Page 46 of Tangled in Temptation

I raised my eyebrows. “Oh?”

“We’re going to have so much fun,” one of the girls said.

I wasn’t sure what to say. I didn’t want to embarrass Paisley in front of her friends. “Hey, can I talk to you for a second?” I said to her.

“Sure.” She smiled. “Be right back, guys.”

“Paisley,” I began tentatively, “I need to talk to you about something important.”

She tilted her head, curiosity in her eyes. “Sure, what’s up?”

I took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to approach the situation. It was none of my business, but I cared about Paisley. “You know your mom is back in town, right?”

Paisley shrugged. “Yeah, I know. But why does that matter? I’m not going back to Germany. I’m staying here.”

“Did she tell you that?” I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral.

Paisley frowned, her brows knitting together in a manner that was almost too mature for her age. “No, but why would she? She never tells me anything.”

I clenched my jaw, wondering how I was supposed to navigate this conversation without stepping on any toes. “Paisley, things are a bit complicated. Your mom and Timothy are dealing with some issues, and I think it’s important for you to understand what’s going on before making any decisions. Has Timothy told you that you are staying?”

She scowled, crossing her arms defensively. “I don’t care about their drama. I’m not going back to Germany. This is my home now. “

“Paisley, you need to talk to Timothy. He cares about you, and you need to know the truth about the situation. Going to high school here might not be as simple as it seems.”

Her eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering. “Why? What’s going on?”

“I can’t give you all the details, but there are things happening between Timothy and your mom. It might affect the plans you’re making. I just don’t want you to get your hopes up.”

Her sullen expression was back. I hated to be the one to rain on her parade, but with Timothy in the city, no one was here to tell Paisley the truth.

“I just want to stay here,” she said. “I finally have friends, a place where I belong. I don’t want to go back there. I know Timothy will tell my mom to leave me. She’ll listen to him.”

My heart ached for the young girl caught in the crossfire of adult conflicts. I didn’t think she knew just how hard Timothy was fighting for her. “Paisley, I understand, but you need to talk to Timothy. Find out the truth before making any decisions. It’s not fair to yourself to get your hopes up without knowing the whole story.”

She sighed, a mix of frustration and resignation evident in her features. “Fine, I’ll talk to him. But I’m not going back to Germany without a fight. I told Timothy I would run away or file for emancipation. I looked it up online. I can do it. She can’t make me go there. I know Timothy will let me stay.”

I smiled, impressed by her tenacity. “Just talk to him. That’s all I ask. But don’t be too hard on him. He’s really trying to get her to let you stay.”

“I know,” she sighed. “I better get back to my friends. I’ll see you later.”

As she walked away, her shoulders slumped slightly, the weight of this conversation weighing her down. I watched her go, her friends greeting her eagerly. She mustered a small smile for them and began laughing at something one of them said. She seemed older than her fifteen years.

It didn’t seem fair that she was caught up in the turmoil of her mother’s manipulations. Paisley deserved to be carefree and unburdened with thoughts of where she would live and what school she would attend. I hoped Timothy could find a way to give Paisely what she wanted without sacrificing himself. Although maybe that’s what he wanted.

Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything to Paisley, but I felt so bad for the girl. She was making all these plans, and no one was telling her the truth. She was fifteen but so much wiser than her years.

I walked back home, and after taking some time to answer a few emails, I made my way to my dad’s shop. I hoped Luke wasn’t there. It might be just a little awkward.

My dad was working as usual. He looked up and saw me. “Hey.” He smiled. “I thought you were in the city.”

“I came home last night.”

“Everything okay?”

“Yep.” I nodded. “Just got done what I needed to.”

“Did you enjoy yourself?”