Page 45 of Lucky in Love
Over the years, Alex had come to realize that her mom’s issues stemmed from little to no self-esteem. The insults were her way of projecting her own vulnerabilities onto Alex. With that knowledge, Alex had sworn she’d never let Blossom get to her again.
Unfortunately, Alex’s own insecurities perpetually simmered just below the surface, constantly at the ready to rise up and revolt. One scratch from Blossom’s pointy red fingernail, and they exploded.
“The guy from New York didn’t work out, but I already have a new boyfriend,” Alex lied, taking her mother’s bait and feeling the trap snap around her. “He’s smart, handsome, and kind. He’s renting a cabin long-term just to be with me.” Even as she said it, she wanted the words back.
“Oh, great.” Blossom narrowed her eyes in a challenge. “I’d love to meet him.”
Alex panicked, but only for a second. Brody would be away all weekend, and there was no way her mom would stay more thana day or two. He could be her pretend boyfriend without ever knowing.
“I really wish that were possible, but he’s gone camping for the weekend.” This was a dangerous game, but if her luck held, it was potentially winnable.
“Camping? In this weather? It’s almost winter.”
“He’s very tough.”
“Not as tough as Wesley,” Blossom said as if it were a competition. Which of course, to her, it was. “I bet he could handle aweekin the woods.”
“Wait. Wha—” Wesley started to protest, but Blossom cut him off.
“Not that I’d ever let him do such a thing. I love him too much.” She laid a protective hand on Wesley’s soft arm. The underlying message implied Alex didn’t love her man because she’d allowed him to traipse off into the cold wilderness.
Alex’s phone buzzed, jolting her back from the brink of insanity. It was a text from Juliet, saying the show was about to start, and asking about her ETA. Ah. Thank goodness. An excuse to get the heck out of here.
“It’s been great catching up.” Alex stood. “But I gotta go.”
“We just got here. Where could you possibly have to go?”
“My friends and I get together to watch Maddie’s show.”
“Oh, yes. See. That proves my point. Maddie moved away and made it big. If you weren’t so stuck in your small-town mindset, maybe you could do that.”
Alex walked to the entryway, done with the conversation. She opened the door and waited for them to take the hint and leave. Blossom did not take the hint, or ignored it if she did.
“We’ll get settled while you’re gone,” Blossom said.
“Settled?” Alex’s gut got heavy, like she’d swallowed a sock of pennies. “Where are you staying?”
“Well, here, silly.” Blossom pouted. “Where else would we stay?”
“I don’t have a cabin for you,” Alex said. “We’re booked solid all weekend.”
“You’ll have to make room here then,” Blossom said, irritation growing. The snippy tone was more in line with the Blossom Alex knew—the shiny veneer always wore thin when she didn’t get her way.
Alex rolled her eyes. Of course, finding them lodging would be Alex’s problem to solve.
“What? No.” Alex was on the verge of suggesting she stay with Pops, but that wouldn’t be fair to him. Blossom didn’t treat him any better than she treated Alex. “There’s only one bedroom here.”
“Don’t be rude,” her mother chided. “We’re your guests after all. If you don’t want to sleep on the couch, why don’t you shack up at your boyfriend’s?”
It was a challenge. Was her “boyfriend” real? She might as well have just asked it outright.
Alex dug into the lie, and once again took the bait. “Fine. Change your own sheets.”
She stormed out with only the clothes on her back and got all the way to the parking lot before stopping, her ankle throbbing from the dramatic exit. She took a long, deep breath, mad at herself for letting Blossom push her buttons and drag her into her cesspool of crazy.
All this drama was supposed to be in her rearview mirror. Blossom had fled Green Valley Falls as soon as the candles wereout on Alex’s eighteenth birthday cake. And in the nine years since, had only returned a handful of times.
Alex thought she’d successfully dealt with the emotional damage her mother had inflicted, so it surprised her how quickly the old emotions came flooding back.
