“Computers take over the brunt of the work, but it helps to be able to do mental maths to double-check the sums. I bet your favourite subject was PE.”
I fake gasp. “How did you guess?”
“Have you always been sporty?”
“Yes.”
“Was that your mum’s influence or your dad’s?” He gapes, widens his eyes, and drags his hand over his face slowly. “Shit. I’m sorry.”
I frown. “What for?”
“You’ve never mentioned your dad. I have no idea what kind of relationship you have with him, or even if—” He shakes his head.
I press my hand against his cheek. “It’s fine. I don’t know who my dad is. Gran loved football. She took me to toddler football classes, and my love of sport grew there.”
“You didn’t want to be a footballer?”
“No. I prefer solo sports.”
“Your gran sounds great.”
I smile. “Yeah, she was.” I slide my hand to his chest and play with his wispy hair. “I grew up thinking she was my mum.”
Jacob stares at me.
“Mum had me when she was sixteen. She wasn’t ready to take on the responsibility of having a kid, so Gran raised me. I’m not entirely sure whose idea it was, but I grew up thinking Gran was my mum and Mum was my sister.”
Jacob runs his fingers through my hair tenderly. “When did you find out that wasn’t the case?”
“When I was ten. Gran got sick. She said she wanted me to know before she—” My voice breaks, and my chin trembles.
“I’m sorry.” He pulls me against his chest and rubs my back.
“It’s okay.”
“Was it hard for Molly and you to adjust to being mother and son?”
“Yeah. She’d never had to discipline me, had always been the cool older sister. Then she was suddenly my mum, and I was meant to do what she told me. And fuck, I was angry because Gran was dying, and they’d lied to me my whole life. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m telling you this.” I sniffle against his chest.
“I’m glad you did.”
“Really?”
“Yes.” He kisses my hair.
I snuggle into his embrace. “Yay for messy families. I guess.”
He chuckles sadly.
“Thank you for listening.”
He nudges me away a little and strokes my face. He smiles, which makes me smile. “If you need to talk, I’m here for you.”
I stick out my tongue. “I see what you did there.”
He pushes me onto my back and lies over me. “Are you done asking random questions?”
I wrinkle my nose. “For now. Why? What do you want to do?”
