Page 20 of The Way Home
“And that's why I didn't tell you.”
“What the hell, Mom?”
“Riley.” Uh-oh. I was getting the lecture voice now. “I don't know what happened between you two, but it needs to stop. I love you both, and it hurts to see you so divided. I just want my sons to get along and for us to be a united, happy family again. So, I need you to get out of your head and make an effort. Can you do that for me,please?”
Shit, I felt like an asshole. It was never my intention to cause division in the family. I was only trying to protect myself. Jeremy's words came back to me, begging me not to leave again. Ihadto make this work, one way or another. Not just for his sake, but for all of us. “Yes, I can do that.”
I could practically feel her relief through the phone. “Oh, sweetheart, thank you! Truly. I know you two have more in common than you think. If you give it a chance, I'm sure you'll find ways to get along.”
I barked out a humorless laugh. Would she think the same thing if she'd known his tongue had been down my throat? “Yeah. We'll try.”
“That's music to a mother's ears. Give Jeremy a hug for me. I love you.”
“Love you, too, Mom. I'll talk to you later.”
My head fell when I hung up the phone. “Unbelievable.”
Jeremy hurried over with a look of concern etched into his face. “What is it? What's happening?”
“We were set up,” I replied.
“Set up? What do you mean?”
“My mom knew you were going to be here, and she purposely had me come at the same time.” How did I not see it coming? She'd been acting weird about my trip, but I figured it was my own weirdness I was sensing.
A smirk stretched Jeremy's lips. “So….that'swhat that was about.”
It was my turn to be confused. “Huh? What?”
“Dad. I texted him when I pulled up and saw your rental car, not knowing who was here. He was super weird and vague about it and just told me to play nice.”
My head tilted as I tried to get the full picture. “So he was in on it, too?”
“Seems like it. You know they don't keep any secrets from each other.” He turned to me with a light sparkling in his eyes. “Holy shit! Do you know what this means?”
“What?”
“We've been parent-trapped!”
“Parent-trapped? Isn't that where the kids set up the parents to fall in love again?” I'd watched the Lindsay Lohan movie multiple times with my mom before we moved out of California.
Jeremy waved his hand. “Okay, sibling-trapped. Whatever.”
I rolled my eyes, even if my lips curved up a little at his excitement. “Yeah. I suppose so. She wants us to get along.”
The humor fell from his face, and he tilted his head to lock his eyes on mine. “I want that, too. More than anything.”
The way he stared at me, his eyes lowering to my mouth, made heat settle low in my gut. It would be so easy to bend my neck and press my lips to his, but that was exactly what Ishouldn'tdo. Especially right after talking to my mom and hearing how she wanted her sons to get along.Sons. Jeremy wasn't just a man I wanted to be with. He was family and always would be.
“I want to, I really do, but it's hard for me to think with you this close.” I reached out but dropped my hand before touching him, sighing internally.
A kaleidoscope of emotions crossed Jeremy's face before it settled into the playful one I knew so well. He took the tiniest of steps backward, barely moved really, and asked, “How's this? Better?”
His antics made me smile despite the turmoil within. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Just for you, darling.” He winked, sending those traitorous butterflies to make me feel as gooey and confused as ever. If only I had the power to just shut it off. Since chemical compounds only went so far, my next best option was fleeing the scene.
“I, uh, think I'll go read for a bit.”
