” He offers me a small smile.  “I still miss her. That’s weird, right? I’ve lived much of my life without her.”
    “ That’s because you love her.” I’m determined to prove love is real.
    His lazy smile captures me again, his eyes full of doubt.
    I wondered how different I’d be if I’d grown up without my mother. Without her warm lap, her loving hands, her no-nonsense advice that shaped who I am today. No wonder he seemed so hardened. I wondered if he truly didn’t believe in love, or if he just hadn’t felt it in so long, he forgot it existed. It made me sad. 
                  “Just because you haven’t seen it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I don’t get how planes fly, but they do, right?”
    “Wise words, Taylor, ” he teases.
    Jerk.
    Colt raises his arm, inspecting his leather bracelet. The strings are ragged and thin. I can’t imagine it’ll last much longer. He rolls it between his thumb and finger, turning the bracelet around on his wrist.
    “Sorry, I shouldn’t have pried about your mom and everything,” I offer.
    “No, it’s okay. No one ever asks me about my mom. It’s like they’re afraid to.”
    I nod.
    “I’d rather talk about her than pretend like she didn’t exist, like my dad does.”
    The cocky, arrogant Colt of earlier who fought to protect me is gone . This Colt is softer, gentler. It’s hard to keep up with all his sides. But I like this version of him best. I like that he’s trusting me with this side of himself – one I doubt he lets very many people see.
    I brave another question. It’s nice to have Colt talking and