by Mj Fields
He grips Mom’s shoulder firmly but gently, and she looks back at him. I watch their eyes meet, and then he gives her a slight nod. She shakes her head, and I hear Lexi sniffle.
Needing to stop the inevitable, I take Lexi’s hand and the two steps it takes to get from my desk to my closet.
“Fifty-three miles, Mom. It’s less than an hour’s drive,” I reiterate what I have said a million times since my acceptance letter from Syracuse University came in March.
March was the month when the hugs became longer, when every night became a face-to-face goodnight, and if I fell asleep before she said it, she woke me up just to tell me goodnight. Who does that?
My mom, Emma.
Brody would just stand in the doorway, taking turns smiling at her adoringly and smirking at me when I would roll my eyes as the hugs lasted longer each and every night.
Brody is standing beside her at his full height, shoulders squared, his usual smiling face hard as stone, and his lips are in a straight line. He’s being strong for her while she breaks.
When Mom hugs me a little tighter than usual, I whisper, “You promised me, Mom.” I am trying to act as if it’s no big deal that I’m now a freshman in college.
“I’m sorry, London, but I can’t let you do this,” she whispers her near silent cry.
I know she expects a fight—that’s what she has gotten for months now. I have been a complete and total brat because, like it or not, I am growing up, and it is time to become...me. I was trying the tough love thing on her because, well, she needed it, and I needed her to get it together for me, for Lexington, and yes, for Brody. I know this, she knows this. It’s nothing different than what any other family deals with.
But we aren’t any other family. No matter how much we want to be, we never have been.
“Remember the plan, Em?” Brody whispers from behind her.
We all remember the plan. They may not know it, but Lexi and I have used it as some sort of humorous outlet to soften the blow that this day would bring.
I look at Lexi and cross my eyes. When she laughs, I give her a big hug and whisper, “Number three, it’s time for you to take control of the ‘rents.”
“Number two, I can do that, just until you get home. Or if Maddox is around, because he’s number one.”
“Right.” I lean back and give her a stern nod.
She returns it then turns toward our parents. “It’s time to go. Get it together so these people don’t remember you all boo-boo faced when it’s my turn to bleed orange.” Lexi uses the catch phrase that all the Syracuse Orange fans use.
To this, we all laugh. I mean, it’s only half a joke to little Miss Know-it-all, but it’s still funny.
I allow one more quick hug, when mom starts up.
“You could be in an apartment with security.”
“There’s security, and I’m in a quad, with a private room and a locking door,” I remind her.
“You could be—”
Tough love, I think before I tell her, “You want me home for the first long weekend or to stay here?”
“London!” she gasps.
“Mom, please. This isn’t easy for me either.”
Her face scrunches up with realization and she squeaks out, “I love you more, London.” Then she looks at Lexington, “You ready?”
I watch them walk out the door to the quad leading to the hallway.
Lexington turns and looks at me, right before the dam breaks and her tears burst out. I crouch down and open my arms as she runs back to me.
Hugging her, I whisper, “You were supposed to be the strong one.”
“Mm-hmm,” she whispers, hugging me tighter.
“I love you more, Lexi,” I whisper, giving her another squeeze before she finally lets go.
“I know.” She smiles as I wipe away her tears. “Even when you’re being an angsty teen.”
“Yeah, even then.” I roll my eyes, fighting tears of my own.
Then she runs back to our parents.
I stand in the hallway, watching them walk out. I look at my watch again to see how much time I have left before I meet the three girls I will share this space with while not being London Fields anymore, but being Elle Fields.
After taking a walk around the floor, using the map given in the orientation package, I return to my room. I have over an hour before I meet the roomies.
Nervous excitement causes me to nearly give in to biting my nails, a habit I have worked hard on breaking. I laugh as I remember Lexi telling me to get tips on them when she saw me struggling not to scrape the gel polish off them with my teeth.
I told her I would not have any artificial parts on my body.
She laughed and said, “Like Logan’s girls?”
I couldn’t help laughing, too. Then I made sure she knew my nails had nothing to do with a boy.
What came out of her know-it-all little mouth? “Maybe not consciously.”
Consciously? What the heck does that even mean? Clearly, I’m aware of what it means, but how did she even know? At nine?
I laugh long and hard, then hear a deep laugh and nearly jump off my bed.
I look up to see a tall, hooded man at my door with a pizza. Then I look at my phone and sigh.
“Do you think the hoodie makes you unrecognizable?” I scold Maddox, though I can’t help smiling.
My stepbrother is six-feet-tall, with a wavy mess of dark brown hair. His face is never without stubble, and no way in hell could he be mistaken for a pizza delivery boy, regardless of what that stupid sweatshirt says.
“It doesn’t?” he asks, walking over and sitting on my bed.
“What are you doing?” I say with a chuckle.
“Wanted to check out the place, see where you’d be, and give you this.” He hands me the pizza before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a black box. “And this.”
I toss the pizza down and grab the box, ready to open it, then hesitating. “It can’t be flashy, or I won’t accept.”
“I don’t do flashy, London.” He smiles, pushing it back to me. “Open it.”
Inside the box is a very thin cuff bracelet. It’s silver and dainty. Inscribed on it are the words, Love Yourself More.
I look up at him, and he smirks.
“Secrets can be hidden from the ‘rents, London, but not from your big brother.” He wraps it around my wrist. “You never judged me. Even at my weakest, you kicked me in the ass with your words when I deserved it.” He finally clasps it and lets go, “Never hide anything from me, London, and I will always be your biggest fan. Just like you were mine from the first day we met.”
Acknowledgments
Luke and Ava have been with me from the very beginning of this storytelling journey.
Parts of the Legacy series and its characters were adapted from my own family and hometown, so I need to thank the ‘Fields’ family for always being there through thick and thin...even when some of us push away at times because our families’ love knows no bounds, or boundaries. Lol.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
To C&D Editing:
Your love of books and truths in editing teach me so much.
Kris, the fact that 27 Truths is still your profile picture makes me believe in my ability and trust in your dedication even more.
To Kim:
You’re a rock star and there in a moment’s notice. I adore you and your eagle eye.
To Jules:
Just know that you are loved, adored, and talented beyond words. No matter what you may feel or think (and that shit needs to change), I see you and you are beautiful.
To Heather:
You have been a part of this series and a champion for me. I appreciate you so much and love you to pieces.
To Lisa (TRSoR):
You being here humbles me. Your honesty excites me.
To My Readers, my friends:
You are inspiring and beautiful, and if I had a magic wand to gift you all the joys you have gifted
me through the years, I would so wave it over all of you. For now, I will keep writing for me, for you, and because of you.
To Quinn:
Your eyes tell a story, and I thank you for allowing me to share them with this community. I can’t wait to see where this journey brings you.
To C:
No matter the hurt, the pain, what tomorrow holds for you and I separately, please know that I have always wanted nothing but the best for you, and I want it for me, too.
Thank you for being part of my “realizations.”
LYA.
To Ally:
Dream, baby girl, dream big, and don’t you dare stop.
Love smarter than me and leave the things that you cannot control to faith.
Everything happens for a reason, you’ll see.
Also by MJ Fields
THE LEGACY SERIES FAMILY OF BOOKS
(Recommended reading order)
The Love Series
Blue Love
New Love
Sad Love
True Love
The Wrapped Series
Wrapped In Silk
Wrapped In Armor
Wrapped Always and Forever
The Burning Souls Series
Stained
Forged
Merged
LRAH Legacy Additions
Love You Anyway
Love Notes
The Way We Fell
The Truth About Love Series
27 Truths
27 Lies
The Firsts Series
Her First Kiss
His First Crush
Their First Fall
27 Truths About Their First Goodbye
Their First Time
THE STEEL WORLDS
(Recommended reading order)
The Men of Steel Series
Jase
Cyrus
Zandor
Xavier
Forever Family
Raising Steel
The Ties of Steel Series
Abe
Dominic
Eroe
Sabato
The Rockers of Steel Series
Memphis Black
Finn Beckett
River James
Billy Jeffers
The Match Duet
The Unsocial Dater
Match This!
ImPerfectly Matched!
The Steel Country Series
Hammered
Destroyed
Wasted
Tied in Steel series
Valentina
Paige
Gia
Steel Crew
(Generation 2)
Tagged Steel
Branded Steel (May 2021)
Laced Steel (July 2020)
Justified Steel (September 2020)
Tricked Steel (November 2020)
Title TBA (January 2021)
Title TBA (March 2021)
Title TBA (May 2021)
Title TBA (July 2021)
The Norfolk Series
Irons
Shadows
Titan
Timeless Love series
Unraveled
Deserving Me
Hearts So Big
Couture Love
The Caldwell Brothers Series
(co-written w/ Chelsea Camaron)
Hendrix
Morrison
Jagger
Visibly Broken
Use Me
Standalones
Offensive Rebound
About the Author
MJ Fields is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and new adult romance novels. She lives in New York with her daughter and smoochie faced Newfie, Theo.
When she's not locked away in the cave, she enjoys spending time with her family, listening to live music, watching theatre, singing off key, dancing to her own beat, listening to audio books, and reading— of course.
Forever Steel!
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