Page 72 of Wright Kind of Trouble

“Hey,” Chase said, setting his hands on my shoulders. “Talk to me.”

“She’s not supposed to be with him. She said they weren’t together anymore.” I whipped around, unable to hide the fury and despair roiling through me. “He’s the worst person absolutely fucking imaginable, and she’s still with him.”

He nodded. “I understand that sentiment more acutely than probably anyone else.”

“Why did your mom stay?”

“I wish I knew. She loved him. She didn’t want to uproot her life.”

“And now, you have a baby brother!” I said with a headshake.

He’d told me when his dad’s mistress had a baby boy, but we rarely spoke of it. His father trotted the kid around like a trophy. The divorce had gone through, but he still hadn’t married the girl. The whole thing was reprehensible.

“I’m sure the kid will hate him when he grows up. Just like you hate your dad.”

“Yeah,” I muttered. “This wasn’t how I wanted today to go.”

“No,” he agreed. “What did your dad say?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“I think it does since you’re pretty upset.”

“He’s not going to tell anyone we were together.”

“I wasn’t worried about that.”

“Oh, really?”

He sighed. “Okay. I was worried about that, but more about how you got him to agree to that.”

“That doesn’t matter either.”

“Harley…”

“Just say what you were going to say,” I said with a sigh.

“What do you mean?”

“Isn’t this the point where you break it off with me?” I asked.

“That isn’t…”

I breathed out through my nose. “Don’t. Not right now. Just tell me.”

“I talked to your mom.”

I laughed hoarsely. “Oh God, what did she say?”

“That she doesn’t disapprove.”

“What a winning statement.” Then, I threw my hands up. “As if she has any room to talk.”

“She loves you, Harley. She’s only worried about you. It’s not like Owen.”

“I know,” I said with a sigh. I leaned back against the car and braced for the inevitable. “What else did she say?”

“That she doesn’t want you to have to choose between your dreams…and me.”

---