Page 31 of Damaged Boys Don't Fall For Bubbly Girls
“I can’t really breathe, Mom.”
She squeezes me even closer. “I can’t help it. I just love you so much.”
“I know,” my muffled voice says. “But if you don’t lay off, there won’t be anything left of me to love.”
She slowly draws back. “Sorry, sweetie.” She pushes some bangs out of my eyes. “I just worry about you. I know, I know, you don’t like when your father and I worry, but you can’t really blame us, can you?”
“No, but I’m okay. I mean it. So can you please take your worrying down a notch?”
“I’ll try. I can’t speak for your dad, though. He’s extra worried because he knows very well what it means to lose the people you love. We both do.”
I swallow the lump in my throat as I nod. “You think he’s forgiven me?” I say in a low voice. “Andy, I mean.”
She pulls me close to her. “I do. I don’t think he blames you for what happened that day. It was just an accident.”
I don’t say anything as I try to believe her words. If I want to move on and put the past behind me, I can’t keep feeling sorry for myself. It’s not like I could change the past. But I also can’t just go on living without bearing the guilt for causing his death. Maybe with time, I won’t always feel this way.
Mom searches my eyes and she must realize I want to be left alone with my thoughts because she bends forward and kisses my forehead. “Dinner will be ready soon. I’m making spaghetti and meatballs, your favorite.”
My stomach growls and I laugh sheepishly. “Can’t wait. Thanks.”
She pats my arm before leaving my room.
I barely get any more bio reading done because Dad walks into my room with a stack of papers. His manuscript.
“You finished it?” I ask.
“Hardly. This is only half.” He grins. “Want to read what I have so far?”
“Yes.”
He frowns as he takes in the school things on my desk. “Homework first, got it?”
“Yep.” I reach for the papers.
He holds it away from me. “No peeking.”
“Okay. I swear I won’t peek until I finish my homework and can read it properly.”
He nods as he passes the stack over to me. He bounces on the backs of his heels. “It’s a little different from what I normally write and I’m worried fans won’t like where I’m going with it.” He rubs his chin. “Lily would probably say I didn’t put enough romance in it. But some books don’t call for romance, you know?”
“Dad, relax. I’m sure it’s great.”
He twists his mouth. “I’ll probably have to scrap the whole thing and start over. But then I won’t finish it on time and my publisher will kill me…”
I get to my feet and put my hand on his arm. “Breathe, Dad.”
He drops down on my bed, rubbing his forehead. “Sometimes I wonder why I chose this career.”
“Because you want to take readers on a journey. You want to make them happy, inspire them. Take them away from their problems for a little while.”
A slow grin slips onto his face. “You’re right. Sorry. I don’t know where this insecurity is coming from.”
I shrug. “Happens to everyone, doesn’t it?”
He gets to his feet and wraps an arm around me. “It sure does. Thanks for your support. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for you, your sister, and your mom. You guys are my cheerleaders.”
“Happy to oblige.” With a cheeky grin, I flip to the first page of the manuscript.
