Page 118 of Rear View
The call connected. Mom’s face appeared. “Hey, sweetie!” Her eyes widened on Xavier, and she squeaked an excited sound before she composed herself. “Hello, Xavier.”
“Mornin’, Mrs. Nolan,” he said.
She beamed. “How are you both doing?”
My stomach twisted, and I inhaled, good and deep. Xavier was right. The more people that knew, the better, but God, that didn’t make it any easier. “Can you…” I cleared my throat. “Can you get Dad? There’s something I need to tell you both.”
She stilled, her face falling. “Of course.” She called out to him, and several seconds later, the thump of his feet on their linoleum floor pounded out.
“What’s going on?” they asked, their stares sliding between me and my rally driver.
Xavier’s free hand flexed against my shoulder. Leaning into that touch, I told them everything. How long it’d been going on, why I’d retreated like I had, my pathetic excuse for not telling them.
My father’s face hardened, the same vengeance-fueled anger that’d taken Xavier etched there. My mother grew pale, hands covering her mouth, eyes brimming with tears.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
“I knew something was wrong but—” Mom shook her head.
Xavier shifted beside me. “She’s stayin’ with me while I’m in town, but if I’m travelin’…”
“If you’re traveling, she’ll come here,” my father cut in.
“We’ll get you to class,” Mom added.
I shook my head, grateful but again feeling like a burden. “That’s too far for you.”
My father’s brow furrowed. “This isn’t a debate, young lady,” he said, his tone sharp. “You’re staying here when your boyfriend’s away. End of story.”
Some of the tension left Xavier’s shoulders. And the light bulb in my head went off when everything clicked. Why he’d pushed for the call. To protect me when he couldn’t. My heart fluttered, and I rested a palm over his stomach as my thumb stroked a gentle line of thanks there, because burden or not, the relief of knowing I wouldn’t be alone settled deep.
“Okay,” I breathed.
We discussed Xavier’s schedule and mine, figuring out a plan before he invited my parents to the race atBaythorn that coming weekend and then for a snowmobile trip when he got back. They thanked me for telling them and we said our goodbyes, my chest lighter than it’d been in years. Two, to be exact.
Shortly thereafter, Xavier and I climbed into the Jeep and headed to U of E. His warm hand trailed my thigh while I leaned toward the center console, getting closer. It felt good. Having someone who cared the way he did. Someone likehim. He was more than I deserved.
His thumb roving higher, he asked, “What time are you done?”
“Around three thirty.”
He dipped his chin in a nod. “I’ll be here at three.”
That burden-heavy guilt edged in. “You don’t need to wait on me, Xavier.”
“I’d spend my life waitin’ on you, darlin’.”
My face heated and I tucked my chin to my chest, peering at him through my lashes.
He parked in the visitor section, and we climbed out. Taking my hand, he let me lead him across campus, studying every guy en route.
We entered the psych building and headed for my lecture hall. Stopping outside the door, I gestured toward the lectern at the front of the auditorium. “That’s my professor.”
“Barlowe,” Xavier said, eyeing him like it was personal. “We met the other day.”
My nose scrunched in question.
Barlowe turned his attention our way, his stare narrowing.
