Chapter 29

Jase I drag the phone away from my ear at the shrill of laughter. It’s great hearing my mom so chipper, but no one needs this much information on the latest romance novel her book club is reading, least of all her son. Gah…

My dad has returned from China and we even manage to exchange a few friendly words over the phone before he hands it over to my mom. To my surprise, he thanks me for coming home to check on her while he was away. I didn’t think he’d notice or care, so it’s good to know he did.

“How’s Avery?” Mom asks next. “I told your dad how pretty and sweet she is.”

Shit. Just hearing her name is like a kick to the gut. I try to decide what to say next. “Ah…She and I aren’t seeing each other anymore.”

“Jase Alexander Owens. What did you do to screw things up?”

“Nice, Mom. Thanks for automatically assuming it was me.”

She’s quiet for a second, but I can tell she won’t just let this drop, like I’m silently begging her to do.

“That girl was sweet as pie, Jase, and I could tell how you two felt about each other. What happened?”

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my rioting nerves. “Let’s just say, she was hiding some major skeletons in her closet and she wasn’t who I thought she was.” It sounds like a bullshit excuse when I say it out loud. I don’t know if I’m hurt because Avery didn’t trust me with the truth after I’d been so open with her, or if I’m just hurt that I wasn’t the first to be with her.

“Jase, we all have things in our pasts we wish we could take back. You, me, and I know your dad regrets how he handled things with you. But we don’t just cut people out of our lives when they make mistakes. I thank God every day that you forgave me. And heaven knows, over the years, you’ve made your fair share of mistakes, too.”

Shit fuck. I can’t argue. “I guess it was more how I found out. I wish Avery would have trusted me enough to come to me herself with the story.”

“Yes, I get it. But did you ask her why she didn’t come to you? Give her a chance to explain herself?

Maybe she was going to tell you, or maybe she had a good reason why she thought she couldn’t.”

Dammit. I hate it when my mom’s right.

Her voice softens. “Just have one more conversation with her, Jase. That’s one of my biggest regrets –

I wish I would have talked more openly about things with you and your dad. I just don’t want you to have any regrets.”

“I love you, Mom.” Now drop it.

“Love you more, Jasey. So, are you going to talk to her?”

“We’ll see.” After how I treated her, I don’t know if Avery will still want to talk to me. And then there’s the matter of admitting to her that I fucked up that one night by letting Stacia into my bed. I doubt she’ll be happy about that.

“Okay, bye, honey,” Mom says.

I hang up and stare at the phone in my hands. It’d be too simple just to call her. What would I say, though? I’ve kept in touch with her friend Madison so that I can keep tabs on how Avery’s doing. Just because she isn’t mine doesn’t mean I don’t worry about her. I know my Mom’s advice is going to ring in my head until I talk to Avery one last time.