“Jax, can I talk to Chr—”
“Fuck no. I’ve known you longer than him, and I’m not leaving until you come to your senses.”
“Not you too.”
“What did you think I was going to be like? Why are you letting her back in so easily?”
“I’m not.”
“Jax is right, Kinley.”
“Wow,” I breathed out. “I never thought I’d hear you say those words. What is this? Two against one?”
“Baby, you’re just forgiving her like all the bullshit she put you through didn’t happen.”
“People make mistakes.”
“How many does she have to make until you cut her off?”
“What do you think I’ve been doing for the past six years? Christian, you didn’t have to treat her like that.”
Jax intervened, “The fuck he didn’t. Kinley, come on. I know you miss her, but you need to keep your guard up with her. You don’t know if she’s—”
“No! You don’t know! You have no idea what it feels like to not have a mom.”
“Actually, I do.”
“Jax, your parents are still in your house. You still see them every day. You still know they’re there. It’s not the same.”
“Jax isn’t saying anything that isn’t true.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit! You”—I pointed to him—“of all people have no idea what it’s like to grow up without a mother. I’ve never seen her look the way she does right now. She’s sober and on her meds. I can tell. She was a great mom when she was clean and taking her medication. I can’t just turn my back on her.”
“Why not?” Christian spewed. “She did to you.”
“She’s sick! It’s not her fault her brain isn’t wired like yours. I have to give her a chance to be in my life, and it’s completely unfair that you expect me not to.”
“Sweetness, I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Agreed,” Jax added. “I don’t want that either.”
“Since when do you guys agree on anything? Since when do you guys even like each other? This is the most you’ve said to one another since we started dating. Why can’t you guys just be happy for me?”
“It’s not about being happy for you, Kinley. It’s about being worried for you and what’s going to happen if she hurts you again.”
“Christian, you don’t know that she will. Besides, it’s not your choice to make. It’s mine! This is none of your business.”
He jerked back, offended. “None of my business? Since when is protecting you none of my business?”
“You don’t have to protect me from my mother.”
“She’s the one I have to protect you from the most!”
I took a deep breath. “Please, I just need you to support me on this, okay? She’s my mom. I love her, and if she’s trying to make things right between us, then I have to give her a chance.”
“How many chances does she get?”
“You don’t understand. You come from two loving parents and a happy home. I never had that. This is my chance to finally have what you do. Maybe her losing me the last time is what she needed to get her life in order. She’s healthy, and what matters is that she’s here and sober.”
“Sweetness, I don’t trust her.”
“Yeah, Kinley. You know how much I hate to agree with Christian again, but he’s right. I don’t trust her either.”
I backed away from both of them. Disappointed was an understatement. They had no right. This was my choice, not theirs, and it was ridiculous they thought I’d listen to them.
I did the only thing I could do, I made myself damn clear as to what my intentions were.
“Well then, you guys can stay here and bond over not trusting her together. I’m—” I spoke with conviction…
“Leaving to have lunch with my mother, with or without either of you.”
Chapter 17
Kinley
Now
I opened the door to find Autumn standing there.
“Hey, what are you doing here?”
She smiled, holding onto her pregnant belly. She was in her third trimester. “This kid thinks my uterus is a punching bag. I need to pee.”
I laughed. “Come in. You know where the bathroom is.”
“I’ll be right back.”
I watched her wobble away.
Autumn was the cutest pregnant woman, all belly. She was the same way with their first daughter, Capri. Now they were having a boy, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous that she could get pregnant so easily. Don’t get me wrong, I was very happy for them. They’d spent years apart and were able to find their way back to each other. You didn’t hear about love stories like that every day.
She met me in the kitchen, setting her purse down on the island. “I’m dying. This is what death feels like.”
I laughed again. “That bad, huh?”
“I think it’s just I was so young with Capri that it was easy. You know?”
“Yeah, it’s easier to bounce back too, but you’re still really young, Autumn.”