Page 94 of An Unexpected Love

“You went to Jason about an issue that’s strictly between you and me?”

“I needed to talk to someone,” Carrie cried, pushing back the chair when she stood. She faced her mother, feet braced apart, hands on her hips. “You’re being completely unreasonable and Jason agrees with me. He came up with—”

“Carrie.” Jason could see he’d been wrong. In this case, honesty might not have been the best policy. “I didn’t ever say I thought your mother was unreasonable.”

His defense came too late. Charlotte whirled on him, her face red and growing redder. Her eyes, the eyes he’d always found so intriguing, were filled with disdain.

“Who gave you the right to intrude in my life?” she flared.

“Charlotte, it’s not what you think.” Jason could feel himself sinking waist-deep in the quicksand of regret.

“You’re undermining my authority.”

“Mom…please, hear me out.”

“Charlotte, give me a chance to explain.” Jason didn’t have much of an argument; he should’ve listened to his instincts and stayed out of this.

“You may think because…because I’ve let you get close to Carrie and me that you have the right to express your opinion on how she should be raised, but you’re wrong. What goes on between my daughter and me is none of your business. Do I make myself clear?”

Feeling all the more chagrined, Jason nodded. Thebest thing to do now was make a hasty retreat. “I can see I’ve—”

“Just go.” Charlotte’s voice trembled as she pointed to her door.

“Mom,” Carrie shouted. “The least you can do is listen to him.”

Charlotte ignored her daughter while Jason, calling himself every kind of fool, made his way out of the apartment. He paused long enough to cast an apologetic glance at Carrie, but he agreed with Charlotte. He’d butted in where he didn’t belong.

* * *

After Jason’s departure, Carrie went to her room, slamming her door with such force Higgins scrambled across the living room, frantically looking for a place to hide.

Charlotte was so angry, it was all she could do not to follow Jason and tell him she never wanted to see him again. She would have done it, too, if she didn’t know she’d regret it later. And if she didn’t need to coax Higgins out from behind the couch and comfort him.

The man had some nerve! If Carrie thought she was going to manipulate her into giving in by getting Jason to side with her, then her daughter was wrong.

“I hope you realize what you’ve just done!” Carrie shouted as she opened her door.

Still stroking Higgins, Charlotte ignored her.

“You’ve insulted Jason.”

“He deserved it.”

“Like hell.”

“Watch your language, young lady.”

* * *

Thirty silent minutes passed while Charlotte cooled her temper. Carrie was apparently doing the same thing.A short while later, her bedroom door opened again and she walked out. She was pale and her eyes showed evidence of crying, but she appeared to have composed herself.

The same didn’t hold true for Charlotte. She was still furious. How dare Jason involve himself in her affairs!

“I’ve called Brad,” Carrie announced, opening the refrigerator. She stared at the contents, took out a cold pop and pulled back the tab. After taking one long drink, she turned to face Charlotte. “Brad said he’d tell his dad you’d be driving us to and from the dance.”

Of all the things Charlotte might have expected, this wasn’t one. “Good,” she said, feeling only a little better.

“I…was hoping you’d be willing to split the duties. Let Brad’s father drive us there and you pick us up.”

---