Page 26 of Save Me

"I know," I whisper, feeling guilty for being annoyed. My dad is the most amazing dad. He loves us fiercely. He always has. I think, in a way, he's always fought for us harder because of what Marion did. He carries a lot of guilt about it, even now. But it wasn't his fault. He didn't make her the way she was, and he didn't make her choices for her. All he did was love us. She's the one who couldn't handle the fact that he loved us. "I love him for loving us. I just…really don't want him scaring this guy off."

"Tell me about him," my mom says.

I hesitate, not sure how much to say. She and my dad don't have secrets. They tell each other everything. So I don't want to put her in a position where she has to lie to him. But I don't want to lie to her, either.

"Can I keep him to myself for a little while?" I whisper.

"Yeah, sweetheart. You can do that." She glances over at me, smiling. "Just…be safe, okay? And be smart."

"I will," I promise. And then I chew on my bottom lip, thinking. "Hey, Mama?"

"Yeah?"

"How did you know you were in love with Dad?"

She stops rolling out the dough and turns to me, her expression soft. "You think you love him, Isla?"

"I…" I swallow hard, nodding. "It's too soon, isn't it?"

"Does it feel too soon to you?"

I shake my head silently.

"Then it isn't too soon, sweetheart. No one gets to decide for you when you know. Only you get to do that."

I nod, processing her answer and then I sigh. "I'm worried about him. He's…been through some things. Things like Bella and I went through, only worse."

"How much worse?"

"Locked in a closet for days at a time worse," I whisper, tears welling in my eyes all over again at the thought of what Brantley went through. No, that's not right. He didn't go through it in a vacuum. It wasn't an isolated experience, some random occurrence. He was put through it over and over again by someone who was supposed to protect him. "He still has nightmares."

"Oh, sweetheart." She crosses to me, wrapping her arms around me in a fierce hug. "That poor man."

"Yeah," I whisper, resting my head against her arm. "And the worst part is that no one even knows. People say all these awful things about him that aren't true. And they say great things about his dad, but the man was a monster."

"You're talking about Brantley Hill, aren't you?" she guesses, her blue eyes locked on my face, missing nothing. "He's the one you're falling in love with."

"I…" I freeze, panic shooting through me.

"It's okay," she murmurs, touching my cheek. "You don't have to tell me if I'm right. I promised to let you keep him to yourself for a little while, and I won't go back on that now. You trust him,and that's enough for me because I know you. You don't trust easily, and your heart has never once steered you wrong. If it's guiding you to him now, then that's for a reason."

I exhale a tiny breath, relieved she isn't yelling for my dad or threatening to lock me up and throw away the key. Part of me was a little afraid she might. But I should have known better. That's never been her way. She's always been my biggest cheerleader.

"I'm glad he told you the truth, even if no one else knows it. Maybe someday, he'll be ready to share it with others," she says. "Seems to me people should know the man they're tearing apart and blaming has been through enough hell in his life without them adding to it."

"He doesn't want everyone to know because of his mom. She's sick." My brows furrow. "It's complicated."

"It usually is, sweetheart. Just…be patient with him, all right? He probably hasn't had much softness in his life. And learning to love can be terrifying, especially when you've never had that. If anyone can help him do that, you can. You're a special kind of sweetness, Isla. You always have been."

"Thanks, Mama." I turn in my chair, flinging my arms around her in a tight hug. "I love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart." She runs her hand through my hair. "Now, do you want to help me finish these cookies before I have to duct tape Mac to a chair to keep his hands off them?"

I laugh at her threat, shaking my head. "I actually can't. I have something I need to do today."

Her gaze flickers over my face. "I don't suppose it has anything to do with a certain record executive, does it?"

"Maybe," I whisper.

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