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As both of them start to complain, I grab my phone and tap in 9-1-1. My mother stares at me for a moment before huffing and grabbing Chloe’s arm. They storm out, the front door slamming behind them. I breathe a sigh of relief before going to lock the door.
Once I’m sure the doors are locked, I call Tracey. It goes straight to voicemail. I sigh and dial her number again. She picks up on the second ring.
“Liam, I don’t have time for this.”
“I know. I’m sorry they did that, Tracey. I took my key back from my mother and kicked them out. I’ll be changing the locks, just in case she has an extra key. Trust me, I don’t believe anything that either of them said. You shouldn’t either. You’re amazing.”
“I know I am,” Tracey says, her tone hard. “Which is why I don’t deserve that.”
“I’m done with them. I told them as much. No more.”
“I need time to think.” Tracey sighs, the anger seeming to drift out of her, carried away on the blowing wind I can hear in the background. “Liam, this isn’t the kind of life I want for my daughter, and I won’t force her to listen to that shit.”
Even though it kills me, I understand. If I were in her position, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near my mother or Chloe. I’ve tried to avoid them as much as possible. Tracey’s right to keep Deja away from my family. They’d be cruel to her, even though she’s only a teenager.
“I know.” Lord, did I know. I would make the same decision if I were her. I would protect my daughter at all costs, even if it meant walking away from me. “I know this isn’t what you want. I’m not going to let her treat you like that, and I hope you know that.”
“I know, Liam. I just need time to think.”
“I know,” I say again, my heartbeat speeding up. The relationship has barely even started and it feels as if it is slipping through my fingers.
“Bye, Liam.”
“Bye, Tracey.”
Fuck.
Chapter Eleven
Tracey
It has taken me a week to process what happened at Liam’s. My first instinct was to give his mother and that evil so-and-so, Chloe, a piece of my mind, but my mom had raised me better. That doesn’t mean I’ll tolerate them disrespecting me or my daughter. They are a pair who clearly deserve each other, and I want nothing to do with either of them.
I’m grateful Liam has left me alone, not pushing for a decision. He’s giving me time to grapple with the implications of being with a man who comes with baggage I don’t think I want to handle. At all.
The respect he’s showing me with this just makes me fall harder for him, though… as if that were even possible.
I grab my phone, the hesitation I’ve felt all week as I hovered my finger over his name finally gone. A small smile crosses my face as I open up our messages.
Tracey:Your mother is horrible, and your ex-fiancée is even worse.
Liam:Tell me something I don’t know. Does this mean you changed your mind about breaking up with me?
Tracey:This means I’m willing to try again, but I’m not going to stick around if your mother treats me like shit (excuse my French). That’s a hard no for me. I don’t deserve that and neither does Deja. I won’t put her in that kind of world.
Liam:My mother is as far out of my life as she can be without disowning my entire family.
“Mom, are you okay?” Deja asks as she sits beside me on the couch. “You’ve looked like you were sad all week.”
Looking up from my phone, I smile at my daughter. “I’ve just had some things going on, nothing to worry about.”
Deja nods and bites her lip. “You think Liam would come over and help me with my portfolio? My photography teacher says I need to start building one for university applications next year.”
“I’m sure he would love to help. Why don’t you go get your camera, and I’ll invite him over?”
Deja takes off up the stairs as I send Liam a message. Forty-five minutes later he’s in the backyard with Deja, helping her take pictures of the flora. I stand in the doorway watching them talk as if they’re the best of friends.
Long after Liam had left that night, Deja is still talking about all the things he had shown her. After she disappears into her room to edit the photos, I send him a message.
