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She looked slightly mollified. "I'm sure he was. Like I said, he never got over me."
"He's up here working on some new app in conjunction with MIT. Some sort of social media innovator or aggregator or something. He has a launch coming up. He said this is his biggest deal yet." I watched her as she picked imaginary lint off of her yoga pants. "He seems lonely."
"There's a good reason for that, darling. He's a wildebeest." She searched for more lint. "Is he seeing anyone?"
I knew she'd come around. "Actually, no. He seems lonely…"
* * *
I eventually packed my mother up and sent her back to the Plaza. Even though the thought gave me a wicked headache, I promised to call her later.
&nb
sp; Kyle hadn't come out of the room. I knocked tentatively on the door.
"Come in," he said flatly. It sounded as if that black cloud was back.
I went in and sat on the edge of the bed. "She's gone… for now."
"Why is she here? Why now?" He propped himself up on the pillows and clicked off the television, studying my face.
"She was just… worried. Or bored. Or something." I looked at him. "At least she's gone now. Ugh, our parents really give me a headache."
"You're speaking my language, babe." He patted the bed next to him. "C'mere."
I scooted toward him, and he pulled me close and kissed the top of my head.
"She's furious about you. That I kept you a secret from her. She was furious at me anyway—for putting my career in jeopardy by drinking. She'll probably try to stick me in Betty Ford to get me away from you and make it look like I've officially cleaned up."
"Do you trust her?" he asked.
I looked at him sharply. "She's my mother, Kyle. I don't trust her judgment, per se, but I don't think she'd ever do anything to intentionally hurt me. Why do you ask?"
He shook his head. "It's… nothing. I just remember what she was like when she was divorcing my father. It was like there was no limit to what she would ask for. And the stuff you've told me about how she takes advantage of you? She just seems… predatory. I'm sorry to say that."
I sat up and pulled away from him. "Maybe that's because you shouldn't have said it."
He sighed and gave me a long look. "Is it wrong that I want to protect you?"
I bristled, even though part of me was collapsing all over myself at his words. "I don't need to be protected."
"I know." He brushed my hair back from my forehead. "But even though I know that, I still feel that way. And it's probably not going to change."
"But you have to trust my judgment. You have to trust that I can take care of myself—and my mother, for that matter."
"I know. I do." He pulled me against him again, and I didn't resist; our time was running out. I could feel it. "But can you accept that I'm still going to watch your back? And worry about you, even if you don't need me to?"
"Why?" I leaned my head against his chest and luxuriated in the feel of his muscles all around me, protecting me even when I said it was the last thing I needed.
"Because." He kissed the top of my head. "You can get used to that, can't you?"
"Of course I can." And that was exactly what I was worried about.
Kyle
A little while later, after Lowell had let me make love to her again, I slipped out of the room while she slept. My phone had been buzzing for the past hour.
Balls deep in the woman I loved, I'd chosen to ignore it. But I had a sinking feeling that it was something that needed my attention.
