Page 117 of When You Had Me Adapting

“Jace Jackson,” she says, looking up from the bowl of spinach in front of her. “Lacey told us she was bringing someone, but I never would have guessed it was you. How’s Richard?”

“My dad’s doing well. Glad to have me back here for a while,” he says.

For a while.The words hit me like a metal rod to the chest, and I quickly try to shove any doubts I might have about him and I out of my head.

“Oh, I bet he is.” She eyes the clock on the oven. “What had y’all running late today?” she asks.

“You said one o’clock and it’s twelve fifty-seven. Most people would call that early.”

“Oh don’t be so dramatic. I was just trying to ask you about your day.”

I take a deep breath. “So, where’s Colt?” I ask, trying to change the subject, and suddenly realize I’m the only Sims child present.

“Stuck in traffic. You know your brother, always so busy. He landed this morning and went to see a friend before heading here, but now he’s going to be late.” She laughs and tosses a diced tomato into the bowl. I roll my eyes internally.

I grab Jace a beer from the fridge. He takes it before wrapping his arms around me. “You two going to be okay if I go help your dad?” he whispers.

I nod, and he kisses my forehead before walking out of the kitchen toward the back door. I look up to see my mother looking right at me.

“What?” I ask, sitting on one of the tufted leather bar stools lining the large island in the middle of the kitchen.

“Oh, nothing. It’s interesting that of all the boys you could bring home, you brought Jace Jackson.”

“What do you mean?”

She swipes a diced cucumber off the cutting board into the bowl with the side of her knife and then begins cutting a red onion. “You were devastated when you two ended things. I haven’t heard you mention his name in nearly a decade, and now you’re back together?”

“Things are different now.”

She takes a deep breath. “I hope you’re right.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That boy was never meant to stay around here. That’s why he’s been gone for so long. Gosh, when Annie was alive she missed him so much. You really think he’s going to stick around this time?”

“Can we not do this? Not today. I’m happy for the first time in a really long time, so can you please let me have this?”

“I only say all of this because I care about you. I don’t want to see you hurt.”

“Yeah, okay. Let me know when Colt gets here. I’m gonna go help the guys.”

I head out of the kitchen toward my dad and Jace. I can hear her rolling her eyes behind me and muttering something under her breath, never pleased with my attitude. I try to shake off her words, but I can’t.

“Everything okay?” Jace asks as soon as I step onto the wooden deck.

“Just Mom being Mom.” I offer him a sheepish smile.

“Your mother loves you very much,” my dad lectures. “She just has her own way of showing it.”

“Yeah, that’s what you tell me.”

I walk over and sit next to Jace. He immediately grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze.

“So, Jace was telling me about how you two got back together,” my dad says, flipping the chicken in front of him.

“Is that so?”

“I must say I always liked you, son. Never understood why my daughter here broke up with you all those years ago.” Jace’s face breaks out in a big smile.

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