Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 155405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 777(@200wpm)___ 622(@250wpm)___ 518(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 777(@200wpm)___ 622(@250wpm)___ 518(@300wpm)
My story was airtight. There’s no way she should have suspected it wasn’t true.
She looks me over like she doesn’t believe me, and she needs to take stock of my well-being herself.
“I’m fine,” I assure her.
Hayden approaches us, putting a grounding hand on Mom’s shoulder. “I told you she was fine.”
Mom shakes her head, her nose red. “You don’t have maternal instincts. Men don’t know anything.”
I barely manage to bite back a burst of laughter.
Then Mom says, “I think we should go stay at the old house for a week or two. Moving in was too much all at once. We should have taken this slower.”
I am no longer amused.
On one hand, I would really like to go back to our old house. Yeah, the Atwater place is bigger and it comes with cool stuff and a part-time staff, but I preferred the place that felt like home.
Hayden represents the other hand when he objects. “Gemma, that isn’t necessary. I told you, I will do whatever it takes to keep Parker safe. She was at her friend’s house. There’s nothing more to it. You’re sensitive about this, sweetheart,” he says, turning her toward him, “because of what Landon pulled over the summer. I completely understand, but it has made you hypervigilant. You’re seeing danger where none exists. If Parker felt unsafe in this house, she would tell us.” His gaze flickers to me. “Wouldn’t you, Parker?”
I swallow and nod. I hate lying to my mom. We didn’t have this kind of relationship before. Sure, there was stuff I didn’t tell her, but it wasn’t on this level, where every single day of my life was covered by a blanket of deception.
Mom shakes her head, looking away from me. “I have to get ready for work, but we need to talk just the two of us when I get home.”
I nod, feeling about three inches tall as I turn and head down the hall toward my bedroom.
I’m not in there for long before there’s a knock on my door. I tense up, but then he says, “It’s Hayden.”
I ease open the door and peer out, still a bit uncertain.
“You don’t have plans tonight, do you?”
I shake my head.
He nods like that’s the answer he hoped for. “Good. Don’t make any. I have to make a quick phone call, but would you mind meeting me downstairs in my study? We need to talk.”
___
It has only been a week since I last stepped foot into this room, but it feels like longer.
Our box of photo albums has been unpacked, but I don’t know where they’ve been moved to.
I consider having to repack all the things we just finished unpacking, but that’s not the worst part of a proposed move home.
Before I can ponder that any further, Hayden enters the room behind me. I turn, startled by his presence, even though I was expecting him. He’s wearing a nice suit like he would on a workday. I don’t know if he went in this morning, or if he’s planning to go in now that Mom’s at work.
He flashes me a faint smile in passing, then approaches his mahogany desk. I follow him and take a seat in one of the chairs across from it.
“How are you doing?” he asks seriously.
“Um, good.”
I fidget with the hem of yesterday’s dress, trying to clear my mind of the memory of his son tugging it up and sliding his hand down the front of my panties just last night.
“I know this has probably been a difficult week for you. We all knew this would be an adjustment. I just wanted to check in, see where you’re at, how you’re feeling.”
I don’t know what to say. I’m not even completely sure what he’s asking, and I have a rocking, fluttery feeling in my tummy at the prospect of having to tell more lies.
“Honestly,” he adds, as if he can hear my intentions. “You don’t have to bullshit me. I won’t tell your mom. This conversation is… consider it attorney-client privilege,” he says a bit dryly.
I crack a smile. “Don’t I have to give you a dollar for that?”
He reciprocates the smile, but it’s a calculated action to get me where he wants me.
I don’t mind. I know Hayden better now than I did last time he pulled me aside for one of these. I know it’s like Landon said—he’s driven and determined to have his way, and currently, I am one of the tools at his disposal. Arguably one of the most effective if what he wants is to convince my mom not to leave.
We want the same thing, and he’s just slicing through the bullshit to communicate that.
I feel my shoulders relax as I ease back a bit in the chair. “Honestly? I’m a bit overwhelmed.”
Hayden nods, his intelligent eyes locked on me. Making notes, calculating. Waiting for more data.