Total pages in book: 150
Estimated words: 147136 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 736(@200wpm)___ 589(@250wpm)___ 490(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147136 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 736(@200wpm)___ 589(@250wpm)___ 490(@300wpm)
Never. These were the facts and they sucked.
However, reality or not, this was something I chose not to believe.
I was Wild. I could do that.
I could never be anyone’s but Brian’s. Not in my heart. Not ever. That was my choice and I was choosing it.
Screw the facts. And screw Marcus. I wouldn’t have answered if it was him calling, now or any other time, but it wasn’t and I didn’t want Brian thinking it was for another second.
“It’s my mom,” I told him, pulling Sir into my lap and kissing the top of his head.
“You’re not gonna answer it?” Brian asked, staying propped up on his elbow. “Thought you said you wanted her to know about us and what we’re doing.”
He was right. I had said that and it was definitely something I wanted.
I sighed, met his eyes again, and went on to explain, “I do, but it’s our first night in our new house and I don’t want her tainting any of it, and I’m afraid if I talk to her, that’s exactly what she’s going to do.”
Brian reached out, tucked some red behind my ear, dropped his hand to my leg, and gave it a squeeze.
“Been a while since you last spoke to her. She might surprise you.”
“She might not,” I countered.
“You won’t know unless you talk to her, babe,” he argued gently, rubbing his thumb over my skin in a soothing way. “I get why you’re avoiding her, but I know this is important to you. You want her to see what we got and support the life you’re living now. Only way that’s gonna happen is if you share it with her. She’s reaching out. She might stop reaching out at some point. Think about that.”
I thought about it while I scratched the underside of Sir’s neck the way he liked.
Brian was right. Again. If I kept avoiding my mom, she might stop calling altogether, putting even more strain on our relationship and making it harder to build it back up, then I’d be the one struggling to get her on the line.
What if she never answered me?
I huffed out a breath. “Fine. Okay. I’ll talk to her.” Then I scooted Sir off my lap, leaned down until my forehead was flush with Brian’s, and glared at him. “You being right all the time is getting a little old,” I shared.
He smirked. “Can’t help it, babe. Just flows naturally.”
I rolled my eyes, laughing a little because he was using my words against me and in turn, being cute again, slid off the bed, and grabbed my phone off the dresser.
I swiped my thumb across the screen, went to my missed calls, and dialed her back.
She answered when my butt hit the bed.
“Well, didn’t think I existed to you anymore. Surprised you’re even bothering with this phone call,” she snapped, sounding angry and maybe a little hurt. I couldn’t tell. “A daughter ignoring her own mother. Really, Sydney, you should be ashamed of yourself.”
I looked at Brian, conveying with my eyes that this call was already starting off on a high note.
“You know why I wasn’t answering you, Mom,” I replied.
“I’m not sure what’s gotten into you lately, but I feel as if I don’t even know you anymore,” she argued.
“Why’s that? I’m the same as I’ve always been. Actually …I’m better. I’m me.”
“You most certainly are not you. The daughter I raised wouldn’t leave her husband, choosing a life of sin over what God had planned for her. No …that is not my daughter. I brought you up better than that, Sydney Grace.”
I pinched my eyes shut, breathed deep, then opened them to tell her, “I want to talk to you, Mom, okay? That’s why I’m calling. I love you and I miss you and I want to talk to you, but for the last time, I did not leave Marcus. He ended it. He found another girl he wanted to be with and decided what we had wasn’t worth holding on to anymore. He chose it first, okay? Then I chose it when I came to Dogwood to start my life over because I didn’t have one with him anymore, and I chose it again when I met the man I’m living with now.”
She pulled in a breath.
I shocked her. I realized this. My mother didn’t know anything about Brian, and I’d just thrown it all on her instead of giving it to her a little at a time.
Maybe not the best tactic but I had committed to it. Saw it through and put it out there. No way could I take it back now.
I looked to Brian. He appeared a little shocked by my forwardness as well.
I ignored his raised brow and widened stare because I knew he’d recover quickly—we were in this together. I watched Sir roll onto his back and stretch his paws, smiled at his cuteness, then looked at my lap and continued speaking.