Page 82 of Deception
“As long as you’re happy, we’ll be happy, baby.”
It’s such a simple sentiment, but it means so much. His mother stopped caring about how he felt the moment she got hooked on the drugs. Dealing with his father’s death proved too difficult for her, and she spiraled out of control. Lex will never understand how much her support means to him.
“Lily’s the club’s lawyer, right?”
“Yeah, she left at sixteen because she’s smarter than the rest of us combined. Came back to help the club with something and got stupid. Fell in love and all that, so now she’s stuck with us,” she says and laughs.
“Does that mean she’smylawyer, too?”
Her eyebrows lift, and she studies him. “Depends. What’d you do?”
“Nothing.” He holds his hands up and gives his most innocent look. “Promise.”
“You know, you could stand to get into a little trouble. Nothing to require a lawyer, but you should stay out past curfew some night. Sneak a beer from the fridge. Learn why hangovers suck. That sort of thing.”
The laughter is involuntary. No parent in the history of parents has wanted their child to break the rules. “Why?”
“Because you need to experience things. Normal teenager things. Please, for the love of God, don’t knock up a girl, but try a cigarette. And then hate it and never smoke again.”
“You think I’m not a normal teenager?”
“Baby, you never ask to stay out late. You don’t even stay up past your bedtime.”
He shakes his head. “Wrecking your car was more than enough teenage experience, I think.”
“That was an accident. Accidents happen. When they’re not accidents, they’re called felonies.”
The way she does that makes him so envious. Lex can defuse most situations with humor, but she’s not wrong. “Maybe I’ll go to a party this weekend and come home at twelve-fifteen.”
“There you go,” she says and rolls her eyes.
“Would it be okay if I talk to Lily?”
Shrugging, she nods. “I don’t see why not. When do you want to talk to her?”
“As soon as possible.”
She pulls her phone from her back pocket and types on it. A reply comes quickly, and she smiles. “She can make time for you now at her office. Unless you’re in trouble.”
“I’m not in trouble,” Lucas assures her.
“Do you want me to go with you?”
“If it’s okay, I’d like to go alone.”
She smiles. “Will it be a long meeting?”
I have no idea.“Probably not. Why?”
“Can you pick up Noah and Calla on your way home?”
Neither kid has been in a car with him since the accident. Lucas still thanks his lucky stars he insisted Noah sit in the backseat because the engine was in the passenger’s seat when they were cut out. It still wakes him in the middle of the night, and he relives that day at least three times a week.
“You want me to pick them up?”
“If you have time,” she says and stands.
“You… You trust me with them in the car with me?”
