Page 158 of Pucking Matt
A bitter laugh escapes me. “You had it good with Jaysen.”
She scoffs, her perfectly painted lips curling into a sneer. “I did not. You and Grey were at each other's throats every single day. Do you have any idea how exhausting that is as parents? You have no idea how much that took a toll on our relationship.”
I shake my head, memories of countless arguments and slammed doors flooding back. “You two got together for thewrong reasons. Your sons playing on the same hockey team is a lame reason to get married and stay together all those years.”
She crosses her arms, her face hardening into an angry mask. “Let it all out, why don't you? We wanted what was best for you boys.”
I clap my hands together, deflating. “I'm sorry. I–”
She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling with the effort. When she opens them again, there's a hint of vulnerability there. “I brought you down here to tell you that the divorce was only finalized recently in the past few weeks.”
“Okay.” I nod, understanding.
“And your girlfriend worked on my case.”
My stomach sinks, a cold dread spreading through my chest.
She continues, her words measured and deliberate. “I didn't think it was her because of her life in high school. I couldn't imagine that she would've done anything with her life, but she confirmed it yesterday when she came to my room.”
The pieces start to fall into place. “That's why you wanted her up there.”
“Yes, and she confirmed that she didn't tell you anything. Is that true?”
I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “It's true. We don't talk about you.”
She raises an eyebrow, looking slightly offended. Her next question catches me off guard. “How did you two meet?”
I know that she's only asking to see if our stories align. The memory of first seeing Amber floods my mind, bringing a warmth that momentarily cuts through the tension.
“I saw her working at the Grind Stone, and I couldn't leave her alone,” I admit, a hint of a smile tugging at my lips despite the gravity of our conversation.
The lobby bustles around us, but it feels like we're in our own little bubble of tension. My mom's eyes are blazing.
“What?” she scoffs, her voice dripping with disbelief. “Matthew.”
I take a deep breath, bracing myself for the storm I know is coming. “Yeah, I saw her when I was going through a hard time...with hockey. I started messing with her to get revenge because of what happened in high school. It became like a game, and I–”
“Don't tell me that you love her,” she cuts me off, her words sharp as glass.
Love.
I think about falling asleep with Amber in my arms last night and waking up next to her this morning. How good her pussy feels, how beautiful she sounds when she’s being sarcastic, and the things she does to piss me off. I am fucking addicted to this girl, and I’m sorry, Mom, but that feels a lot like love.
“I love her,” I say, not knowing if it’s really a lie.
“Matthew.” She says my name like it's a warning. “She's not someone you want to spend your life with. Trust me, honey. There are much better options out there than to date your high school bully.”
The irony of her statement makes me laugh. “I was the bully, mom, but you never wanted to hear that.”
Her eyes narrow, and I can see her gearing up for another attack. “You need to think about what you're doing. Six months with a girl is a big deal. If you get her pregnant–”
“She's not going to get pregnant,” I interrupt, frustration bubbling up. “She's on birth control. You called me down here to tell me this?”
James hollers at her from across the Mercedes, impatient to leave. She waves him off dismissively before turning back to me, her face set in determination.
“I called you down here to warn you about her. I don't like seeing the two of you together.”
I feel a surge of protectiveness for Amber. “But you want to see me happy, right?”
