“I see that. I didn’t know you two knew each other.”
“We hung out some during my senior year of high school and that summer after I graduated.”
“He’s older than you,” she points out.
“Yes. Just a few years.”
“I feel like there’s more to this story. Am I right?”
I can never get anything past her momtuition, “We were more than friends. We were dating.
“But you and Cole were together.” Her voice is not judgmental but curious.
“Yep, I was with both of them,” I pause for a second. I might as well put it all out there, so I continue. “I dated Foster Holland too.”
“All three of them, at the same time?”
“Yeah. Not like all three of them at the same time during...you know.” I feel my cheeks heat.
I’ve stunned my mother into silence. She stares at me, her face blank. She’s giving nothing away about what’s going on in her head. My palms are sweaty, and I wipe them off on my pants. I wait for her to gather her thoughts. I know it’s a lot to take in.
“You dated all three of those boys when you were just a senior in high school?” she clarifies, her voice steady.
“It wasn’t until after I turned eighteen,” I defend, unsure if that makes it any better.
She takes my hand. “A relationship like that is difficult at any age, but it must have been even more so as a teenager. You should have told me. I would have supported you any way you needed.”
I lay my head on her shoulder, my eyes tearing up. “I’m sorry. I was so afraid of judgment, and it was never meant to be permanent. We all knew I’d have to pick someone in the end, but before I could, it collapsed in on itself.”
“And you’ve never trusted another man again. Maybe you should think about that.”
I sigh, “You sound like Emma. I do okay on my own.”
“Doing okay is not the same as being happy. We both love you and want you to be happy. That doesn’t mean you need a partner, but a good relationship can bring peace to life. I think you might need that.”
“I hate to admit it, but you might be right.”
Her laugh shakes my head. “Something to think about.”
“But how do I make sure it’s a good relationship?”
“Find the right man. And then communicate. You can never overcommunicate.”
“I get stuck at the first one. Have you seen the men that are out there nowadays?”
“The one that just left doesn’t seem half bad. Seems like he’s learning from his mistakes.”
“Been there, done that. Not going there again.”
She scoffs, “Sure. You tell yourself that.”
I gently shove her shoulder and stand up to head to my bedroom.
“Blake,” my mom calls out to me before I reach my door. I turn around to face her. “The baby? One of theirs?”
Her question has the tears I’ve been holding on to falling down my cheeks.
Chapter 9
