Page 84 of Follow Your Bliss

“So I never called her back. After Kasey, the last thing I wanted was another person telling me how to live my life.”

I bit my lip. “To be fair, I wasn’t as respectful of your celibacy as I could’ve been. My bad.”

He frowned, wrapping his arms around my waist. “No, no. Don’t apologize. Youwererespectful. You never belittled me for it, and you didn’t push yourself on me. I’m the one who couldn’t control myself around you.” He chuckled and rubbed my back. “It’s not your fault you’re so damn irresistible.” He kissed my forehead.

“So…what did she say to you last night?”

He shut his eyes, looking pained. “She…offered me a blow job.”

I backed up a little. “She what now?” Itching powderanda few stray pins.

He rolled his neck. “She offered to—”

“What did you tell her?”

“I swear, I told her no and to never talk to me again.” It rushed out of him, like he was scared I wouldn’t believe him.

I squeezed his arms. “I believe you. What did your mom say when you told her?”

His shoulders relaxed. “She thinks I misunderstood her. But I didnot. Look at this shit.” He held his phone up and showed me the entire text string from theDo not answer!contact. “The only reason I didn’t block her was because she was coordinating the community service our group was doing.”

“Goddamn, sheisaggressive. Show this to your mom. She’ll believe you.”

“This isn’t the kind of thing I ever want to talk to my mom about.” He stuffed his phone back in his pocket. “We’d better go pick up. They’ll be here any minute.”

He crossed the courtyard on a mission. Barely keeping up with his long strides, I followed him into the church. “Pick what up? The house is pretty clean.”

“Can you grab your clothes from upstairs and bring them to the community room? I’ll set up that little alcove to make it look like you’re living in it.”

I stood fixed to the spot. “Wait…what?”

“Mom doesn’t know about us, and I don’t want her to find out like this.” His voice faded on his way into the hallway toward the community room.

My chest constricted. He didn’t want her tofind out like this? This confirmed we weren’t only hiding from StudFinders. I didn’t realize dating me was a shame or a tragedy. I mean, his mom didn’t seem to like methatmuch, but…

Whatever. I swallowed hard and ducked my head, but I did as he asked. I ran up the stairs, grabbed my duffle bag and a laundry basket I hadn’t folded yet, and rushed back down. Jason was in the alcove directly behind the altar putting sheets on an air mattress as it inflated.

None of this sat right with me. “Why do we have to lie to your mom? Plus, if we tell her we’re together, then Misty would back off.” I dropped my things on the floor. “Is it about us living together?”

“That’s a big part of it.” The sheer panic on his face as he worked told me everything I needed to know. This weekend was giving me whiplash. First it’s allyou’re mineandtell me we’re moreandour homeand then it’s allpretend you’re living in this shitty little alcove full of boxes of flooring. This man not only didn’t want his mother to know about us, he was terrified she’d find out.

I straightened up the area, trying to force the tears in my eyes to stay there. “Jason, do you think there will ever be a time when you’re not embarrassed to tell your mom you’re dating me?”

“I’m not embarrassed of you, baby, I just need more time. After the wedding. When I can sit down and talk to her first. Okay?” In between setting the room up as if I’d been sleeping in it, his puppy dog eyes went up to me.

“Sure. Okay.”I love you so much?No, if this man wasn’t serious enough about me to stand up to his mom, maybe he wasn’t as serious about me as he claimed.

My heart thudded. And if he was willing to lie to his mom, couldn’t he just lie to me, too?

I didn’t know anymore. I left him to his last-minute treachery and went to the garment rack in the living room. I’d just…keep an eye on things. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe, I was wrong. Maybe. I. Was. Wrong. If I said that enough, maybe my stomach would stop threatening to expel the grilled cheese I had for lunch.

I flipped through the finished dresses until I got to the one that would now be Misty’s. I pulled out a stool and sat it beside my sewing table, placing my pincushion and my shears beside me. Super excited to work on a dress for the woman who wanted to blow my boyfriend, the boyfriend who couldn’t admit to his mom that he was dating me. This wouldn’t be awkward at all.

Was itching powder available locally, or would that need to be an online purchase?

The doorbell chimed. Jason hurtled himself down the stairs wearing slacks and buttoning up a short-sleeved shirt. “You ready?” he asked, his face tense, as if hordes of goblins were at our door instead of two normal-sized women.

I nodded as the handle to the front door shook, followed by knocking and his mother calling,Hello?

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