AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m sorry,” I whisper to him. He just smiles. “Tell me more about your mom. What was she like?”
“Oh, she was beautiful, Allie.” I can believe that. Any woman who pushes out a handsome guy like Jake Larsonsurelyhas to be a stunner. “She was an athlete like me, but a soccer player. Then she had me. Growing up, she was always there, always caring. I miss her...she was the only real woman in my life...until you.” I smile at that. Until me? That’s such a statement. A statement that makes my heart swell. “You would’ve liked her, babe.”
“Yeah, I probably would. But what if she wouldn’t like me? I mean, people in general would probably think I’m a distraction to your rapid hockey career,” I try to joke.
“No, my mom wasn’t like that. She would’ve liked you. Invited you to holiday dinners and shit. Made you cook with her,” he jokes.
But to me...I could see it as a possibility. I never thought I would fall in love with Jake. It feels like we’ve known each other forever. There’s so much comfort being around him that I can’t deny.
“Well, I think that’s an exaggeration,” I croak.
“If you knew my mom, she wouldn’t think so. You’re a lot like her.” I raise an eyebrow at that. “She would’ve asked me to marry you already,” he laughs, but my heart cracks. That’ll never happen with us.
“Okay, you can stop laying it on so thick. It sounds like you more than your mom.” I don’t need false promises. Especially since I already know our fate. This is very temporary. Jake Larson and I would never work out for obvious reasons.
“True. But she would’ve. And by the way, I would’ve agreed with her on that last part.”
I frown and look up at him, making him stop his pursuit through my scalp. “On what part?”
“On marrying you.”
And with that, he continues braiding my hair as if he didn’t just drop a large bomb on me.
JAKE
“Sit up and stop crying, boy. You look like a pansy ass right now.”
I can’t stop crying. We buried her in the ground today. Lung cancer. The worst form of it. All those nights coughing in bed...were leading up to this day. My mom is no longer here. My safe haven is gone.
We’ve just come back from her burial. My dad didn’t shed one tear. He was stone-faced throughout the entire ceremony. He was stone-faced on the way home. And he’s stone-faced now as he’s talking to me in the living room.
“Mom’s gone, Dad. Give me a break.” I never understood what she saw in him. He’s a fucking asshole. Not once did he offer to take care of her. She had to beg him to take her to chemo. The bastard didn’t even want topayfor it.
“What the fuck can you do, Jacob? She’s gone. It’s part of life. Now, shape up. We’re going to the ice rink.” The ice rink? What?
“Right now?”
I instantly regret it as he turns back to me. He’s giving me a challenging look. “Yes, Jacob, right now. Is that a fucking problem?”
“Well...we just came back from Mom’s funeral, Dad. Can we do this another day?”
The rueful laugh he gives me runs chills through my spine. “Jacob, throw on your fucking hockey gear. I’m not in the mood to argue.”
“And I’m not in the mood to play hockey after we just fucking buried Mom!” Before I know it, his fist comes in contact with my cheek. I’m on the ground, cradling my face, looking up at my dad. My face stings as he pushes me down.
“I’m done with your back-talking. If I have to ask you again, that will be a problem, Jacob. Now go get dressed.”
I can’t stop the anger building inside as I slowly get off the floor and walk upstairs.
I’m downstairs shortly after in my gear, my father nodding at me and both of us walking out of the door. On the drive over to the local ice rink, I look outside and see kids with their fathers. Whether it’s throwing around a football or talking on the front porch, I yearn for a relationship like that. A companionship. I’m not going to have that with my dad. I’m not sure I’mevergoing to have that with anybody. My dad’s right; I’m a pansy ass. And nobody will want to be around a guy like that.
I was sixteen years old. Go fucking figure.
Leia asked me about my dad. I’m not sure if she’d be ready for that baggage. If she hears about the bullshit that I go through, no doubt she’d leave me.
If she leaves, she’ll never come back.
And that thought scares me.
