I shoved a spear of asparagus across my plate, my grip tightening around the fork. Even Shay’s—if that was her name; who the fuck knew, who the fuck cared—voice scraped against my nerves as she prattled on about their wedding in Italy.
Italy.
My mom had always wanted to go. I looked up at Adam.
“So, Jude,” he said lightly. “I was thinking, after the Academy, I could probably get you into the Space Force. Though I’d really hoped you’d consider NASA’s offer…” His voice tapered off as he swirled the whiskey in his glass. The gesture made my teeth grind together. “But between Dr. Ebbard’s recommendation and mine—”
My fork clattered to the plate.His recommendation?My vision blurred red. I was going to get into the Space Force, but it was going to be done on the merit of my work. Not him. “With all due offense,” I bit out, leaning forward, jaw set, “your recommendation doesn’t mean shit.”
“Jude, language,” my mom pleaded.
“It’s okay Rose.” Adam wiped his mouth with his napkin, tossed it to his plate, and scooted back an inch as if ready for a fight.
Fuck him.
“If you have something to say, then say it. But I’m not going to sit here and pretend you aren’t wasting your mind in the hands of bureaucrats and generals. I tried to give you my advice—”
“The only thing I ever wanted from you was your time. Your attention. You couldn’t give me that.” My voice stayed steady, and I fixed my gaze on him, even as rage twisted tighter in my chest. “So let’s be clear—the second I walk out those doors—” I pointed toward the revolving glass entrance behind him, “ —I want nothing from you. No calls. No emails. No favors. Nothing.” I shook my head, a humorless laugh slipping out. “It’s almost funny. You sit here talking about marriage and starting a family when you’ve been running from yours for over a decade.”
My grandmother’s hand settled gently over my arm. I looked down at her and the quiet understanding in her eyes. She gave me a small nod toward the door. Exhaling, some of the heat drained out of me.
“Yeah,” I murmured, patting her hand before pushing my chair back to stand. Mom was already gathering her things beside me. “Adam,” I said, not bothering to lookat him again, “it’s been nice knowing you. Have a good life.”
I picked up my grandmother’s bag before slipping her arm through mine. Together, we walked out, my mother close behind us, leaving Adam exactly where he belonged—right where he’d left us. Behind.
“Are you coming back to the hotel, Jude?” Mom’s voice was tight, as we piled into the rental car. I could tell she was trying to hold it together for my sake, even though she didn’t have to. Adam wasmydad, and as much my burden as he once was hers. I was the only reason she was still tied to him, which subconsciously I knew I shouldn’t feel guilty for—but damn. It was hard to watch your mom cry. Especially over a loser. Even harder when that loser was your sperm donor.
“Mom,” I started, only to hesitate. I wasn’t sorry for ruining dinner. Anger still hummed beneath my skin. He was an asshole and he’d had it coming, but my mom’s eyes in the rearview mirror were glassy and tired. It was a shot to my heart. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”
“Don’t apologize. You stood up for yourself.” She turned, gaze relieving me of my guilt as she steadied it on the blur of trees outside her window.
My grandmother patted my hand once more as I shifted into drive. “Let’s get home,” she added, humming to herself.
Silence filled the car as we drove back to campus to grab the last of my things, then on to the hotel. Once I got them settled in the room, I slipped out with a beer I had stashed in my bag. Climbing to the rooftop, I stretched out on one of the lounge chairs, and let the night air settle over me. It was thick and sticky, a true Texas summer thatclung to the skin. Mostly, it was hot, and nothing close to summers back home.
Scrolling through my phone, I flicked past one news clip after another. Every headline, worse than the last. Tension between the United States and Russia was climbing, dragging half the world along with it.
“Great,” I muttered, taking a long pull from the bottle. “Just what we need.”
Everything was teetering lately, and right in the middle of my breakthrough with SOL. The project was gaining traction faster than anyone expected. Faster than I’d expected for sure. I’d already sat through two meetings with government officials who looked like they were trying to reconcile the fact that the person across the table from them—the one explaining the projections and real world applications—was only nineteen. To my surprise, SOL was already being considered for implementation across multiple fields—defense, aerospace, energy, and medical. I signed off on the patent weeks ago. Contracts were being drafted, funding approvals were nearly there. NASA would have offered me employment two weeks ago if I wasn’t barely legal.Screw Adam.
SOL was going to be the reason a Ransom made it to space. Which was almost ironic considering how badly Adam wanted to go. I snorted, taking another drink.
My thumb hovered over the small picture of Solace, arms raised, baton in the air. I snapped it over a year ago in band when she wasn’t looking and set it as her contact picture. Monday nights were long in the Davis household. Milo had swim practice and Solace held piano lessons for elementary students for a few hours before going to work at the movie theater. Mr. Davis was busy with coaching spring track and Dr. Davis worked longhours at the hospital. With graduation this weekend, I imagined their schedule being even more packed, but it didn’t stop me from pressing call. Solace’s phone rang a few times before cutting to voicemail. Figured.
I don’t really know what possessed me to do it, but I rang Milo instead, setting the phone on speaker.
“What’s up,” he answered after only a few rings.
I sat up, rubbing my arm across my forehead. “Oh hey man, I didn’t think you’d answer. What’s up?”
“Not much. Sitting at home, playing a few rounds. You gonna hop on?” Milo was sixteen now, and pretty much since a year ago, consistently kicking my ass at any game we played.
“Nah. I was trying to get a hold of Solace. Is she with a student?” Solace held piano lessons in their sitting room on the baby grand piano she’d gotten for her sixteenth birthday from her parents.
“No you just missed her actually. Some guy picked her up like twenty minutes ago. You know that empty restaurant downtown? They turned it into a smokehouse, they’re trying it out. I told her to bring me back some honey rolls, I hear they’re super good.”
I clutched the phone tighter. “Who picked her up?”
