Page 89 of The First Time

I smile. “Thanks. Now, I may need your help. I’ve been thinking all morning, and I’m done letting my life pass me by. I want to live my life, and I want to do it with Layla.”

“Uhh, what exactly were you planning? Look, I love you, man, but if you propose, that’s a surefire way to freak my parents out. You’ve been dating for like a month.”

“I’m not talking about proposing.”

I tell Asher what I have bouncing around my head. It’s definitely bold, but there’s just something about it that feels right. I want to do this for Layla. I want her to know I’m in this for good. I don’t want her doubting anything like she is right now.

I can tell she is. I messed up, and I want to make it right.

Now that I have Asher on board, and he isn’t adamantly against it, I have to get moving. Asher agrees to man my job site for the rest of the day while I go check out a spot I drove by the other day when all of this clicked into place.

Chapter Thirty

Layla

“Where are you right now?” Charlotte asks as I drive through the streets of my childhood neighborhood.

I took the day off from work. I’m just too emotional and on edge. Josh has been absent since Saturday evening when he disappeared.

He’s calling and texting me but claims to be busy whenever I ask him if he wants to come over, and he hasn’t invited me to his place. It’s been four days. I know that sounds like nothing, but since we’ve been back from Italy, we haven’t spent that much time apart.

“I’m on my way to my parents’ house. I’m going to tell my mom about me and Josh. I just want this over with once and for all. I want her to stay out of my love life and stop trying to set me up with William. I’ve had enough of all of it.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

I turn into my parents’ driveway and park my car. “I think I need to do thison my own.”

“Did you tell Josh you were going to do this?” she asks.

I sigh. “No, but it’s not like I’ve had much of an opportunity. He’s been so distant since the party. I think if I just clear the air with my family, maybe we can get back to where we left off.”

Tears well up in my eyes, but I blink them away. I’m done crying about this. I’m taking action now.

“I don’t see why your parents like William so much. He’s such a butt face.”

I chuckle. “Butt face?”

Charlotte laughs along. “Sorry, I’m just used to trying to keep from using bad words around Brie. Not that I would ever encourage her to say butt face, but it’s better than asshole.”

“Well, William is a butt face. I don’t get what my parents see in him either, but I’m going to find out.”

“Good luck. Tell me how it goes right when you leave.”

“Ugh, thanks. I’ll call you later.”

I hang up and take a deep, cleansing breath.

You’ve got this, Layla. It’s about time you stood up for yourself.William interfered with my life ten years ago, he’s lucky I didn’t cause a scene on Saturday. He doesn’t get to do this all over again.

I open my car door and take slow steps to the door. My shoes scuff against the pavement as my heart begins to race. My hand trembles as I raise it and knock on the large wooden door.

As I wait, my hands clench into tight balls as the tension grows. I’m not sure why I’m so nervous to say thesethings to my mom. I’ve just always been afraid of disappointing them. I hate to admit it, but once my dad’s company took off and they advanced into the high tax bracket, they changed a bit.

I love them fiercely but I was raised in a middle-class family for most of my life. They may have changed when they made more money, but I didn’t. None of that matters to me.

The door swings open. Mom looks shocked to see me. “Layla. What are you doing here? Come on in. I don’t know why you knocked.”

I laugh. “I don’t live her anymore, and I’m showing up unannounced. What if you were walking around naked?”

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