by Claire, Ava
She offered a smile. “It’s okay, Cass. You’re an adult, making adult decisions.”
I took another step toward her, not sure if I wanted to hug her or check her temperature. Who was this understanding person and what had she done with the Ice Queen my mother had been lately?
“Can I tell you a story?”
I gave her a look. “Chance is waiting outside--”
“It’s a short story,” she cut in. “I had a friend who was in love with this man. I say man because she was barely out of college when they met and he was...older.”
I leaned against the counter, giving her my full attention.
“He was a writer,” she continued. “A brilliant writer. The things he could do with words…”
She drew a shaky, painful breath and my stomach tightened. It was pretty obvious that she wasn’t talking about a friend at all. She was talking about herself. She was talking about Dad.
“He could make you feel everything, experience it right on down to your bones. Words that lasted--you’d put aside and days, weeks, months later, you would see, smell, or taste something and you’d be back on that page.”
I swallowed hard, but the fire in my throat only intensified when I saw the tears in her eyes. “Mom--”
“She brought this guy home to meet her parents,” she pressed on. “Her conservative, meat and potato family. They thought he was pretentious and a dreamer, even though he’d found success with several books of poetry and short stories. I believe a direct quote from my friend’s mother was ‘dirty hippy’.” Her mouth quirked into a smile. “They had other plans for their daughter. They wanted her to marry a fellow lawyer, a doctor, a stock broker. Something respectable. But my friend was in love--a passionate, sometimes complex love.”
“Complex?” I asked, frowning.
“Every relationship has its ups and downs. I’m not--” She stopped, realizing her trip up. “My friend’s not perfect. And neither was her guy. But when you love someone that deeply, it possesses you. And she was possessed by him. She lived for him. And he for her.”
That passion sounded familiar. Even after we broke up I felt the pangs, the wrongness when I kissed someone else. I couldn’t kill our love because I would have been killing a part of myself.
“So despite her parent’s reservations, my friend married the man. They eloped and that was the final straw. She didn’t speak to her parents for years.”
“What?” I interjected, scratching the record. That was news to me. Grams never did a good job of hiding her dislike of Dad, even after he won a Pulitzer. But she and Mom were always thick as thieves.
“They called a truce when my friend learned she was pregnant,” she explained with a smile. A tear dashed from her cheek and she swiped it away before continuing. “Her mother only asked one question: ‘Can you live without him?’” She sniffled, blinking back tears. “My answer was no, Cass. And now I’m going to ask you the same question--can you live without Chance?”
I felt the weight of her question crash into me. I thought about the dark, attractive man with his nose in a book, the mystery that begged to be unraveled and the instant attraction neither of us could deny. I remembered our first time and knowing that something was fundamentally change inside of me--and the gaping hole in my chest after I found him cheating.
And then there was hope, embers fanning into flames when I saw him again. I remembered that we were special. I was special. And strong. And capable of learning how to forgive.
“Can I live without him?” I murmured, gathering my answer. “I’m the daughter of Rhyder and Elise Woods. I can do anything. I did live without him, Mom. I can live without him. I just don’t want to. He makes me better. Happier. We’re better together.”
She held out her arms. “Then I’ll respect your decision.”
I rushed into her embrace, breathing in the love, the safety. Hugging her was like going home.
She pulled back, holding me at arm’s length. “I think I have something to say to Chance.” When I made a face, she added, “Nothing rude, I promise.”
I let her walk ahead, locking the apartment behind us. “And nothing embarrassing?”
“No promises,” she winked.
Tingles danced over me when I saw Chance perched on the hood of my Bug. He stood up, a smile wavering when he saw my mother behind me.
“Chance,” she started, “I suppose it’s high time you and I were reacquainted.”
He shook her hand cautiously. “Mrs. Woods-”
“Elise,” she corrected. “And before you say anything else, I wanted to apologize for being rude. Protecting my daughter isn’t a good enough excuse. Not when she made it clear that she wanted you back in her life, come hell or high water.”
Chance gave her a smile and I saw the blush of relief spread across his face. “That means a lot coming from you. And I will never hurt your daughter or betray her trust again. That’s a promise.”
“Oh I know you won’t,” she answered sternly.
A few more awkward moments passed before she said her goodbyes and then it was just me and Chance. I glanced around the parking lot, making sure we were alone before I inched close to him. He picked up on my hesitation and hooked a finger through the belt loop of my jeans, sending pangs of want through me.
“So things went well with your mom, huh?” He brought me in close, completely forgetting that we were in public.
I didn’t pull away. “Things went great.”
“What changed her mind?”
I leaned in, pressing my lips against his. I just couldn’t help myself. I had a lot of time to make up for, after all. “Love.”
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Thank you for taking the time to read The Test. Please consider leaving a review. xoxo A.C.
About the Author
Ava Claire is a sucker for Alpha males and happily ever afters. When not putting pen to paper or glued to her Kindle, Ava likes road tripping, karaoke, and vintage fashion.
**Stay tuned to Ava’s blog for more info on new releases!**
http://avaclaireromantica.blogspot.com