Page 193 of Zero Chance

Waverly glanced at me in question, and I swallowed thickly, hoping I hadn’t fucked up by not telling her about her mother’s involvement in my newfound knowledge of her past.

But her mother just kept talking.“It’s understandable if he has,” she wept.“After I broke down and confessed to your father what I did, I don’t thinkhe’sever going to speak to me again.He—he went to stay at a hotel tonight and took Gates with him.”

From there, tears overtook her, and she lost the ability to talk.

Waverly just gaped at her, at a complete loss for words until she blurted, “What in the world are you talking about?”

Ms.B shuddered and stopped crying to blink at her daughter in surprise before she turned to me.“You didn’t tell her?”

Waverly spun to me as well.“Tell me what?”

Oh Jesus.This was headed straight toward a shit show.

Glaring at Mama Breeker, I snapped, “Of course, I didn’t tell her.I’m in the business of making her happy, and telling her wouldnothave made her happy.”

“Didn’t tell mewhat?”Waverly demanded, whirling back to her mom.

“Oh God,” Ms.B whimpered.“I’ve made a terrible mistake.”

And taking the luggage with her, she turned away to hurry off.

“Mom!”Waverly yelled, darting forward.“What…?”

Damien stepped back to let Waverly by and then he patted my arm in support as I rushed after her.

Alec was opening his door and peering into the hall, rubbing his eyes as Waverly leaped toward her mom and caught her at the base of the stairs.

“Will you just?—”

Ms.Breeker dropped the suitcase at her side and whirled back to yank Waverly into a big, overwhelming hug.“You’re going to hate me,” she wept.

Waverly shook her head, blinking in surprise before slowly hugging her mom back.“Hate you for what?”

“Life has been so cruel and unfair to you,” Ms.B blubbered.“You always seem to catch the worst of everything, and when I opened the door that night and saw Keene Dugger standing on our front porch, all I saw was another catastrophe about to befall you.I just wanted to stop it before it could, I swear.I love you so much.I wish I could just put you in a bubble so nothing could ever hurt you again.”Pulling back, she tried to apologize to Waverly with her tear-stained eyes.“But I squeezed too tight, and I went too far.I didn’t realize my crazy, over-cautious behavior was what was hurting you the most.I never wanted to hurt you, baby girl.Just protect you.Please believe that.”

“I…” Waverly stepped slowly out of her mother’s arms and shook her head before saying, “Just what did you do?”

Still not answering, Ms.Breeker wiped at her damp cheeks.“I think your dad opened my eyes more than anyone.After I tried to tell him about everything awful that boy had ever done in high school, he told me he didn’t care about Keene.He cared aboutyou, and you have changed in the last few weeks.For the better.”

Laughing softly, she brushed at the other side of her face.“You hugged him for the first time in over a decade.And—and you back-talked me for the first timeever.At first, I thought that was a bad thing, but…” Shaking her head, she sent her daughter a tender smile.“You were right.Being with him has made you care about your own life.You seem more comfortable in your own skin, more confident in yourself, and you finally—you’re just—you’re?—”

“Growing up?”Waverly said softly.

Her mother nodded, her smile trembling painfully as she said, “Yes.You’re an adult now, and I—I’m going to finally let you be one.”

“No more curfews,” Waverly told her without exception.

Ms.B nodded immediately.“Of course.And I’ll stop tracking your phone too.”

But her daughter only shrugged that one off.“I don’t actually mind that one in case I break down somewhere and need help.”

With a tiny-bit amused—but mostly relieved—smile, her mother nodded.“Alright then.”

“And… I’m going to start looking for somewhere else to live,” Waverly added, making me straighten in surprise.“I think—I think I need to be out on my own for a while.”

Ms.B glanced toward me only to turn back to Waverly and nod silently, reluctantly giving her agreement.

Nodding as well, Waverly went on, “I can call Dad in the morning and let him know you and I have cleared the air, but you’re going to have to tell me what you did today that caused you to have this severe change of heart.”

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