Page 26 of Give Me Perfect Love

“You were always gone,” Bethany says.

“It was my job.”

“I know, and I couldn’t deal with it. I had other things to think about.”

Mills darts his eyes over at me for a flash of a moment as he walks closer to her. “Like what?”

“Oh, like you don’t know,” Mama throws back. “This is a small town.”

He shakes his head at her and lowly, heart-wrenchingly, he says, “What did you cost me?”

“I didn’t cost you anything. I did what I thought was right. We were too young, and Saw was willing to take care of me. He was older and had a steady home. It just made sense.”

I can’t comprehend what I’m hearing.

“Tell me if it’s true,” he says. “Tell me.”

Everything is happening so fast I don’t have time to think. Mills and my mom were together? Before she got with Saw? I think back on an argument they had before she left. I remember my stepdad saying something about another man.

My eyes shoot to Mills.

No.

This can’t be.

I look back at her and our eyes connect. They’re filled with shame, but then she lifts her chin, and I feel my anger grow stronger. My knees grow weak and my throat becomes ash dry. Warm alcohol doesn’t swim in my veins anymore. They’re ice cold now and a puzzle piece to my fucked-up life slips into place.

I’m sober and wild with rage.

“This is your daughter,” she tells Mills.

ChapterEight

Bryce

K’s hand goes over her mouth as she stares at Bethany and Mills.

“I never stopped loving you,” Bethany says to Mills. “I thought of you every day and I saw you in our daughter. It wasn’t easy, but I really thought I was doing the right thing.”

“You thought robbing me of a life with my own blood was the right thing?” Mills asks, his voice laced with hurt.

Bethany doesn’t respond as I put my arm around Kathrine’s waist, afraid her knees may buckle.

This is a lot to take in.

It’s fucking freezing out here and K is shaking.

“Let’s get you inside,” I say to her. “You’re going to get pneumonia.” Kat looks up at me with an emptiness that concerns me.

Jesus.

“Mills,” I interrupt. “I know you all have a lot to discuss here, but this storm isn’t letting up. Is there any way we can meet up with you somewhere? Maybe tomorrow?”

Mills looks to K, and then he nods as he removes his phone from his front pocket. “Yeah, let me get your number.”

_____________

“You need to get those wet clothes off,” I say after we walk into the hotel room. Nodding, K removes her coat before unbuttoning her jeans and kicking her shoes off. Her shirt goes over her head, taking her beanie with it, leaving her hair sticking up a tad. K stands in a bra and underwear, and I run over to the thermostat and turn the heat up a notch.

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