Page 195 of Zero Chance

I grinned.“Oh, there’s still plenty of that obnoxious kid hanging around.I’m sure he’ll still manage to annoy the hell out of you.”And ignoring her outstretched fingers, I swooped in to give her a huge hug that picked her up off her feet and made her squeak in surprise.

“I’m regretting this already,” she muttered moodily against me but still sent me a respectful nod when I set her on her feet and reversed back to Waverly’s side.“But I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt with Waverly.”

“Sweet,” I answered, looping my arm around Waverly’s waist and hugging her to me.“Does this mean I can call you Mom now?”

Ms.B spilled out a nervous laugh that saidnotin this lifetime.But when she glanced at her daughter, her features softened.“I think I’m going to go home now.Thank you for your forgiveness, Waverly.I know I don’t deserve it, so this means everything.You’ll never know how grateful I am that I’ve gotten to have you in my life.And I’m so glad I get to keep you there.”

Waverly let go of my hand to hug her mom.More tears spilled down Ms.B’s face as she hugged her back.

“Thank you,” she whispered again before pulling away and bending down to fetch the suitcase.

Except Waverly intervened.“Actually…” Biting her lip, she cringed before saying, “I’ll just keep that here with me tonight if you don’t mind.”

Ms.B straightened in surprise.“Oh.”Her gaze darted from my bare chest to my shirt her daughter was wearing that fell midway down her naked thighs as if she were just then realizing our state of undress.Cheeks coloring, she swallowed noisily, but to her credit, all she did was nod her compliance.“Okay.”

“I’ll be back tomorrow after classes,” Waverly said, which caused her mother’s face to relax with relief and her shoulders to sag.

“Okay.”

Ms.B glanced at me one last time, and I really must’ve done some of my own growing up in the last few years because I wisely kept my dumbass mouth shut for the first time in my life.I merely nodded at her, and appreciating my silence, she nodded back.

As she turned up the stairs, Damien tapped my elbow once in congratulations over my win and followed her up, while Alec disappeared back into his room.

Left alone in the hall, Waverly and I shared a look before we both broke into similar wide grins and jumped at each other, hugging out our victory.

Leaving her overnight bag in the hall, I swept her up into my arms and carried her back into my room.

Kicking the door shut behind me, I pressed my brow to hers and murmured, “That was awesome.You are so fucking awesome.”As I carried her to the bed, I shook my head in awe.“You could’ve ruined the rest of her life with a single word, and she would’ve let you.But you rose above it and stayed poised and compassionate and reasonable.Dammit.”Kissing my way down her throat as I laid her on the mattress, I said, “I want to be like you when I grow up.”

Gripping my hair, she pulled me on top of her.“That’s funny.I’ve always wanted to be more like you.”And she tugged my mouth to hers to finish what we’d started.

46

KEENE

The next day, I entered the campus library with my insides knotted into a bundle of nerves.I’d put off doing this because I was a fucking coward and not ready to let go, even though I knew it was the right thing to do.

I just—I really hated to say goodbye.Again.

But if arrogant, I-make-no-mistakes Katherine Breeker could admit she’d messed up and ask her daughter for forgiveness, I could face my mother and send her on to the other side.

Waverly had texted between my first and second class, letting me know she’d already talked to her dad, and he was relieved she and her mom had worked things out, but she had no idea what that meant for him and her mom.

I really hoped they didn’t divorce over this.I knew their problems were their own, but I’d forever be known as the asshole who’d split their family apart if they didn’t work it out.And I didn’t want that kind of strain on Waverly.It’d be really nice if she could get a damn break from problems for once.The kid deserved it.

I was starting to understand why her mom had hulked out so much on me in the beginning.I wanted to step in and try to protect our girl from everything too.But life was going to be life no matter how hard I tried to shield her from it, and I wanted her to be able to live it for herself.

Though maybe I’d just step in occasionally to help out when I could.

Smirking at the headline blaring up at me from the school newspaper propped in its wire display in the library lobby, claiming how six basketball players had just been cut from the team, I started to whistle smugly to myself as I slipped my hands casually into my pockets and headed to the back corner of the first floor.Passing through a maze of tall shelves, I found the door that went to the basement, and I jogged down until I came to another door that I pushed open.

The damp air smelled old and humid, and the two dehumidifiers I passed were humming noisily, working overtime to dry the basement the best they could.At an opening between shelves, I turned right and saw someone already seated at the pair of tables nestled in a small opening.With her backpack propped on the table next to her, she had a pile of books heaped on either side as she studied.

“Hey,” I greeted with a happy smile as I approached.“Thanks for agreeing to meet me.”

Faith looked up from her homework and answered, “No problem.I’d actually been needing to stop by for a while now.”Hitching her head toward the collection of hardbacks, she added, “Robin’s been helping me with some research.”

As she spoke, a book came floating from between the stacks.But it dropped flat to the floor upon seeing me and another handful came tumbling off the shelves, jauntily hurrying my way until they arranged themselves in front of me, spelling out the wordSunshinewith the first letter of every title my ghost mom showed me.

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