Chapter 34 Checkpoint Charlie #2
“Hmm.” Mom presses her lips together and narrows her eyes, but I’m not caving on this one. She just shakes her head and takes another bite. “Oh, I almost forgot Nico.”
Ah yes, my fifth boyfriend who has a Napoleon complex. Not because he’s short, but he must feel like he doesn’t measure up somehow. Which is weird because he came in all confident.
“How is he adjusting to school here?”
“School? Competing with my other boyfriends for valedictorian.” I push my chicken around on my plate. Maybe that’s it. Maybe it’s too much competition. He might not have had any back in New York. And when it’s not just school, but football and me? Maybe it’s just too stressful.
“I take it things are rough with him?” Mom’s voice softens.
This I can get her take on. “He’s in my art class, and this guy who the others don’t like ended up my partner on an art project.
I asked Nico not to tell them, thinking he’s my friend.
But all these years, he’s been keeping up with them, but not me.
And he told them about the guy after he said he wouldn’t. ”
It pours out of me, fast and furious. I release a breath. “How can I have a relationship with him if I can’t trust him?”
“Is there a reason the guys don’t like your art partner?” Mom sounds way too reasonable. But she didn’t see Caden’s anger erupt at Tanner.
I need to move, so I grab my plate and take it over to the sink. “Yes. He’s an asshole. He hurt someone they like.”
I can’t tell her about Caden’s sister. It’s not my secret to share. I blow out a breath.
“But I also didn’t want them to know because I didn’t want them to get in trouble by starting something with this guy.” I stare out the window at the twilight. It may have been the wrong move, but it was my decision, not Nico’s.
“Sounds like Nico was in a difficult spot.” Mom comes over and rinses her plate before putting both our plates in the dishwasher. “Did he go to them right away?”
I shake my head and pick at my fingernail. He did keep it from them, even knowing what Tanner did. “When we had dinner at his place, his mom was going on about the art project and how random the partner assignments were. The guys asked who mine was, and he told them.”
It’s not just that, but I can’t tell her about the punishments. He could have talked some reason into Caden instead of going along with it. But that’s just it. He won’t go against them for me. Not even to protect me from them.
I can’t keep trying to build our relationship on the foundation of our friendship when clearly that foundation has crumbled.
Mom wraps her arm around my shoulder and draws me into a hug. “That must have been a hard decision for him to make. It’s really hard to keep a secret you know might hurt someone you care about.”
I wrap my arms around her and breathe in her coconut scent. “I just thought he was on my side. That I was his best friend. And he wasn’t.”
He wanted to make love to me. It was lovely and I enjoyed it.
But it also kept spinning around my head until finally it’s clear why it bothered me.
Did I like when he had me on his bed? Yes.
But am I mad that he gets to dictate what making love is when I’m not in love?
And I don’t believe for one minute that he’s in love with me.
Obsessed? Yes.
Jealous? Hell, yes.
Because we don’t know each other enough now to be in love.
“I’m sure you and Nico will work it out.” She rubs my back like she used to when I had nightmares. “Otherwise, it’s a good thing you have four more boyfriends to help comfort you.”
I laugh but draw away so I can see her face. “Are you really okay with this?”
Smiling softly, she brushes my hair behind my ear. “I’m okay as long as you’re okay. You seem to like them, and they seem to like you. I’m just glad you’re living more this year. Am I terrified of becoming a grandma before you leave high school? Only a little.”
“That’s not happening.” I pull away, and her arms drop back to her sides.
“Good. You just let me know if you want me to pick up more condoms.” Mom returns to the table to get the casserole dish. “I could put some on auto-restock.”
“Ha ha, very funny.” I pull out the lid for the casserole dish. “Now that I’m dating, when are you going to start dating?”
Mom laughs and shakes her head. “Between work and my daughter dating half the football team, I have my hands full.”
“Actually, with me dating, your social calendar has definitely opened.” I raise an eyebrow. “We could look into one of those dating apps for you?”
“Pass.” She takes the lid from me and puts the dish in the refrigerator. “I’m good. I’ve got enough going on in my life.”
I lean against the counter as I look her over. She’s not that old. I’ve always wondered why she didn’t find someone new after Dad left. Definitely enough time has passed that someone like her should have at least been going on dates. But if she did, I never knew about it.
Mom turns with a smile. “So tonight I have you for a little longer?”
I glance at my phone. It’s only six-thirty, and I haven’t gotten any new texts from the guys. I shrug. “I heard the new zombie show on Netflix is amazing.”
“You had me at zombies. Do we need popcorn?”