I liked it way too much.
Which was another reason why I’d been avoiding the apartment for a week.
I hung out with Tripp, went to the library, and spent hours in my getaway spot when I wanted to be alone and just breathe.
I leaned back against the tree behind me and closed my eyes as a cool breeze fluttered over my skin.
I’d found this place last year by accident.
I’d driven past the tiny park near Tripp’s house a hundred times, but for some reason I’d decided to check it out.
It wasn’t anything more than a small greenspace with some grass, a bench, and a small cluster of trees right smack in the middle of a residential neighborhood.
The park was too small for dogs to run around, and didn’t have anything interesting for kids, so it was almost always empty, which was exactly what I wanted.
One of the trees had fallen over during a storm and was propped against the others in a way that created a little overhang so I was hidden from the rest of the space, including the nearby houses.
It was my happy place.
Beep.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and looked at the screen.
Mom was calling.
I didn’t want to talk to her right now, but I swiped my finger across the screen and answered. She’d just blow up my phone with messages and texts if I ignored her.
“Hi.”
“Hi, Ash. It’s Mom.”
I resisted the urge to tell her call display was a thing and I knew it was her.
“What’s up?” I asked when she didn’t say anything more.
“You texted about Thanksgiving? It’s your father’s year.”
“I know, but he said he can’t do it this year. He’s going out of town.”
“Of course he is. The bastard.”
“Gee, Ma. Tell me how you really feel.”
“There’s no need for your attitude.” Her tone was cold, almost threatening. “Your father has no idea how inconvenient it is when he pulls this shit.He’ssupposed to have you for the holidays, butI’mthe one who has to pick up the slack because he’s too busy with his new family. He does this all the time with absolutely no regard to my life or schedule.”
I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood.
I hated when she got like this, all self-righteous and indignant. Like she wasn’t the one who’d had the affair and broken up our family.
Dad might have remarried and started fresh, but she was the last one to talk, considering she’d done it first.
“Sorry I’m such an inconvenience,” I said tersely, fighting the swell of emotions that tightened my chest.
“You can come home with Jules for the weekend. At least I have more than a few days’ notice to prepare this time,” she said as if I’d never spoken. “And this explains the extra money in your account.”
“Wait, what?”
“The three hundred dollars your dad dropped into your account this morning.”