Page 64 of Burning Love
He didn’t want to hurt Talia with those actions.
“Why didn’t you?”
“I don’t know. Are you going to force me to find an answer that makes you feel good?”
She laughed. “You sounded just like Foster right then. He’s grouchy but often does nice things and then gets annoyed when people want to know why he did it. As if they didn’t know he had a heart of gold hidden.”
“Don’t delude yourself into thinking I’ve got one.”
She moved and put her arms around his neck. “You do. You don’t want people to see it and that’s your decision, but don’t step on my puppy’s tail if I think it.”
“Step on a puppy’s tail? Who the hell would do that?”
“See, it’s the first thing you thought of. Listen, Jace. I’m not putting pressure on whatever we’ve got. I told you I’d let you know if things changed. I want you to tell me that too.”
“I’m not sure change is the right word, but they are different.”
Her head went back and forth. “Different from a few weeks ago or just different from what you’ve had in the past?”
“In the past.” It was hard to admit that much. That for once he wasn’t thinking so much about not having a commitment.
“The same here. It’s different but nothing changed much from a few weeks ago.”
“Okay,” he said. “That makes me feel better. We are on the same page.”
“Always good to know. Back to your family. What are you going to tell them?”
“Do you know my sister Janey?” he asked.
“I don’t think so. My guess is I played against her in high school, but I didn’t know the names of everyone I went against. I was good, so my name was out there for that reason.”
“You’re bragging,” he said.
“West went to some of my games. Not a lot, but he tried to show up to one a year.”
Which would put attention on her too. “Kelsey won’t say anything today, but I’m not sure how long she’ll keep quiet. I told you my father saw your car here, but he’s been good about letting it go.”
“Guys are good that way. Women not so much. My mother is going to be on my case at some point too. Maybe it’s just best to decide how we are going to handle this.”
“Do you want me to meet your mother?”
Her eyes got a little wide. “Only if you want to.”
He shrugged. “It’s not a big deal.”
He’d met other parents before. He’d dated women for a few months but nothing he’d ever thought would get serious that he saw a future with them.
In the past year he hadn’t even gotten that far, but it’s not as if he was doing something he’d never done before by meeting Aileen Carlisle.
“It’s not a big deal,” she said. “I’ve brought men home to my mother in the past. I think it’s normal.”
“I haven’t introduced a woman to my family in longer than I can remember.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“You’re not upset over that?”
“Why would I be upset over something you’ve already admitted to me?”
