Page 127 of Game Changer
“Oh, it’s going to be weird and awkward.”
My gut tenses.
Then Chucky sighs.“We’ll get over it.Go do what you have to do.Just…don’t be an idiot.Like me.”
Shared understanding vibrates between us.
Maybe this will be okay.
I give him a short nod and turn to bolt.
In my vehicle, I sit for a moment before starting the engine.It’s goddamn bizarre, but whatever.It feels…right.Like this had to happen.
I grip the steering wheel of my SUV.Okay.I got this.
No.I don’t.I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.
I don’t know what to do.I’ve never been in this position before.I’m always the one making a quick exit, and this time…well, I tried, thinking that was what we had to do.But I screwed up.
I tip my head back and let out a long stream of breath.
Who can I talk to?I need help.
Fuck.
I don’t have friends I can talk to about this.I mean, Rico and Heart are my two best buddies still left on the team, now that Gander is gone.But I don’t share all my deepest secret crap with them.That’s not me.I haven’t said a word to them about Molly, out of fear it would get back to Chucky.
Too late for that, though.Rico apparently saw the Instagram post that led to this shit show.
I remember my mom lamenting that I don’t talk to her.And Molly commenting about all the time I’d lost with my dad because of not talking about what happened.
Shit.
Welp, if Mom wants me to talk to her, she’s about to get an earful.
I put my SUV in gear and leave the parking lot.
I wait for my mom to say, “I knew it!”or “I told you so!”
Luckily, she doesn’t.Because I don’t really want to have my stupidity rubbed in my face.My mom’s pretty great.
“Remember what I said at the lake?”she asks, in a calm voice.
“That I don’t talk to you enough?”
“Well, that too.But I told you men aren’t programmed to cheat.There are many reasons that they do.But it’s always a choice.”
“Right.”I rub my face.“I get that.But…I’m afraid I’ll screw up.I want to believe in love.I want to believe in happily ever after.After this summer…I guess my eyes were opened.I thought Chelsea married Grandpa for his money.Turns out they really love each other.I thought Dad cheated on you.Turns out he didn’t.I want to believe I can be faithful to one woman for the rest of my life.”
“That’s not good enough for Molly.”
“What?”My jaw slackens, and my gut goes hollow.I stare across the room.
“You can’t go to herhopingyou can be faithful.You have toknowit.You have to know that every day, you’ll make that choice not to cheat.Every day, Jax.You have to believe in yourself.”
I close my eyes.
“Is she worth it?”Mom asks quietly.
