Page 86 of Burning Love
“Does our age difference bother you?”
He hadn’t thought it did, but now that she’d made that comment he wasn’t so sure.
“I don’t see you as almost the same age as West when I look at you. No. It really doesn’t. Do you see me as someone younger than Janey?”
“No. I told my father today that you’re much more mature than Janey is.”
“You talked about me with your father?”
His head went back and forth. He hadn’t planned on saying that part either, but it seemed as if he had diarrhea of the mouth tonight.
“It came up. Kelsey met you and she talked to my family about it. They want to meet you too.”
“Oh. I don’t have a problem with it, but it’s up to you. You met my mother and Elias.”
“He brought me beer.”
She closed one eye at his smirk. “Elias and I are probably the closest. When I was younger, he wasn’t as hard on me as he should have been or how West wanted him to be.”
“He was more a brother than a father?”
“Yes. Then when I went to work with him, he understood enough to give me some rope knowing I wouldn’t hang myself, but rather figure out how to make a pretty little knot for my future.”
“It’s nice to have that support.”
“You’ve got it now with your father and siblings. Even your stepmother. Are you close to her?”
“Close enough,” he said. “I came into their life ultimately as an adult. She made me feel welcome but never once tried to be a parent to me. I helped out and did what was asked. She treated me the same as she did Kelsey and Janey for holidays and around the house. You know, do your chores and be respectful, but otherwise she was hands off.”
“Did you want her to do more?”
“No. I had a mother and at that time in my life, the last thing I needed was someone coming in trying to be another.”
Lauren had tiptoed around him. He’d heard the talks between his father and Lauren at night when they hadn’t known.
He’d get up to get food when he thought everyone was in bed, but his father would be talking with Lauren in their room on the first floor.
Maybe he stood in the hallway once or twice early on to listen in.
He wanted to know if she was going to force his father to kick him out.
One night it was Lauren standing up for him to give Jace time to open up with his father more. This woman, whose life he’d disrupted by just existing, was standing up for him.
The second time, it was his father telling Lauren how much he appreciated everything she’d done to make Jace feel welcome. Lauren had replied she’d always wanted a son and she knew he did too. It was their chance to have one.
“Was there any conflict with your father and Lauren with you coming into their life? Or with your stepsisters?”
“I never saw my father and Lauren fighting over me. Maybe they had conversations behind closed doors, but that’s it. I didn’t want pity and they knew enough to temper that. Janey was five when I moved in. To her I was just someone else to give her attention since Kelsey was ten and didn’t want to play with her sister.”
She laughed. “Did you play with Janey?”
“Maybe. At times. I offered to watch her. To watch both of them when I was home. They did so much for me and it was the least I could do.”
“Which was nice of you.”
“It’s not as if I had a lot of friends when I moved here. Going back to you and your call. They were mad over my age?”
“Oh. I’m getting off track. Sorry. The age thing is a side note. They looked into you somewhat.”
