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“But you’ll stay here?” he asked worriedly.

“I’ll stay here,” I said. I honestly couldn’t stand the idea of he and his ex alone in this house together.

“Because this is your home,” he said firmly.

I nodded and he kept staring until I repeated the words back. “Because this is my home.”

He yanked me against him for a long hug, kissing the top of my head and murmuring sweet things until it was time for him to leave.

I watched him drive away, wondering how I could make the next few hours pass by quicker. I just kept picturing them out together, eating together, even holding hands. They’re going on a date, I thought, and couldn’t see it another way.

He couldn’t do any of that with me. Go out for a meal or a walk or anywhere at all. He’d claimed my body, but he couldn’t claim me in public, not even for something as normal as a date. Ours was strictly a relationship for behind closed doors.

A dirty secret.

I’d always known that, but it still stung.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

I HAD PLENTY of homework to catch up on, but I was too unsettled to sit down for one second, let alone concentrate long enough to get something done.

I finally texted my friend Michelle, though we hadn’t talked much lately.

I’d stayed at her place a few times since I was kicked out, but I could tell she and her parents were worried I’d overstay my welcome or make them adopt my problems.

Most of my friends were harder for me to be around lately. It was difficult to hear them complain about really trivial things all the time when my world was falling apart, so I’d withdrawn quite a bit.

Everyone had let me. Again, no one wanted to adopt my very real problems.

Except for Mr. North.

I’d barely sent off a text when my phone started ringing, Michelle’s face flashing on the screen.

“Hey!” I said brightly when I answered. I’d learned to hide my feelings from normal kids my own age years ago. No one I knew could relate too much of what I was going through.

“Hi!” she returned cheerfully. “Can you hang out? There’s a party tonight, and I don’t want to go with just Maddie. You know how she is. She’ll ditch me the second we get there and some football player smiles at her.”

I paused, really torn about it. I didn’t want to go, but I really didn’t want to stay home. “Sure,” I said finally.

“You’re the best! I can pick you up. Are you still at that . . . shelter place or whatever it is?”

I had to smile. We were worlds apart, but it was nice to pretend in her world sometimes, where homeless shelters were an afterthought. “I’m staying with a friend,” I told her.

“Who?” She sounded almost jealous though she clearly hadn’t wanted me to stay with her.

“You don’t know them. It’s temporary, but anyway, I can meet you somewhere. What time?”

“Well, about that. I need an outfit. Want to go to the mall right now? I can . . . like buy you something or whatever.”

I felt a little sick at her tone, sort of patronizing and almost smug, and I felt another strong wave of gratitude for Carter and his endless generosity. “That’s really nice,” I told her, “but I have a little money right now. I can buy myself an outfit, too.”

“Oh yeah?” she sounded relieved. “Nice. Okay. Meet up in thirty?”

“Works for me,” I said instantly. No more agonizing free time while I waited for Carter to come home from his date. Yippee.

I didn’t change as Carter had requested. He wasn’t around to see me so what did it matter? I did unbraid my hair, leaving it loose and wavy down my back instead.

I parked at the food court entrance of the mall, hoping to avoid Michelle seeing the Porsche, but she’d parked there too and unfortunately spotted me getting out of it.