Page 33 of Begin Again
I found out that Kaden’s mother lived in Portland, about an hour’s drive away. His parents were divorced, and he had an older brother who was more like their father, and with whom he didn’t get along.
I was surprised how much he revealed. I hung on his every word, and didn’t even notice that my teeth were chattering.
We decided to return to the shore.
Kaden pulled off his boxer shorts without hesitation. Startled, I averted my eyes and dug around for my cell phone in the sweater pocket. My need for nudity had been met for today.
Lost in thought, I unlocked my screen and stared.
My mother’s name stared back at me.
She’d tried to reach me twice.WTF?
In a panic, I erased the message and shoved the phone back into the sweater pocket. I didn’t want to know why she was calling me. It had probably taken her the entire month since I’d left Lincoln to figure out that I wasn’t coming home.
Kaden observed me without saying a word. Silently we made our way back.
The whole time I furrowed my brow and stamped harder on the path than needed, pushing branches aside. Seeing my mother’s name had triggered an unspeakable rage. I wanted to rid myself of it at any price.
“I never thought I’d hear myself say this,” Kaden said at some point when his Jeep was visible in the distance, “but I don’t like it when you’re so quiet. Somehow it’s not right. It’s like pizza without cheese. Or anchovies in your case.”
My hands were shaking in the pockets of his sweater. One call from my mother, and I was that weak, defenseless, little girl again. Dammit. “I thought that’s what you wanted.”
He stopped walking. “What’s wrong?”
I kept on going. I just wanted to crawl into bed and distract myself with Jessica Jones or Daredevil. “Nothing.”
“If you don’t tell me right now what’s up, Allison, then you can walk home.”
I whirled around and gaped at him in disbelief.
“Don’t look at me like that. I will leave your ass right here, and then you can figure out how to get back.” His eyes flashed. “It’s because we went skinny dipping, right? Come on, you know I wouldn’t have started anything, even if—”
“Get off it!” I yelled, and my cheeks grow hot. “My God, you’re so full of yourself, it makes me sick! First of all we weren’t skinny dipping; in case you didn’t notice, I was wearing underwear.”
“Oh, I noticed. Believe me.” The corner of Kaden’s mouth twitched.
I rolled my eyes and turned away from him.
“What about the ‘second of all’?” he egged me on, and caught up with me in two strides.
“There is no ‘second of all.’” Who would’ve thought that this beautiful day would end on such a downer.
“Good.” Kaden stomped past me and charged over to his car. He got in and started the motor.
Was this some kind of joke?He wouldn’t just leave me behind! I was cold and wet. What if there were wild animals here, looking for prey? I didn’t want it all to end with me as a decaying corpse in the wilderness.
Kaden swerved over and stopped next to me. The window rolled down part way. “Either you tell me why you look like you just found out your favorite band broke up, or I’m going. Your decision.”
I felt like kicking his damned car. “What does it matter to you?” I hissed. “Wasn’t it you who said I should keep my female troubles to myself? I’m just sticking to your stupid rules!”
“Whatever,” Kaden said, as he stepped on the gas pedal, revving the motor.
He was really driving off without me.
I clenched my hands so tightly that some of my knuckles cracked. “My mom called!” I cried.
The Jeep came to a grinding halt, kicking up a cloud of dust. He reversed and drove back.
“See? That wasn’t so hard to do.” I had expected Kaden to dig and demand an explanation. But he didn’t. Instead, he just gave me a wink and bent toward the passenger door, opening it. “Get in.”
It took me a moment to calm down. The rest of the ride, I stared out the window and let him pick the music. He played something I didn’t know yet, but it fit my mood.
The music took hold of my anger, and the loud drumming drove the rage right out of my body. At some point I finally relaxed and let my shoulders drop.
I would not let that woman rob me of my freedom.
In my mind’s eye, I replayed our trip. The whole day had been so beautiful, and Kaden was to thank for that. I turned to look at him. And without thinking, I had to smile.
