Page 42 of Riding Jamie

“Please,” I say.

He drags himself out of bed and gets dressed, too. His arm doesn’t seem to be bothering him as much, which soothes my mind.

We head downstairs, thankfully not running into his dad on the way out. The ride over to my house is quiet for the most part, the silence filled with idle chatter and exhausted yawns. He pullsinto my driveway a few short minutes later, and I take a deep breath.

Time to face the music.

I lean over the center console to steal one last kiss before hopping out of Jamie’s truck.

“I’ll text you,” I promise. “Drive safe. I love you.”

“I love you, too, princess,” he says.

He pulls away as I climb up the porch steps. I knock the snow off my boots before unlocking the door and stepping inside.

“I’m home!” I call out.

I’m met with tense silence for a minute, but then my mom’s voice sounds from down the hall.

“We’re in the kitchen.”

I round the corner and head for the kitchen, smiling at the sight of my dad wolfing down a sandwich. He’s covered in half melted snow and dirt, and I’m sure he’ll be even filthier by the time dinner rolls around. My mom is washing dishes in the sink, her back to the room.

I share a nervous glance with my dad, biting back a grin at the thought that I feel like a teenager missing curfew again.

“Can we talk, Mama?” I ask, taking a seat next to my dad.

She slings the rag over her shoulder with a sigh and joins us at the table. My dad looks a bit like a deer in the headlights, and I have to stop myself from laughing as he slowly sets his sandwich down and tries to look serious.

“Is this about school?” my mom asks.

I nod hesitantly, more than a little scared to meet her eyes.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier.” I knew I was going to stay home as soon as I made the decision to come back, I just wasn’t ready to admit it out loud yet. “I know it’s important to you that none of us waste the opportunities we get, but I’m just not cut out for New York. I belong here, with all of you.”

A long sigh falls from her lips, and I can hear both the frustration and acceptance in the sound. She glances over to my dad, who is trying to hide his excitement at the prospect of me coming back home and doing a pretty shit job.

“You know I never wanted you to go so far from home,” he says, failing to keep a grin off his face. “I’ve got no complaints about you coming back home, Oakley. I just want you to be sure that you’re coming back home for the right reasons.”

I grimace, shifting uncomfortably in my seat. Part of me hoped that he would leave the whole thing with Jamie alone, but I should have known that was too much to ask.

“I’m coming back because I want to.”

“As long as it makes you happy, I want you here, kiddo,” he says. “I just want to know that you’re coming back for yourself, and not for some boy things will never work out with.”

The words cut deep, and my mouth drops open in shock and hurt. I know my dad doesn’t approve of Jamie, but hearing it so bluntly makes acid curdle in my stomach. Does he have so little faith in my decisions? What kind of life will Jamie and I be able to build together if this is how he’s going to be forever?

“Don’t talk about Jamie like that!” I swallow harshly, forcing myself to calm down. “This isn’t about him.”

My dad’s frown deepens, but my mom thankfully steps in.

“She’s right, David. This isn’t about the Walker boy,” she says firmly. “Oakley, if you want to come back home, I’ll support your decision. I’m not going to force you to do something you don’t want to.”

My frustration takes second place to a swell of guilt. I know how hard my mom worked for us to have everything we could ever want, and I don’t want to let her down.

“You won’t be disappointed in me?” I ask, my voice small.

She smiles warmly at me, standing and walking around the table to wrap me up in a soft hug.

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