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Carter groans and hugs me tightly. “Mom, can you please just go? This is so embarrassing. It won’t happen again, fuck. I’m literally moving out today. What does it matter?”
My heart sinks at the reminder, and I subconsciously clutch his t-shirt in my hands. Helen clears her throat.
“Of course it matters. Until this day is over, you still live under my roof, so you better damn well follow my rules. If she had the guts to sleep in my house without my permission, then she’d better have the guts to face me the morning after.”
I poke his chest and he lifts the sheets just slightly to look at me. I try my best to look at him reassuringly, but he shakes his head and covers me up again.
“Mom, please,” he says, throwing all his charm at her, but she won’t relent, like I knew she wouldn’t. I sigh and push against him before sitting up. The sheets fall away and I blink a few times to get used to the light.
Helen looks beyond shocked to see me in Carter’s bed. “I’m sorry,” I stammer, my face burning. “I didn’t mean to intrude, Helen. I told my dad I’d sleep over at Kate’s, but she was already asleep when I walked in and you know how she sleeps, all sprawled out… I was so tired last night and I fell asleep here. My dress was uncomfortable so Carter gave me one of his tees,” I explain, pointing towards the t-shirt I’m wearing. I feel horrible for lying and I’m sure my rambling isn’t helping my case, but I don’t know what else to say. Helen blinks at me, her eyes moving from me to Carter. “I should’ve just gone home, I know. I’m so sorry.”
She stares us both down and my heart races. I’m not sure we’ll get away with this. She seems mad as hell, and I’m not sure she’ll actually believe our excuses. Her eyes roam over our clothes on the floor and she chuckles humorlessly, as though she knows we’re lying. “So, nothing happened, huh?” she asks me. I shake my head at the same time as Carter. “Hmm,” she says, thoughtfully.
She crosses her arms and stares at us through narrowed eyes. “I’m going to let it go this time, and I’m choosing to trust you. You two better not betray that trust.”
Carter and I both nod. Helen is intimidating as hell, and there’s no way I’ll voluntarily find myself in another situation like this.
“So, what do you wanna have for breakfast?” she asks, relaxing slightly. “Seems like you two got drunk, huh? I’d better get some carbs into you. Come down in a couple of minutes.” We both nod, and she walks out of the room, closing the door behind her.
I fall back onto the pillow and Carter looks at me. We both stare at each other and then burst out laughing.
“Shit. I thought your mom was going to throw me out,” I say, exhaling in relief.
Carter laughs. “Nah, she adores the hell out of you. Any other girl, though… Yeah. She probably would’ve thrown out anyone other than you.”
He turns onto his side and looks down at me.
“Is it true?” I ask. “What you said?”
Carter frowns, clearly not following.
“That you haven’t had a girl in this bed? You were being so distant with me… I wasn’t really sure. I mean, if you did, I can’t even be mad at you. So, yeah.”
Carter looks away and smiles to himself. “No one but you, Minx. I can’t even imagine wanting someone else, even when you drive me insane. Besides, my mom’s always home during the day anyway, so it’s not like I could ever get away with it. I’ve never had a girl in this bed. Other than you, that is. Forget the bed, there’s only you, Emilia. I haven’t touched anyone else.”
I smile up at him and poke his chest. “You’d better not have,” I say. Carter laughs and hugs me tightly, neither one of us wanting to get up. He lowers his lips to mine and I promise myself that this will be the last time I’ll kiss him, but my heart knows that I’m lying to myself.
Chapter 39
Carter
Emilia and Kate both look so fucking sad as Asher and I pack up the car. I’d love to think that my sister is sad I’m leaving home, but it’s not me she’s concerned about. Nope, she’s looking at my best friend with heartache in her eyes. Part of me wishes they’d stayed away from each other a little longer. If they waited until they were both at college, they might’ve actually stood more of a chance. Asher looks as torn up as she does. They’re being so obvious that it’s hard for me to pretend like I don’t realize they’ve been getting together behind my back for weeks now. He wasn’t even being subtle when he suggested we pick his stuff up first and then mine. It’s obvious that doing it that way around means he gets to say goodbye to Kate, which he wouldn’t be able to do if I went to pick him up after I was done here.
Emilia, on the other hand… Her sadness is all for me. Part of me is still nervous, though. If I know my Minx at all, she’ll have one more trick up her sleeve. My mother bursts into tears as I put the last box in my trunk. I sigh and wrap my arms around her. It’s always been my mom that’s wrapped her arms around me. When did our roles reverse? When did she start to feel so small in my arms?
I hug her tightly and try my best to keep my heart from breaking. I hate seeing my mother cry. I don’t usually care about women crying, but there are three women in my life I can’t stand to see in tears. My mother, Kate, and Emilia.
“Maybe I should come with you — I could drive you there. What if there’s something wrong with your accommodation? We don’t know, right? We should check. What if you need something?”
I look at Emilia pleadingly and she takes on the role my sister is too heartbroken to assume. She puts her arm around my mother’s shoulder and hugs her tightly. My mother turns towards her and throws herself into Emilia’s arms. Emilia almost stumbles back from the impact, but smiles nonetheless.
“Milly,” my mom cries. “Tell him to stay, Milly. Just one more day,” she pleads. Emilia looks at me and I know that if she asks me to, I’ll do it. For a second I think she will, but then she shakes her head.
“He can’t stay, Helen. Asher and Carter have already stayed for as long as they could. Their orientation is soon. They have to go today,” she says. She rubs my mom’s back and part of me wishes my dad was here today instead of at work. I’m sure it’s going to be tough for my mom. Emilia looks at me reassuringly and I know my mother is in good hands, but it still hurts to leave them behind.
“Mom, you’ll be fine. I can either drive or fly back whenever you want me to, and you can come visit me whenever you want. Don’t cry like that,” I tell her. She nods and throws herself back into my arms. I laugh and hug her tightly.
“My baby. You’re all grown up now,” she says. I smile at her. She’s embarrassing the hell out of me, but she’s my mom, and I love her.
