Page 74 of Breakaway Hearts

I pick at my jeans in the car as Reese drives to my mom’s place. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong croon in the background, and even though neither of us speaks, it’s an easy silence. Reese and I have never struggled to sit with each other in silence, just enjoying each other’s company.

He probably doesn’t know the inner turmoil ripping through me right now, though. Before we get to my mom’s, I need to get my feelings under control. I can’t be here, half-pining for Reese when we’re only supposed to be fake-dating.

When we get to my childhood home, a modest two-story house that my mom keeps in tip-top shape, I turn to Reese.

“Remember,” I say in a half whisper, as if my mother is listening in. “My mom thinks we’re dating too.”

“I remember,” Reese says. “Do you think we would’ve stopped at the grocery store on the way to grab flowers and loads of dessert if I didn’t?”

“Of course.”

He chuckles. “You got me, Firefly. You know what they say though. When you show up to someone else’s house, you knock with your feet.”

“I have literally never heard anyone else say that.”

Reese reaches over to the back seat to grab the aforementioned desserts and flowers. “You know what it means, though. Never show up empty-handed.”

“Well, you never do, which is why my mom loves you.”

A pleased, boyish grin spreads across his face, and he gets out of the car. Before I can open my door, he comes around to my side to open it for me, balancing the food and bouquet in his free hand. I take the flowers from him before he can drop them, and he slips his hand into mine as we head up the sidewalk.

An immediate riot of thoughts spring up in my mind as I try to guess whether he’s doing this as part of the act or because he just wants to, like in the car earlier.

God, Callie. Stop it.

I ring the doorbell before Reese can actually knock with his foot, and I hear my mom yell from somewhere inside that the door is open. I shake my head before going inside.

“You should really lock the door, Mom,” I call. Reese and I both toe off our shoes and head into the kitchen, where a mouthwatering smell filters out into the rest of the house. “It’s not safe to keep it open.”

“Oh, Reese!” my mom exclaims, completely ignoring my admonishment. She just about elbows me out of the way to wrap him in her arms. “It’s so good to see you. You don’t come around nearly often enough. And not even once since you and Callie started dating! I thought you had more sense than that!”

“It’s good to see you, too, Lisa,” he says with a laugh. “And I’m sorry for not coming around sooner.”

“Hi, Mom,” I say pointedly, rolling my eyes.

She squeezes Reese a little longer before turning to face me. Her mess of strawberry curls is cut a bit shorter than the last time I saw her, and she gives me a hug before smacking me on the arm.

“Ow! What was that for?” I rub my bicep and give her a wounded look.

“For not coming to visit me! Only texts and phone calls, that’s all I’ve gotten for weeks. What, you move in with your boyfriend and forget I exist? I suppose that’s how it was with me and your father. We were so in love, though. Not that I don’t think you and Reese are in love. I’ve been waitingyearsfor you two to get together, especially since you were so smitten with him after that summer at camp—”

“Mom!” I yank the pastry box out of Reese’s hands and thrust it into her arms. “We brought dessert. And flowers. I’ll help you find a vase for them. Reese, why don’t you go sit in the living room? I’m sure dinner will be ready soon.”

Reese glances between me and my mom, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips. If he says anything, I might die of mortification. I’ve never told Reese that I had a crush on him back then. Why did my mom have to bring it up as soon as we walked in?

I corral my mom into the kitchen, leaving Reese behind. She’s none the wiser, obviously. She knows I get embarrassed easily, and I swear she gets a kick out of it sometimes.

“You two are so cute together,” she says in a hushed voice once we’re alone in the kitchen. I can smell lasagna baking in the oven, and my mouth waters as I breathe in the heady scent. “I’ve been telling you for years that you two should be the ones dating. Not him and that…what’s her name, even? Sierra? Gosh, I’m so happy they’re done.”

I nod but don’t say anything. Will my mom hate Reese once he and I break up? How will she handle it when he gets back together with Sienna? Fuck, I definitely didn’t consider things like that when this all started.

“It smells delicious in there, Lisa!” Reese calls from the living room. “Has my banishment gone on long enough? I’d love to come to help you guys.”

He walks into the kitchen a moment later without either of us giving him permission. Still a bit mortified that my mom outed my crush on him, I scowl at the cutting board on the counter and move away from him to go chop vegetables for the side salad. Reese chuckles and kisses the top of my head.

“Oh, I was just telling Callie how happy I am that you two are together!” my mom chirps. “Now be a sweetheart and grab the salad bowl from the cabinet above Callie. I don’t know why I keep it there when I can hardly reach it myself. Probably because I never have people over for dinner. You two should come for dinner more often! Maybe when the babies come—”

“Mom!”

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