I cast a glance at Mom and she’s smiling hard.
“Thanks,” I mutter, my voice all rough and gravel.
“You’re taking business as an elective, why?” Dad asks.
“Because I like it,” I reply as if it isn’t obvious to him.
“I thought you’d be pursuing boxing. Derek mentioned how passionate you are about it. Enough to sneak out and fight matches at illegal, underground places.”
A flicker of anger flares up beneath my skin, making me look at him in fury.
“I know what I’m going to do in life,” I reply in a tight tone.
Dad spares me a glance, and frowns. “I didn’t mean it as a jab. I was just saying that I know what you’ve been up to. Still, I think it’s dangerous, and you shouldn’t get involved, but you fight anyway because you genuinely love the sport.”
“I love boxing but I won’t be pursuing it. I want to pursue a degree in business,” I say.
Dad seems content with my answer. “As you should. You have the spark.”
Mom puts her hand on his and looks at me. “Do what you love. It’s important that you’re following your heart.”
Dad sighs but doesn’t say a word to disagree with her.
She looks over at Hope. “What about you, dear? What do you plan on doing?”
I take a bite and then look at her.
Hope has almost finished half of her plate, but now that all the attention is on her, she puts down her fork and focuses on my mother. “I don’t know, really. My mother wants me to become a doctor but I don’t think it’s for me.”
Mom shoots her a reassuring smile. “Just as I told Heath, do what you love.”
My girlfriend nods just to agree with her.
“Heath said you love books. Maybe follow that career path. There’s so much you can do.”
A real smile graces her face. “That’d be a dream come true.”
Mom laughs seeing her enthusiasm. “You should definitely make that dream a reality. I can tell just from the light in your eyes that you love books more than anything in the world.”
“I do. But I also love your son,” she says without thinking.
A second later, the smile wipes away from her face and her entire face turns bright red.
My parents stare at my girlfriend in utter shock, while I can’t help but grin at her honesty.
She fidgets with her hands and refuses to meet their curious gazes.
“I love her, too,” I say, ending her embarrassment, and not caring that my parents hear me. “More than anything.”
Hope lifts her head and holds my gaze. Sincerity and vulnerability swim in those pretty brown eyes and tugs my heartstrings.
“I’ve known it for a while,” Mom says confidently, making us both look over at her. “It was the look in your eyes when you talked about her. I could tell this girl was special to you.”
Then Dad speaks, “And I suspected this was serious because you spent a night in cell because of her and you had no regrets.”
At the time, I didn’t realize it, but I was already in love with her.
I had fallen hard for her, so hard that I had lost my fucking mind.
