Page 79 of Sex Coach

Jake.

Heat suffused my face as everything fell into place .

He thought I had done all of this. He thought I had found some reporter to take this story to, that I dug around and found out who his friend Whitley was and then decided to tell the world about it .

"Wow." Swallowing the knot in my throat, I closed my eyes and fell back against the couch. "That's some opinion you have of me, Jake ."

* * *

M inutes ticked by,the silence stretching out so long that the shadows in my apartment had shifted to full on gloomy evening by the time I finally felt like moving .

And the only reason I moved was because the stupid phone was ringing .

Again.

It was the third time somebody had called since I'd worked up the energy to turn off the TV, and that had been some time ago. I'd looked at the phone the first time, hoping against hope it was Jake .

But it had been my parents, and I hadn't been up to talking to them .

The screen showed me that it was them again, but now for some reason, I wanted to talk to them. I wanted to talk to somebody who wouldn't think I'd carelessly destroy somebody's life just for the hell of it .

"Hello," I said, my voice wooden .

"Darling!" Her voice came across the phone warm and bright as she greeted me .

"Hi, Mom," I said wearily. I wasn't up for cheerful chatter. Too often, that was all she had for me. It had been like that ever since ...

Ever since Parker,I made myself finish, forcing myself not to shy away from the bastard's name. It was over. It was done. I was living, but I wasn't always healing, and I needed to deal and accept and move on .

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" she asked softly .

It surprised me that she even seemed to notice, and I took a deep breath. How bad did I sound ?

"I'm having a lousy day, Mom." Then, before I could change my mind, I asked, "Would you consider me a bad person ?"

She sounded concerned. "What ?"

"A bad person. Do you think I'd do something mean and careless that could ruin somebody's life?" The words tumbled out in their rush to escape my lips .

"Heavens, no!" She spoke so forcefully now, she almost didn't even sound like herself. "You are one of the kindest, sweetest people I've ever met – and you're my daughter. I'm insanely proud of that fact, Michelle ."

Tears sprang to my eyes at her words. "Thank you, Mom." I attempted to wipe the tears away, but it was hopeless. "I miss you. I miss you and Dad. It's been too long since I've seen you both ."

"Well..." She laughed a little, something embarrassed about it, like being caught having such strong emotions was uncomfortable for her. "That's actually part of why I called, dear. Your father and I are in Philadelphia for a few days...business. We were thinking we might swing through New York when we left. Have dinner, maybe catch a show. What do you think ?"

"That sounds great, but I've got a better idea, unless you're just dying to spend some time on Broadway." I paused a moment, some of the knots in my belly untangling a little. This was what I needed. "How about I come there instead ?"

* * *

T he flightto Philadelphia was short and uneventful, which was exactly how I preferred it. I thought briefly that my seatmate might have been flirting with me, but the idea seemed a little far-fetched. Why would men suddenly be noticing me all because I had put on jeans and a cute sweater ?

I was still the same old me .

He walked with me through the terminal, chatting about a restaurant he liked down near the river. He could have knocked me over with a fingertip when, after claiming our bags, he asked, "So...what do you think? Want to join me for dinner ?"

"Excuse me ?"

With a charming smile on his boyishly handsome face, he said, "I was just thinking since we're both in town for a few days, maybe things would be a bit more fun for both of us if we had plans for dinner one night ."

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