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“How ‘bout Caleb? Can we just go with Caleb?”
Ma and I share a brief look, silently conferring before I press the issue. “Uh, J, this guy is considering moving across the country for you. If he’s not your boyfriend, then what would you call him?”
I pull into my parents’ driveway, coming to a stop and throwing the car into park.
“Okay, first off,” she snaps, “if he moves across the country, he’s doing it for med school, not me. And second, the titles I award within my relationship are no one’s business but my own. Butt out, big bro.”
“Fair enough.” I toss my hands up in surrender, letting her know I’m not pushing the issue.
Aside from keeping her away from Mav, relationships are one area I vow to no longer insert myself in when it comes to J. Though, I have a high suspicion her history with him is the reason she’s so resistant to making things official with this current guy. She may put on a brave face, but it’s obvious the breakup with Bishop left her raw. Unfortunately, it’s the way it has to be. She’s not safe as his girl. Even he was smart enough to recognize that and cut her loose.
Jonsie turns her attention to our mom, and they spend the next several minutes talking a mile a minute about everything from what she had for dinner to her upcoming graduation from USC. I’m so fucking proud of her.
You wouldn’t know it from the outside looking in, but my sister’s had a hard life, most of which is attributed to her connection to me. My mind flickers back to the assault she endured as a teenager, what those fucking pieces of shit did to her for hours before leaving her for dead on the side of that darkened stretch of road for me to find. My grip instinctually tightens on my steering wheel at the memory of her in the hospital bed. It was sheer luck she didn’t die.
I hunted every single one of those motherfuckers down and wiped them from existence. I buried the assault under the guise of a car accident, so she’d never have to relive her trauma in the form of pity-filled looks from others. I covered the tracks so well our parents don’t even know the truth. And yet, in spite of my efforts, she slipped further and further away to a deep dark place that seemed beyond my reach.
I was losing control. J—the one thing I need in life to stay grounded—was disappearing a little more each day, leaving only a shadow of her former self behind. Suddenly, I was eight years old all over again, standing in that funeral home watching my life spiral.
And then a fiery little redhead stepped in and pulled us both back into the light.
I can’t help but wonder what she’s doing at this very moment. Is she still at the gala? Is she having fun? Are Luc and her mother tormenting her over the shit I pulled?
Part of me hopes they are. A slightly smaller part of me imagines Lucian enraged by the way she melted into me. Perhaps he’s so distraught he calls off the wedding, and—
Jesus Christ, Nicky. Get a hold of yourself.
Giving my head a slight shake, I claw from the rabbit hole I was well on my way to free-falling down. Exiting my car, I make my way to the passenger side, where I open the door for my mom. She hops out, promising to call J tomorrow before bidding her goodnight. She turns the screen toward me, allowing me a final word.
“Night, Baby J.”
“Night, bro,” she offers as a farewell, though discreetly taps her ear twice, letting me know she’ll be calling me in two minutes. Our mom’s great, but these days she rarely gets us in the same place at the same time. If she knows J and I are gonna stay up and chat, she’ll have us on conference in this driveway ‘til the sun comes up.
Ma ends the call, turning to pull me into a hug. “Thank you for taking me tonight.”
I wrap my arms around her, planting a kiss atop her head. “Anything for you, Ma. I’m sorry we cut it short.”
“Don’t sweat it, sweetheart. I managed to get all my bids in before I left, and I already instructed that any of my winnings are to be donated back to charity.”
“Yeah, but I know how much you love watching them sulk when they announce it at the end of the night.”
She releases me, taking a step back as she reaches up to pat my cheek before making her way up the front steps. “It’s okay, baby. One of these days I should probably grow up and stop taking such joy in their misery.”
“You have someone filming it for you, don’t you?”
She pauses, turning to shoot me a mischievous grin over her shoulder. “I said someday. Today just doesn’t happen to be it.”
I snort out a laugh as I back around the car toward the driver’s side door. “Be good, Ma. Tell Pops I said hi.”
“Get home safe, sweetheart.” She offers up a final wave before ascending the last few steps and slipping inside.
I drop into my seat just as the dash lights up with J’s incoming call.
“What’s good, sis?”
“Hey.” Her voice carries over the speakers. “She get inside okay?”
“Yeah, she’s in for the night.” I pull out of the driveway, heading for home.
