Chapter 36
There's something about Amber that defies explanation.
It's not just the sex. It's the way we fit together, like two pieces of a puzzle you didn't know was incomplete.
When we're together, the world seems to fade into the background, leaving only us in sharp focus.
It's more than attraction or compatibility – it's a sense of rightness, as if I've found a home I didn't know I was searching for.
With Amber, I'm not just myself; I'm the best version of myself. And somehow, I know with a certainty that surprises me: what we have isn't fleeting. It's the kind of connection that really doesn’t have an expiration date. I’m on cloud nine as I take the stairs to the lobby. Everything about Amber lures me in, and I already can’t wait to get back up to the room.
I spot my mom in the lobby— the woman who hasn’t made it easy for me.
Her standards for me have always been through the roof, and it’s time that I stop considering what she wants and consider what I want.
Her perfectly manicured nails tap away at her phone, and I’m already annoyed because this talk she mentioned over text is going to be about Amber.
There’s nothing she can say to me that will make me change my mind because my mind is already made.
The scent of her expensive perfume hits me before she even looks up. When she does, her face breaks into a smile.
“Hi, honey,” she says, pulling me into a hug. Over her shoulder, I see James waiting for her new Mercedes in the valet area.
“Good morning, Mrs. Holmes,” I reply smoothly. It makes her smile. She’s such a romantic.
She adjusts her designer blazer. “So, I'm going to make this fast.”
“Okay,” I say, already annoyed. My mind drifts to Amber, wishing I was still tangled up in her sheets instead of here.
My mom glances around, lowering her voice. “I only recently settled the divorce with Jaysen.” Jaysen is Grey's dad. “Because the first attorney I had was not working out. We've been legally married all this time.”
I nod, clenching my jaw. “I know, Mom.”
Her perfectly shaped eyebrows shoot up. “You know?” She pauses, confusion clouding her features. “Amber told me that she didn't tell you.”
“What?” I'm baffled, my heart rate picking up. “What does Amber have to do with this?”
My mom takes a step back, her heels clicking on the marble floor. “How do you know?”
“Grey.”
“Oh,” she says.
The frustration that's been simmering inside me towards her finally boils over. “Do you know how shitty it was to hear it from Grey? He’s kept that hanging over my head, and my own mom couldn’t tell me the truth. It explains all of your sneaking around and catching you with Jaysen.”
She has the decency to look a little ashamed but quickly covers it with a practiced explanation. “Matthew, the courts want people to stay married. We had to give it some time, but in the end, we still agreed to file for divorce.”
I run a hand through my hair, exasperated. “That's your excuse for keeping me in the dark all this time?”
“No, it's not an excuse,” she says, her tone clipped.
I'm beyond listening now. “You got what you wanted. A divorce – and what? Twenty grand from Jaysen. Then you meet a new guy who seems to have it all. He's buying you cars, buying you brand name things–” I gesture at her purse, knowing full well it costs more than her heels. “And for what?”
Her chin lifts defiantly. “So that I'm taken care of.”
I shake my head, disappointment settling heavy in my chest. The lobby suddenly feels too small, too suffocating. I need to get out of here, need to talk to Amber and figure out what the hell is going on.
I take in the lobby, the gleaming marble floors reflecting the morning light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The air is thick with tension, and I can feel my patience wearing thin with each passing second.
“Money isn't everything, Mom,” I say, my voice low and controlled despite my frustration.
She tilts her chin up, her eyes flashing. “It sure is when you don't have any.”
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 the wrong 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?”
“Of course, I want to see you happy,” she says, but her tone suggests there's a 'but' coming.
“Then this conversation's over.” I turn to walk away, desperate to escape this suffocating interaction.
“Matthew Scott Pearson, do not walk away from me.”
I halt, my heart racing and my palms sweating. Her use of my full name still has the power to stop me in my tracks.
“I am not finished,” she says, her voice low and dangerous.
I roll my eyes, beyond caring about hiding my frustration. “Clearly.”
She takes a step closer, her perfume overwhelming my senses. “I want to see you happy but not at the cost of your future.”
The weight of her words hangs between us, heavy with implications and unspoken expectations.
I'm torn between the urge to defend Amber and the lifetime of conditioning that makes me want to please my mother.
But as I stand there, surrounded by the opulent lobby and my mother's disapproval, I realize that for once, I need to choose my own happiness.
My mom's words hang in the air, heavy and suffocating.
I shake my head, trying to clear the fog of frustration and disbelief.
“That girl has no home, no real family. She cannot offer you anything,” she says, her voice dripping with disdain.
My hands clench into fists at my sides. “This is bullshit, mom.”
“It's not bullshit.” Her eyes flash dangerously. “Look at me,” she demands, her voice rising.
I meet her gaze, steeling myself.
“I raised you to choose better. You have no idea what you're setting yourself up with her.”
The lobby feels too small, too confining.
I take a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady.
“No, and I'm only dating her because I see a future with her. That’s exactly what you taught me, so I’ve been taking your advice all these years.
No girlfriends, only hook ups with random women because I was afraid of what my perfect mother would say if I ever committed to one. But this with Amber, it’s different.”