“At least you don’t torment all of us like you do Cannon.”
She grins and settles back down. “Only because you three would get a kick out of it, but Cannon is such a fucking control freak he gets all worked up over everything. He makes it way too easy and fun to mess with him.” She takes a bite, chews, and swallows before continuing. “Honestly, he acts like the kind of guy who wears slacks, button ups, and ties to work. Not covered in tattoos and piercings.”
“Hey,” I shrug, raising my hands, “looks can be deceiving.”
“Yes, they can be,” she agrees. “Now tell me, why are you really back here?”
“I told you—to see my mom.”
“What’d you fuck up so bad you had to come running back to mommy?”
“I fell in love.”
“You?” She snorts in disbelief. At my look she adds, “Oh my God, you’re serious. You fell in love?”
“Yeah.”
“What happened?”
“I fucked up, like you figured.”
“Did you cheat on her? Sell nude pictures of her? Kiss her best friend?”
“No, not any of those.”
“Then I can’t see what could possibly be so bad.”
“I got in between her and her dad. I won’t let her choose me over her family.”
She pauses with a forkful of food halfway to her mouth. “Why is it you think you’re not worth loving?”
“I … I don’t know,” I whisper.
“If you love her, and she loves you, that’s all there is to it. None of the other shit matters. It’ll all work out given enough time.”
“I don’t have time,” I confess.
She levels me with a look like she wants to smack me for being an idiot. “Then make time.”
I mull over her words.
In my life, loving another, someone who wasn’t family, or a friend, has been a fleeting whisper. Something I knew existed but I could never seem to grasp. Then Mia came along. She wasn’t a whisper, but a roar. A roar I felt all the way to my bones, shaking me to my core, utterly changing everything I’ve ever known and ever been.
I can’t give her up. I won’t.
I have to go back.
For my girl.
For me.
For us.
39
Mia
He’s not coming back.