Page 24 of There's No Us Without You
“How many times?” I can barely stand to look at her, let alone speak to her, but I’m a sucker for punishment and I need to know.
With her momentary lapse of control now over, Mum holds her head up high. “That’s not important right now, but what is important is that we both realised the error of our ways.”
A snort escapes me, and I shake my head as I press the heels of my palms into my eyes to ease the burn. “So I take it you’re not sick, then?” I drop my hands into my lap.
A slight flush crawls up her neck into her face.
Oh my god. I can’t believe I fell for her shit.
Again.
My body is vibrating, my face heating all the way to the tips of my ears as everything I want to call her sits right on the tip of my tongue. My father passed away four years ago from a brain tumour, and she thinks that tricking me with something so hurtful will make me forgive her.
“Well, I didn’t know what else to do,” she says softly, fussing with her napkin before spreading it over her lap. “You weren’t speaking to me.”
I slam my hands on the table and push to my feet, sending the chair toppling onto its side. “Do you blame me?” I shake my head and lift my face to the ceiling to blink back my tears.
God, I’m so stupid.
Mum reaches across the table and grabs my wrist. “Kent is sorry, sweetheart. He wants to try to work things out with you. Maybe if you’d been a little more enthusiastic in the bedroom and lost a bit of weight, he wouldn’t have strayed. I can help with the weight issue if you’ll let me.” She raises an eyebrow in question, her lips parting slightly.
I snatch my wrist from her grip, my body tensing. “You know what, Mother?” I say, swiping at a tear that has fallen down my cheek. “You can go fuck yourself. Or better yet, just go fuck Kent again, seeing as you seem to know everything about him.”
The group of older women gasp in unison, one of them clutching at her chest as though she’s having a heart attack.
“What?” I say, throwing my arms into the air. “Why don’t you mind your own damn business?”
“Eden? What has gotten into you?” Mum whisper-yells as she smiles at the women in an attempt to save face.
Like that’s going to do anything.
I hold up a hand. “I’m done,” I say, before storming towards the exit, my heart practically beating out of my chest.
Mum calls out after me. “Eden, wait. There’s something else I need to tell you.”
I keep my head down and keep walking. I don’t care what else she has to say. I won’t stop my life for her.
Ever again.
SEVEN
Emerson
Eden is seatedat the dining table opposite me as we eat dinner, pushing food around on her plate, bottom lip caught between her teeth.
Then there’s me, fighting to keep the stupid grin off my face.
I’m being the biggest creep right now, but I can’t pry my eyes away from her, afraid that if I close them for too long, she’ll disappear.
I’m sure the last thing she needs right now is my heavy breathing and uncontrolled hormones, sending me straight to stalker-ville, so I’ll rein it in, even if just a little.
After all, I’m trying to change my ways and all that. It’s not my fault my dick hasn’t received the memo yet.
Will stabs his fork into the crumbed chicken on his plate, the sound grating on my nerves like nails down a chalkboard when the silverware hits the ceramic. A shiver runs up my spine, so I shake it out while glaring at Will. He ignores me, instead shoving the chicken into his mouth with a little too much aggression, if you ask me.
Ever since Eden arrived, his mood has been more sour than usual. Like right now, with his inability to do anything but glare at her from across the table, a scowl etched onto his face. The same one he’s been wearing for two days now.
I’m glad Eden hasn’t noticed, though, her focus remaining on the plate of untouched food in front of her.
