“Sorry, I’m nervous.”
“Nervous? Avery, we’re family.”
I pause, chewing on my lip. I should have called Jayden. Swallowing hard, I say, “Yeah, but I don’t think you like me much.”
“What? Why would you think that? I think you’re awesome.”
That makes me smile, but I can’t help but feel he doesn’t like me. I know why; it’s because of what Seth told him. Clearing my throat, I say, “Well, thanks, but I can’t shake the feeling you don’t approve of me because of what my brother told you.”
“Ah,” he says slowly.
“But for what it’s worth, I don’t have a relationship with my family the way you guys do. While some of what Seth said was true, the stuff about my dad interfering with Caleb’s career is not true. He didn’t do that. He wouldn’t, couldn’t, and I just want you to know that I will do everything I can to make sure Jace is happy.”
I’m met with silence and then he clears his throat. “If I didn’t think you were good for my brother, you wouldn’t be here, Avery. I like you, I’m excited to get to know you, and I love that you make my brother happy.”
“He makes me happy,” I say, pulling into my parking spot and putting the car in park.
“He’s a good dude. But I have a question.”
“Yeah?”
“You said most of what Seth said was true. So you tried to commit suicide?”
I swallow hard as I pick at the hole in my jeans. “I did.”
“Wow, I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, bad, bad time in my life, but I’m not that person anymore.”
“Yeah, you made it. I’m proud, and I think I like you even more.”
I smile. “Thanks.”
“Anytime. But what’s going on with my brother?”
Sucking in a breath, I let it out and then unload. He listens, doesn’t interrupt me or even comment. He just listens, and when I’m finished, he releases a long breath. “I told him not to trust that fucker. Damn it, so he doesn’t have a car?”
“No, I told him he could use mine, and Markus said he can use his too.”
“Okay, well, I’ll have my mom bring out Jayden’s old car tomorrow so at least he has a ride. And why doesn’t he use his scholarship money for an apartment? He can do that. As long as he can prove it’s an apartment within a—” He pauses and then calls Claire’s name. “Babe, how many miles does the apartment have to be within for the scholarship money to apply?”
“Fifteen, I think,” I hear her say. “Riverbend is where all my friends stayed.”
“Ah, yeah, Riverbend. He can do that and have the rent and utilities covered under his scholarship money. I know he has housing mon
ey since staying at the Bullies’ house is free. So I don’t know what the problem is.”
“They didn’t tell us that.” I say and he sighs.
“They won’t ’cause when we don’t spend all our scholarship money, they can give it to someone else.”
“Oh,” I say and then I shake my head. “Can you please call him? Talk to him?”
“Oh yeah, I planned on it. Trust and believe that,” he says and I smile. I love when Jace says that. “Listen, thanks for calling me. It shows how much you care.”
“I love him.”
“Yeah, I can tell. And thank you. Really. We’ll get y’all taken care of. I just wish he would have told me sooner.”