Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 119005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
“Jocelyn, Gavin destroyed my first marriage. When he comes up in conversation, I can’t help if I listen.”
“Well, Gavin wasn’t alone. Analise had a hand in that too.”
I’d known my dad had been married previously, but my parents never talked about it.
“I’m well aware. You can’t seriously be jealous after everything.”
“I have never been jealous of Analise.” Mum scoffed. “I never thought I had reason to be. But I saw your face this evening when you saw Gavin, and I realized you’re not over what he did to you. All these years. And you’re not over their betrayal? I’m confused.”
“I am over it. I just won’t forget the betrayal. Or the fact that after all that, he came on to you too. Plus, there’s more. Gavin … he tried making things difficult for me after you rejected him.”
“What? Difficult how?”
“Making false allegations to the police about me allowing drugs to circulate in my club.”
“You never told me that.”
“I dealt with it. And I didn’t want him taking up more space between us. He wasn’t worth you worrying about it.”
“Braden … I wish you’d told me.”
“It was a long time ago, but he’s a petty, dangerous man. I don’t like that the slimy piece of shit’s offspring is at my daughter’s school.”
My stomach felt sick. Gavin’s father was the reason my dad’s first marriage fell apart? He’d cheated with Dad’s first wife? He’d tried to get it on with Mum? And then attempted to get Dad in serious trouble?
“Gavin’s slimy nature is not his son’s fault, and it’s unlike you to write someone off because of their parentage. You know better than anyone, sometimes the apple falls very far from the tree. Plus, we don’t even know if Beth knows this kid.”
“I’m going to find out.”
“Braden—”
“I don’t want her anywhere near that boy.”
“That’s not fair—”
“Gavin is bad news, Jocelyn. You know that better than anyone.”
Silence fell between my parents as panic tightened my chest.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Dad asked.
“Because I think your overprotectiveness has hit a new level. You’re getting yourself into a state about something that’s most likely not an issue. We don’t know if Beth even knows this boy, and he shouldn’t be punished for his father’s actions.”
“You’re right on both counts. I’ll find out tomorrow at breakfast if Beth knows him. Then I’ll make it clear that she’s to stay away from him because even if he’s an all-right lad, his dad is still Gavin Urquhart, and this family will have nothing to do with that man.”
“I … I guess I’m stunned by this reaction. You don’t even know this kid, and you want our daughter to treat him like a pariah? That’s not you.”
“Jocelyn, when it comes to our children’s safety, I make decisions I might not usually make.”
“I’m going to write.” Mum used the tone we all knew meant she didn’t want to talk.
“Babe—”
But I heard her office door slam shut in the distance.
Tears burned my eyes as I snuck stealthily back upstairs.
As soon as I was alone in my bedroom, I let the soft cries fall from my lips.
It felt like my chest was cracking open, it hurt so badly.
First Amanda and now this …
I texted Amanda through blurry vision.
Can we talk at school 2moro? Callan isn’t a problem anymore.
She replied that we could.
That night I cried myself to sleep.
And the next morning, my dad did ask me about Callan. I had to cover how heartbroken I was as I lied and said I didn’t know him, just that he was in the year above me. When Dad told me I was to stay away from him, I faked questioning him about why because it was something I’d do, and I didn’t want to raise suspicion. Dad said his father wasn’t a good man, and he didn’t want me getting mixed up with the family. It took everything within me not to break down and cry as I promised him I’d stay away from Callan.
Mum caught the tail end of the conversation, and I could tell by her stony silence she didn’t agree.
My parents rarely fought in any meaningful way. The tension between them worried me.
And so I’d keep my promise to my dad. Because no matter what it cost me, I would never hurt my parents. Callan’s father had betrayed my dad in the worst way possible. The mention of that history was a sore spot with Mum and Dad. Though I knew Callan didn’t have a good relationship with Gavin, he was still in his life and always would be. Amanda was hurt by my attempts to date Callan too. Our friendship was on the line on top of everything else.
In my muddled teenage mind and tangled heart, I thought that meant I had to choose.
And I was Beth Carmichael.