Page 24 of Nathan

“No!”

Despair rolls through me, and I find myself on my feet. I begin to pace. The pay rise Nate forced Bernard into giving me will help with the arrears, but even that won’t cover an increase in costs. “I can’t afford that. I can barely keep up with the current fees.”

“I know. Look, I can give you a month. Maybe two. But that’s it, Dex. I can recommend somewhere cheaper…” Jennifer’s voice trails off, and she bites her bottom lip and stares out of the window. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” I mumble, my shoulders sinking as if a ton of concrete has been added to the weight my body is already bowing under. “I appreciate you giving me some leeway.”

I almost stumble down the hallway back to Mom. How am I going to deal with such a mess? I can’t take on a third job. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day. Oh, God, it’s hopeless.

An hour later, I find myself outside Oak Ridge with disbelief, fear, and yes, hatred in my heart. Not for Jennifer but for the situation. If I move my mother now, at this stage in her illness, she’ll decline so rapidly, she probably won’t last a month. Forcing Mom to leave behind everything she knows is a death sentence on a woman already desperately short of time.

I climb into my car and let my head drop to the steering wheel. It doesn’t matter which way I try to cut things, there simply isn't enough money to go around. There’s nothing else for it. I’ll have to leave Los Angeles, move back to Wisconsin, and take Mom with me. But what will that mean for Elva?

And, as selfish as it is for me to think it, what will it mean for my fledgling relationship with Nate?

Chapter 10

Dex

On the back of numerous wardrobe changes, I give up second-guessing the right attire for my dinner with Nate and go with a simple off-the-shoulder top and a pair of skinny jeans. My height, or lack thereof, means that slinky dresses and willowy, flowing skirts will never suit me—one of the many consequences of barely scraping five feet tall. I inherited Mom’s diminutive stature, whereas Elva is blessed with Dad’s genes, meaning she’s a good half a foot taller.

I add silver studs to my ears and a dash of perfume to my neck and wrists. After sliding my feet into a pair of four-inch black heels, I frown at my reflection in the mirror. My hair doesn’t look right down, not with this top, so I gather it into a high ponytail. Better.

A knock at my door shocks my pulse into overdrive. Oh, God, he’s here. I take a deep, steadying breath through my nose and, with a final glance at my reflection, go to answer it.

“Ready?” Nate asks with a leisurely eye-sweep that, thankfully, doesn’t end in a disappointed grimace.

I return the favor, hungrily drinking him in. He’s gone casual, too, wearing black jeans and a black shirt left open at the neck, giving me a glimpse of smooth, tanned skin, which I now know tastes as good as chocolate ice cream with a cherry on top. And whipped cream. Oh, and crushed nuts.

“Dex?”

His question, accompanied with a raised eyebrow has me hurriedly nodding. “Yes, ready.”

I snatch up my purse, only just having time to shove the strap over my shoulder before Nate captures my hand in his. The earlier rainstorm has disappeared, although it’s left behind a thickness in the air.

He holds open the car door for me, then strolls around to the driver’s side. I use the few spare seconds to calm my racing heart. Why am I panicking? I spent a night in his bed, and he’s seen, not to mention touched, kissed, and licked every part of my body, and yet the idea of sharing a meal with him has me tied up in knots.

“Where are we going?” Goddamn, I sound breathless.

“To the emergency room if you don’t slow your heart rate, Titch,” he says, his grin brazen.

“Cocky bastard,” I mutter.

He chuckles. “Yeah, so you’ve said once or twice.” Gripping my chin, he angles me to face him, planting a hard kiss on my mouth. “I missed you today, Titch.”

Despite the stress of visiting my mom, and the looming difficult decisions ahead, my heart soars.

“You can say you missed me, too,” he continues. “I know you did.”

I narrow my eyes. “There’s cocky, and then there’s over-confident.”

“Yeah, and you find both versions of me irresistible.”

A smile tugs at my lips, but at the same time, I shake my head. “You’re incorrigible.”

He fires up the engine. “Wow, that’s a big word, Titch, especially for someone of your size.”

I scowl at him. “Isn’t that joke getting old yet?”

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