Page 102 of Drown in You

I should be happy. This is what I’ve wanted—my parents happy and together, getting to live safely in my hometown again, Marcus facing legal consequences for the hell he’s put me through.

But it’s not happiness squeezing my chest. “Okay. I’ll move back.”

There’s nothing left for me in Diamond, anyway.

Mom’s soft footsteps fall across the thin carpet before she sinks onto my mattress. Her hand rests on my knee. “Hon, would you grab us some lunch?” she asks Dad. “I haven’t eaten yet today.”

Dad nods enthusiastically, all too happy to be useful as he notes our orders on his phone.

Once he’s gone, Mom squeezes my knee. “Are you sure you’re okay with your father and I getting back together? I want you to be honest with me. It’s not your job to spare everyone else’s feelings, okay?”

I nod, her words creating a twinge in my chest. That’s something Luke would say. “It’s a little strange, but I really am okay with it.” For the first time since the breakup, a real smile pulls at my lips. “You two seem happy.”

She beams. “We are. Really happy.” Then she forces her smile away. “I just feel awful for Deb. And for all the drama this has been for you and Luke.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m just glad you’re happy.”

She shifts uncomfortably on the mattress beside me, dragging her hair behind her ears. “Actually, that’s something I wanted to talk to you about. I’m sorry you felt like you had to take care of me after the divorce. I didn’t do my job as a mother. I let you take care of me instead of the other way around, but that’s not how it should be. At least not until I’m really, really old.”

A shocked laugh bursts out of my chest, despite the stinging tears. My knee-jerk reaction is to deny it, but I’m done with the secrets and lies. “I didn’t think you knew.”

Mom gives me a weak smile. “Luke told me.”

I straighten. “Luke told you? When?”

“After you left Deb’s house. He also said you blamed yourself for the divorce. For what happened to Marcus.” Tears brim in Mom’s brown eyes. “I’m so sorry you’ve been carrying those burdens for so long. I hope you know none of that was your fault. None of it. Our divorce had absolutely nothing to do with you. And what happened with Marcus was an accident. You were only trying to protect your friend.” Her mouth sours. “I can’t wait until that little shit is in jail.”

I manage another laugh even as my chest squeezes. “Luke told you all of that?”

She nods. “He did. He wanted me to know because he didn’t think you’d ever tell me yourself. Because you wouldn’t want to hurt me.”

Those words choke me up and a full body ache washes over me. He told my mom the truth because he knew I couldn’t, but he wanted her to know my pain. He wanted to heal this wound.

Despite everything, no one has ever loved me like Luke Valentine does.

“If you want to stay here to be close to him, I understand.” Her brows pull together. “But no more public hookups, hear me?”

My face is actually on fire. “We’re not together anymore.”

She pats my knee with a sigh. “It’s okay, honey. We can’t control who we fall in love with. He told me why you ended things. I had no idea you’d already been friends for so many years.”

“Neither did I,” I grumble. I never told my mom about Ten, convinced she’d be horrified that I was chatting privately with a stranger I met online who, for all I knew, could be a ninety-year-old creep.

“Do you think Luke might’ve kept that secret from you out of fear?”

I frown at her. First Juliet, now my mom? “You’re taking his side?”

She shakes her head. “I’m always on your side. But I think you’ve both been afraid of what getting close to each other could mean. I set a bad example for you of what love and relationships can look like.” She squeezes my hand. “But they can work with the right person.”

“You think Luke is the right person?” She can’t possibly know that. But for some reason, I still want to hear her say yes.

Mom shrugs. “You’re the only one who can answer that. I just want to make sure that you don’t miss out on happiness out of fear. Like your father and I did for so many years.”

When her phone rings with a call from my father, she answers it with a megawatt smile.

I pick up my phone and call Deb.

Deb welcomes me into her home with open arms, just like she welcomed me into her family all those months ago. I still can’t believe how much has changed since the wedding.

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