Page 158 of GAF Factor

“Right!”

“Where you beat up that woman.”

“I didn’t beat her up,” I huffed. “She fell on me!”

“Sounds like you get into more trouble here than you did when you were growing up,” my mother said, rolling her eyes heavenward. “I will never understand what it is about you two that God decided to let you make such horrible decisions.” She sighed, slapping her legs as she got up. “Well, at least you’re with Bradford. He is such a dear boy.”

I winced, wishing I had broken the news to her over the phone, but I just didn’t have the heart to tell her. “Um…actually, I’m not with him.”

Her eyebrows climbed her forehead, making it look like she had two caterpillars laying across her skin. I always tried to get her to trim and shape them, but she never listened to me.

“I’m sorry, did you just say you’re not with him?”

“Not exactly.”

“Then what exactly are you saying?”

“Here we go,” my father sighed. “I told you we should have just stayed home.”

I twisted my hands, trying to find the best way to tell her without throwing Kavanaugh under the bus. I didn’t want her to hate him. “It just didn’t work out.”

“It didn’t work out.”

“Not really.”

“Not really?”

“We’re different people.”

“You’re different people?”

“For the love of all that’s holy, Sharon,” Dad cut in. “If you’re just gonna repeat everything she says, we might as well just have her record the message and then you can listen to it as many times as you want.”

“Hush, Tom.” She turned to me and narrowed her eyes. “Now, you will tell me exactly why you moved across the country for this man when you had no intention of marrying him. And I don’t want any excuses or complicated tales. I want the truth.”

I opened my mouth, hoping something would come to mind, but there was nothing. Luckily, the doorbell rang, saving my ass from an uncomfortable situation. I rushed to the door, grateful for the interruption, but when I saw who was on the other side, I knew things were about to get a hell of a lot worse.

“Kavanaugh,” I breathed out.

“Hey, are you busy?”

“Actually—”

“Bradford Kavanaugh? Oh my gosh, look at you!” my mother squealed, pushing me aside to get to him. She hadn’t seen him in years, but she opened the door and wrapped him in a hug. Ididn’t even get a hug, but for him, she would do anything. She always did like him more than me.

“Mrs. McKenna, it’s so good to see you.”

“Oh, nonsense. You call me Sharon. Or Mom!” She turned to me and gave me a dirty look. “Well, are you going to just stand there or let him in?”

I stepped aside, smiling awkwardly at Kavanaugh as he passed. He stomped his boots on the rug, then kicked them off. As he took off his coat, he leaned in to whisper in my ear.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know they would be here.”

“It’s okay. But you should know, my mom was about to grill me about why we’re not together.”

“I’d like an answer to that as well,” he murmured right before he hung up his coat and turned away.

“Awkward,” Riley said in a sing-song voice. “How about some drinks? I know I could use one!”

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