Page 31 of I Saw Her First

The blood drains from his face. “You can’t be serious.”

I growl and step forward, vibrating with fury. I thought I’d raised my son better than this. “I’m dead serious. That’s the least she deserves.”

“What’s going on?”

I spin around to find Daisy behind me, rubbing her eyes. She’s in her yellow pajama tank with the matching bottoms, dark hair in long messy waves over her shoulders. She’s never looked more angelic, and I turn back to my son in disgust. How could he do something so hurtful? Even more baffling, how could he risk losing her? What man in their right mind would do that?

“Either you tell her,” I grit out, “or I will.”

The fear and guilt on Jesse’s face gives way to anger as his eyes darken. “Fine.” He leans past me to glare at Daisy. “I met someone last night.” He shoots me a defiant look. “Happy?”

I give a slow, furious shake of my head. “Tell her what you did.”

Jesse rolls his eyes, glancing back at Daisy. “I brought her home, becauseyourefuse to—”

“I’m sorry, Jess.” Daisy cuts him off with a muttered apology that has me stepping back in disbelief.

“Why areyouapologizing? Jess is the one in the wrong.”

She shrivels, her face pink as she examines the floor.

“I can’t believe you, Jess.” I stare at my son. “Daisy has been nothing but good to you. She even got you a job, for Christ’s sake.”

Jess grimaces, and an icy feeling washes over me.

“Don’t tell me. You fucked that up, too?”

His chest rises and falls with his heavy breathing. “It wasn’t working out, okay?”

“Jesus.” I raise a hand to my face, shock and disappointment a heavy knot in my chest. “You’re twenty-three, Jess. It’s time for you to grow up, and—”

“You know what?” he spits in rage, his gaze moving swiftly between me and Daisy. “I’m so sick of this. Sick of you trying to run my life. Sick of you, Miss Uptight, who only wants to fucking talk all the time instead of actually fuck. I don’t need this. Rex will drive me back to the city, away from both of you.” He looks from me to Daisy, his expression dark. “We’re done.” Then he storms past us to his room.

When I look back at Daisy, she’s shaking. Her cheeks are streaked with crimson, her eyes fixed on the floor.

“Shit, Daisy, I’m so sorry.” It takes all my strength not to reach for her, to soothe the hurt my son has caused. “I can’t believe he did that.”

“No, it’s…” She swallows, backing away from me. She almost crashes into Jess as he rounds the corner again, his duffel bag over one shoulder. He doesn’t say anything as he pushes past us, slamming the front door behind him. The sound reverberates through the house, and for the first time ever, I’m glad to see the back of my son.

13

Daisy

My face is on fire as I close the door to my room. I can’t believe Jesse brought someone home while I slept only a few feet from him. What the hell was he thinking?

I lower myself onto the bed, trying to untangle the cyclone of emotions whirling through me. There’s hurt there, of course, that Jesse cared so little for me after the time we’ve spent together. There’s relief too, that I don’t have to end it with him, because he did a magnificent job of blowing things up all on his own.

But the main thing I feel, if I’m completely honest, is humiliation. I’m utterly humiliated that Weston saw the way Jesse treated me, that he heard him call meMiss Uptight, and worse, that he heard Jesse say I wouldn’t sleep with him. I had zero intention of revealing my inexperience to Weston—why would I?—but that secret has been taken out of my hands and placed into Weston’s. God knows what he must think of me.

My hands shake, and I press my eyes closed, mortification washing through me. I can’t face Weston, not after that. I’ll haveto quit my job, maybe leave the city. My stomach quivers at the idea, because where would I go? What would I do?

And then there’s the very pressing issue of how I’ll get home from the beach house. My palms sweat as I realize I’m well and truly screwed.

Okay, calm down, the rational part of my brain says. I force myself to take slow, deep breaths, and my heart settles. I don’t need to figure anything out right now. All I need is to keep breathing.

A knock on the door puts a stop to that and has me shriveling into myself, like a turtle that’s lost its shell. I don’t answer, and the knock comes again, softly.

“Daisy?” Weston murmurs through the door. “Are you okay?”

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