just showed up.”
“Of course he did,” she says. “He can barely stand to be away from you for more than a day.”
“He’s just here to help me.”
“Oh, I bet he is. Just make sure to call me after it happens.”
“First off, I’ll never call you right after the first time I have sex.” I wrap my fingers around the doorknob. “And second, Beck and I are never going to have sex. Trust me; he doesn’t even want to have sex with me.”
A voice in the back of my mind cackles with laughter.
“What if he did, though? Would you do it?”
“No.”
“You totally just hesitated—”
“No, I didn’t.” Did I? “And why are you so obsessed with this?”
“I’m not. I’m just having fun.”
“Well, can we please drop it?”
“Fine,” she surrenders. “I’ll let you off the hook … for now.”
“Gee, thanks. How very kind of you.”
“You’re welcome,” she quips. “Talk to you later.”
“Bye.” I hang up and open the door with a smile on my lips. My relief instantly shifts to confusion, though, as Beck rubs his hand across his mouth, attempting to conceal a grin. “What’s up with all the smiling?”
He rolls his tongue in his mouth. “Why is that weird? I smile all the time. In fact, it’s kind of my MO.”
“True, but still …” I eye him over warily. “You think something’s funny, but I can’t figure out what.”
“Yeah, maybe, but trust me; it’s probably better you don’t know.” He bites down on his lip hard and stuffs his hands into the back pockets. “So, are you ready to tow your car back?” His gaze scrolls across the plaid pajama shorts and long-sleeved top I’m wearing, leaving a trail of heat across my skin that warms every part of my body. “You’re still wearing your pajamas.”
“Yeah, I’ve been lazy this morning, probably because someone spoiled me last night and made me sleep so well.” I bite down on my lip. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.
A pleased smile lights up his face. “Good. I’m glad I could help. And you should do that more often.”
“Be lazy?” I suddenly become very aware of how trashed the place is and that he can probably see the mess.
He nods, giving me that look I can’t quite figure out. “You need more rest, princess. You’re always so tired because you overwork yourself.”
“I’m fine,” I lie. “It’s nothing I haven’t had to handle before.”
His gaze fastens on mine. “That’s what I’m afraid of. And sometimes, when you handle too much, you eventually break.”
I know what break he’s referring to: the nervous breakdown I had my senior year when I was trying to juggle three jobs, school work, taking care of my drug-addict mom, all while applying to colleges.
“I’m fine. I promise.” I cast a glance across the street, not knowing whether to be relieved or unnerved the person is no longer there.
Beck inches toward me and leans in, lowering his voice. “No, you’re not.” He gestures at the trashed living room behind me. “You shouldn’t have to handle this. You never should’ve had to handle it.”
He smells so good, like cologne and soap and everything that calms me, and I nearly lean into him, grasp his shirt, hold on for dear life, and never let go …
“I know,” I say, making myself stay put. “But there’s not much I can do about it.”
He stares me down with determination. “Except walk away.”
I fiddle with the bottom of my shorts. “I can’t just bail out on her … Could you imagine what would happen if I did? She barely survived my dad walking out.”
He hooks a finger underneath my chin, forcing me to look at him. “I know you worry about your mom, but you can’t spend the rest of your life taking care of her and letting her drag you down. There has to be a point when you say enough is enough, or she’s going to destroy your life.”
“I’ll be fine.” Won’t I?
Sometimes, I wonder how fine I’ll be three years from now … if I’ll graduate
“Of course he did,” she says. “He can barely stand to be away from you for more than a day.”
“He’s just here to help me.”
“Oh, I bet he is. Just make sure to call me after it happens.”
“First off, I’ll never call you right after the first time I have sex.” I wrap my fingers around the doorknob. “And second, Beck and I are never going to have sex. Trust me; he doesn’t even want to have sex with me.”
A voice in the back of my mind cackles with laughter.
“What if he did, though? Would you do it?”
“No.”
“You totally just hesitated—”
“No, I didn’t.” Did I? “And why are you so obsessed with this?”
“I’m not. I’m just having fun.”
“Well, can we please drop it?”
“Fine,” she surrenders. “I’ll let you off the hook … for now.”
“Gee, thanks. How very kind of you.”
“You’re welcome,” she quips. “Talk to you later.”
“Bye.” I hang up and open the door with a smile on my lips. My relief instantly shifts to confusion, though, as Beck rubs his hand across his mouth, attempting to conceal a grin. “What’s up with all the smiling?”
He rolls his tongue in his mouth. “Why is that weird? I smile all the time. In fact, it’s kind of my MO.”
“True, but still …” I eye him over warily. “You think something’s funny, but I can’t figure out what.”
“Yeah, maybe, but trust me; it’s probably better you don’t know.” He bites down on his lip hard and stuffs his hands into the back pockets. “So, are you ready to tow your car back?” His gaze scrolls across the plaid pajama shorts and long-sleeved top I’m wearing, leaving a trail of heat across my skin that warms every part of my body. “You’re still wearing your pajamas.”
“Yeah, I’ve been lazy this morning, probably because someone spoiled me last night and made me sleep so well.” I bite down on my lip. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.
A pleased smile lights up his face. “Good. I’m glad I could help. And you should do that more often.”
“Be lazy?” I suddenly become very aware of how trashed the place is and that he can probably see the mess.
He nods, giving me that look I can’t quite figure out. “You need more rest, princess. You’re always so tired because you overwork yourself.”
“I’m fine,” I lie. “It’s nothing I haven’t had to handle before.”
His gaze fastens on mine. “That’s what I’m afraid of. And sometimes, when you handle too much, you eventually break.”
I know what break he’s referring to: the nervous breakdown I had my senior year when I was trying to juggle three jobs, school work, taking care of my drug-addict mom, all while applying to colleges.
“I’m fine. I promise.” I cast a glance across the street, not knowing whether to be relieved or unnerved the person is no longer there.
Beck inches toward me and leans in, lowering his voice. “No, you’re not.” He gestures at the trashed living room behind me. “You shouldn’t have to handle this. You never should’ve had to handle it.”
He smells so good, like cologne and soap and everything that calms me, and I nearly lean into him, grasp his shirt, hold on for dear life, and never let go …
“I know,” I say, making myself stay put. “But there’s not much I can do about it.”
He stares me down with determination. “Except walk away.”
I fiddle with the bottom of my shorts. “I can’t just bail out on her … Could you imagine what would happen if I did? She barely survived my dad walking out.”
He hooks a finger underneath my chin, forcing me to look at him. “I know you worry about your mom, but you can’t spend the rest of your life taking care of her and letting her drag you down. There has to be a point when you say enough is enough, or she’s going to destroy your life.”
“I’ll be fine.” Won’t I?
Sometimes, I wonder how fine I’ll be three years from now … if I’ll graduate
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