By the last few words, she’s yelling, and, drawn by the racket, Analise sticks her head around her door. “Oh, hey, Mom,” she greets. “Glad you’re home. Dad was getting ready to come hunt you down.”
Mom gives her a small smile, her antagonism dissipating like it was never there. “Hi, baby. Thanks for holding down the fort.” Analise salutes and disappears again, and Mom turns back to me, her smile rapidly falling away. “Braxton,” she says heavily. “You have broken that girl, and I don’t even want to look at you right now.”
“I wasn’t cheating on Gracie,” I say desperately. “I made a mistake.” I grimace at her expression. “Mistakes.And I lied, yeah. I’m not denying that, but?—”
Mom snaps her fingers impatiently, and I clamp my mouth shut. “Gracie told me everything,” she tells me, giving me a mean little smile. It’s an expression I’ve never seen on her before, and a shiver skates down my spine. “But obviously, that’s her side. So, let’s hear yours, okay?”
I swallow, a feeling of dread tightening my throat until it feels like I can’t breathe. “Okay.”
She’s still standing in front of the door, not making amove, and it doesn’t give me a lot of hope for the direction this conversation is about to take.
Mom inhales deeply, clasping her hands together. “Did you spend time alone with Paisley, even after Gracie specifically asked you not to?”
“Yes,” I croak, squeezing my eyes shut, not wanting to see the disappointment in her eyes.
“Did you tell Gracie that you were spending time with Paisley?”
My shoulders hunch up to my ears, and I peel my eyes open, knowing I can’t hide from this. “No.”
Mom hums softly. “Did you organize to meet Paisley in Ashland after your counseling session?”
“No,” I say, voice too loud. “It wasn’t planned, but we had coffee. My head was a mess, so Paisley suggested we do our Christmas shopping together. It didn’t mean anything.”
“Happened,” Mom mutters under her breath. “You helped pick out that necklace? The perfume?”
“No.” I shake my head, renewed agitation flaring at the reminder of Paisley’s claims. “We were in the jewelry store together. It’s where I got Gracie’s earrings. I wasn’t even paying attention when she asked me about the necklace, but she never said it was for Gracie. The perfume…” I frown, trying to think back. “I don’t think she bought it that day.”
Mom narrows her eyes. “I almost believe that one.” She looks away, her shoulders sagging. “So why did you come home so late that night? Gracie said it was after midnight.”
“I…” I trail off, remembering the way Paisley leaned her head against my shoulder, the feel of her hand in mine. I clench my hand into a fist, trying to dispel the sensation. “We went to the movies.”
Mom blinks. “So you had a date with her?”
“No,” I burst out, but she’s not listening.
“Did you confide in Paisley about anything you shouldn’t have, Braxton?” I clamp my mouth shut, and her face falls. “You did, huh?” she whispers. “Did you talk to her about Gracie?”
I shrug helplessly. “It wasn’t anything. Paisley asked why Gracie seemed so cold to her, and she wanted to get to know the woman I was with. I told her—” Realization surges like a bucket of icy water being thrown over my head, and my mom nods.
“Go on.”
“I told Paisley that the holidays were hard for Gracie.” I rush to add, “But I didn’t say why.”
“You don’t think telling her even that much was enough?” Mom asks gently. “You know Gracie doesn’t share her history with just anyone. It tookmonthsbefore she let you in, and even longer before she let us in. And you’re sharing information about you—about her, about your relationship—with Paisley?AfterGracie told you how uncomfortable she was?”
A kindling of resentment ignites in my chest. “Gracie really did tell you everything, huh?”
“You’re an idiot,” Mom says simply. “And until you realize just how much of an idiot you were, you need to stay away from Gracie. I won’t have you going over there and telling her she’s overreacting, or that she’s reading into things that just aren’t there.”
“I didn’tcheat,” I say hotly, and a throat clears behind me. I turn and find my dad standing there with his arms crossed and a scowl on his lips.
A hand lands on my shoulder, and I look back at Mom. “You need to go home and get some sleep,” she suggests softly. “Take some time, and figure out exactly what you did wrong. Because it’s not as simple as losing Gracie thathouse, Braxton. You’ve broken her trust in a way I don’t think you’ll ever be able to repair.”
I head straight home,as much as I want to drive the other way and go to Gracie’s. I fucking hate that I can’t just go talk to her, but I know my mom is right.
I take the stairs up to my apartment, each step sluggish. I barely get the door unlocked before I hear a voice behind me. “Braxton! I’m so glad you’re home.”
Incredulity fills me as I turn around to face her. “Paisley. What are you doing here?”
