Page 103 of Game Changer
“Yeah.”I clear my throat.“She needs to get back to Chicago.She, uh…well, she was engaged to one of my teammates.”
Mom’s not surprised.“I heard.”
I gnaw briefly on my bottom lip.“That’s why she’s here.She found out he was cheating on her.She needed to get out of town.”
“That poor girl.That’s terrible.”
“Yeah.It was pretty hard on her.I, uh, think this summer away’s been good for her though.”
Now Mom’s eyebrows lift.“Jax.”She stops.
“What?”
“I know she was just engaged to someone else, but…I think she has feelings for you.”
My lips push out and my forehead tightens.“What?”
Mom touches her fingertips to her lips.“She’s crazy about you, Jax.”
“No.”I give my head a violent shake.“No, she’s not.”
“Oh, dear.”Mom sighs.“And what about you?”
“What about me?”
“Do you have feelings for her?”
I scoff.“No.Of course not.I mean, I like her, obviously, but that’s it.I don’t get involved with women.”
“I know that.”She waits, but I don’t say anything more.She shakes her head.“I wish you’d talk to me more.”
“I talk!”
“I mean talk about real things.About how you’re feeling.You mentioned your contract and I get the feeling you’re worried about that, but you just brush it off.And now clearly you’re unhappy about Molly leaving, but you won’t admit it.”
I roll my eyes.“I’m fine, Mom.”
Sometimes it sucks having a mother who’s a psychologist.
“Look at all the years wasted between you and your father because you kept everything locked up inside you.”
I’m not sure what to say to that.
“Is the reason you don’t get seriously involved with women because of what happened with Dad and me?”
I don’t want to blame her for it, so I just shrug.“Maybe.Whatever.I see lots of guys getting married, getting divorced.Cheating.”I’m thinking of Steve.“It’s better not to go there.”
“It’s not as if men are programmed to cheat,” she says.“Therearemen who are faithful.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
She sucks in a breath.“Clearly I shouldn’t have waited until we’re leaving to have this conversation.”She pauses.“But you probably wouldn’t say much more anyway.Come here.”She pulls me in for a hug.“I love you.Maybe you should talk to someone else about what’s going on with you.”
“Like a shrink?Jeez, Mom.”
“It can’t hurt.I’ll get some names for you.”
“Oh my God.”
