Page 80 of If You Were Mine (After We Fall 3)
For a minute, neither of us said anything. Steam rose up around us, and water cascaded down our bodies, but we were still. I felt warm and safe in his arms.
“Thank you,” he said.
“For what?”
“For trusting me. It means everything.”
I hugged him tighter. Kissed his chest. “I know.”
* * *
“I think we missed New Year’s.” We were finally worn out, cuddled up beneath the covers in the same bed we’d slept in last night.
“Hold on, I’m trying to think of a joke about balls dropping.”
I laughed, pressing as much of my skin to his as possible. “I can imagine.”
We were silent for a moment, his fingertips brushing idly back and forth on my shoulder. “Home tomorrow?”
“Yeah.” I sighed. “As long as the roads permit it. I wish we didn’t have to go. I love it up here, just the two of us, no noise. But I would like you to meet my friends, eventually. And introduce you to my dad.”
His body tensed. “The judge?”
“Yes. But stop worrying. My father is not a fire and brimstone kind of guy. He’s very kind and has always believed in rehabilitation. And we don’t even have to tell him about your past. It’s not his business.”
“The record is easily found.”
“It’s not important anymore. And it doesn’t matter to me.”
He breathed easier. “OK.”
“And we already know my mother adores you.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“I do. Trust me, she’ll be cooking meals for you in no time. Baking cookies for you. Picking out sweaters for you.”
He laughed a little. “She sounds like a great mom.”
“A little overbearing, but yes. She loves to mother people.”
We were silent again for a while, and I thought he’d fallen asleep, but he spoke again. “I don’t even remember my mother.”
A chill ran up my spine. “No?”
“No. She left when I was only one.”
“I don’t know how any mother could do that,” I said.
“She left a note. It said, ‘Tell the boys I love them.’”
The chill turned to goosebumps that blanketed my arms. “I’m…I’m sure she did, in her own way.”
“But not enough.”
I didn’t know what to say.
A moment later, he said, “Doesn’t matter anyway.”
