blocking out a lot of the light. “My family took in foster kids from the time I was small. I saw a lot of them come and go. I heard a lot of stories.”
She gripped her elbows and looked anywhere but at him. “Hearing isn’t the same as living it.”
“No. You’re right. But I lived it with Jazz. I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make up for those years she spent afraid and alone. You deserve that too.”
He didn’t expect her bitter laughter or the single tear that tracked down her cheek. She swiped it away angrily. “Not everyone gets a fairy tale like she has. Most kids don’t hook up with some rich dude in their foster family. They don’t join bands and achieve what she has already.”
“That should give you hope.”
“Hope? What the fuck is that?” She kicked at the wicker basket of magazines and assorted crap and sent it falling on its side. “That’s what they sell on your side of town, not mine.”
“If you think she won’t want you on our side of town, you’re nuts.”
Her chin came up. “Oh really? She seemed pretty dismissive when she walked out the door. Not that hard to push her away, just like someone else I used to know.”
“Why would you write to someone, claim you want to meet, then try to push her away?” He stared at the paper in his hand without seeing the print. “You intended to take advantage of her,” he said quietly. “What made you change your mind?” When she didn’t respond, he took a guess. “Because she’s pregnant?”
Her face softened, answering the question for him. He nodded. “So the girl without hope still has a heart.”
“Fuck you. You don’t know a thing about me.”
“I know she’s been through as much as you, and no one would love you more, if you only let her. You loved her once. She told me you called her Mine.”
Molly let out another of those rasping laughs that sounded as if they were torn from her throat. “I loved my mother too. What’d that get me?”
“The same thing it got her. She did it anyway.”
“We aren’t the same. Not even close.” She snapped a hairband off her wrist and tied up her curls with a few jerky flicks of her fingers. “You don’t see me setting up house with a druggie either.”
The dig hit its mark, as intended. Mainly because any reminder of how far he’d let himself sink—and all that he’d almost lost—always hollowed him out. “I’m clean now.”
“Sure you are.”
“I’d be happy to take a drug test.” He sniffed. The scent of marijuana still stung the air. “How about you, kiddo?”
“I’m not a kiddo. And what’s wrong with a little pot? It’s no worse than alcohol.”
“Right. I told myself that too about pot. Then about coke. Then I found myself in rehab.”
“That’s on you. Some of us have better control of ourselves.”
“Some of us also have people we want to be better for. Do you have one of those too?” She didn’t speak. “No? Didn’t think so. I did. She’s the reason I’m sitting here right now with nothing in my veins but blood. She’s the reason I came here even though I didn’t want to. Even though I suspected you were going to use her kind heart against her. Apples and trees, you know?”
“Your perfect angel is from the same fucking tree.”
“Yeah, she is. Maybe you could try remembering that the next time you think you can use her to make a few quick bucks.” He leaned forward. “I’m curious. How’d you intend to do it? Cozy up to her then rob her blind someday when she let her guard down? Maybe sell stories about her private life to the tabloids?”
“You’re goddamn suspicious for someone who’s sucked on a silver spoon since birth.”
“The only spoon I’m sucking nowadays is my own. Can you say the same?” He gestured around the apartment. “Did you get this on your own or did you do whatever necessary to get the money you needed?”
She glared at him out of slitted eyes. “How dare you.”
“Oh, I dare. And
She gripped her elbows and looked anywhere but at him. “Hearing isn’t the same as living it.”
“No. You’re right. But I lived it with Jazz. I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make up for those years she spent afraid and alone. You deserve that too.”
He didn’t expect her bitter laughter or the single tear that tracked down her cheek. She swiped it away angrily. “Not everyone gets a fairy tale like she has. Most kids don’t hook up with some rich dude in their foster family. They don’t join bands and achieve what she has already.”
“That should give you hope.”
“Hope? What the fuck is that?” She kicked at the wicker basket of magazines and assorted crap and sent it falling on its side. “That’s what they sell on your side of town, not mine.”
“If you think she won’t want you on our side of town, you’re nuts.”
Her chin came up. “Oh really? She seemed pretty dismissive when she walked out the door. Not that hard to push her away, just like someone else I used to know.”
“Why would you write to someone, claim you want to meet, then try to push her away?” He stared at the paper in his hand without seeing the print. “You intended to take advantage of her,” he said quietly. “What made you change your mind?” When she didn’t respond, he took a guess. “Because she’s pregnant?”
Her face softened, answering the question for him. He nodded. “So the girl without hope still has a heart.”
“Fuck you. You don’t know a thing about me.”
“I know she’s been through as much as you, and no one would love you more, if you only let her. You loved her once. She told me you called her Mine.”
Molly let out another of those rasping laughs that sounded as if they were torn from her throat. “I loved my mother too. What’d that get me?”
“The same thing it got her. She did it anyway.”
“We aren’t the same. Not even close.” She snapped a hairband off her wrist and tied up her curls with a few jerky flicks of her fingers. “You don’t see me setting up house with a druggie either.”
The dig hit its mark, as intended. Mainly because any reminder of how far he’d let himself sink—and all that he’d almost lost—always hollowed him out. “I’m clean now.”
“Sure you are.”
“I’d be happy to take a drug test.” He sniffed. The scent of marijuana still stung the air. “How about you, kiddo?”
“I’m not a kiddo. And what’s wrong with a little pot? It’s no worse than alcohol.”
“Right. I told myself that too about pot. Then about coke. Then I found myself in rehab.”
“That’s on you. Some of us have better control of ourselves.”
“Some of us also have people we want to be better for. Do you have one of those too?” She didn’t speak. “No? Didn’t think so. I did. She’s the reason I’m sitting here right now with nothing in my veins but blood. She’s the reason I came here even though I didn’t want to. Even though I suspected you were going to use her kind heart against her. Apples and trees, you know?”
“Your perfect angel is from the same fucking tree.”
“Yeah, she is. Maybe you could try remembering that the next time you think you can use her to make a few quick bucks.” He leaned forward. “I’m curious. How’d you intend to do it? Cozy up to her then rob her blind someday when she let her guard down? Maybe sell stories about her private life to the tabloids?”
“You’re goddamn suspicious for someone who’s sucked on a silver spoon since birth.”
“The only spoon I’m sucking nowadays is my own. Can you say the same?” He gestured around the apartment. “Did you get this on your own or did you do whatever necessary to get the money you needed?”
She glared at him out of slitted eyes. “How dare you.”
“Oh, I dare. And
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