My mouth dropped open. “You’re—”
“Engaged to your mother, yes,” Remi finished for me. “Charles, a word, please.”
Charlie stared at his father before he turned to look at me. “Wait, say that again, Jonesy.” His dark eyes flashed with fear and worry.
“Your father is engaged to Mama.”
“Your mother is Alice?”
I nodded. “Charlie, I—”
“You should probably leave, Jones.” He cut me off before I could say anything else. “Before this gets out of hand and you hear things you might not like.”
My chin began to tremble. Before I said or did something I might regret, I quickly grabbed my clothes, the ones I had worn but hadn’t slept in, and found my sneakers under the chair where my clothes had been placed.
I felt hot tears sting my eyes, but I wouldn’t cry. Not here in front of them. My phone was on the table next to the bed, and when I slid it into my pocket, I glanced at Charlie, but he was much too interested in the floor of his bedroom to meet my gaze.
I left Charlie’s bedroom without saying goodbye, without him looking me in the eye or kissing me again, and when I hit the beach, which was starting to fill up with patrons for the day, tears began to slip down my cheek. By the time I opened the front door to our trailer, I was sobbing so hard I could hardly breathe, and when Mama saw me, she quickly rushed to gather me in her arms.
“My sweet baby, what happened?” she whispered.
That only made me cry harder. How could I tell her that the boy who I liked so desperately was going to be her stepson?My stepbrother?
“It’s not good, Mama.” I whimpered as she smoothed my hair.
“Why, sweetie? Tell me?” Mama asked as she pulled back to wipe the tears from my eyes. “What did he do?”
I shook my head. “I need to be alone right now.”
“Did he hurt you? Did he push you for too much?” Mama’s eyes searched my face.
“No. Please, I just want to be alone,” I whispered.
She pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Jones, I love you. You know you’re my perfect boy, and he’s an asshole.”
“Mama!”
She smiled. “Well, sometimes it’s okay to swear when it comes to moments like this.”
“I’m going to lie down,” I told her and made sure to lock my bedroom door when I got to my room.
I cried until I was completely drained. Until there wasn’t a tear left in my body. Screamed into my pillow, hoping Mama didn’t hear me. Fudge Charlie Callahan. He didn’t deserve me. If I had known... It didn’t matter. If I had known Charlie was going to be my stepbrother, I still would have let him kiss me because I liked him. I wanted him.
I flopped onto my back and heard the sound of my phone. I didn’t want to hear from my friends. I wanted to wallow in my own sadness and depression. Yet I found myself reaching for my cell, only to find it wasn’t Ollie or Travis. It was Charlie.
Charlie:I’m sorry. My father can be difficult.
Charlie:I hope you’re coming for dinner tonight. I want to see you again so we can talk about what happened. Explain things toour parents.
Charlie:I’m sorry, Bashful. Give me another chance.
My stupid heart leaped at his words, and I knew that I would give him anything he wanted.
Chapter Eight
Jones
I spent the rest of the day worrying that Remington had told Mama he’d found me in his son’s bed. In his son’s clothes. That she knew thathisCharles wasmyCharlie and that she wouldn’t let me see him again. I was already too far gone for that to ever happen. I wasn’t in love with him, but I was certainly something for the boy. The mole next to his lip, his brown eyes, his dark hair, the way he kissed me, the way he said my name when he came. I blushed right up to the roots of my hair when I thought about that.
