Little Lies

My mom nods slowly, almost as though this isn’t a surprise. “Kody wouldn’t happen to be a factor in you wanting out of there, would he? And before you give me a high-pitched no, I’ve already seen that picture of you two from last night.”

“Oh shit.”

She hmms and rubs her bottom lip. She always does that when she talks to me, probably because of the scar on mine. “It didn’t look much like a friendly, ha-ha, let-me-carry-you-into-the-house-so-we-can-get-all-cozy-with-each-other situation.” Her voice is purposely light, but her concern bleeds through.

I sigh. “I pissed him off.”

“I gathered. What happened? And was that a thong bikini?”

I can feel the fire in my cheeks. My mom isn’t nearly as excessive with the overshares as Gigi, but she has zero problem addressing sometimes uncomfortable topics.

“Gigi got it for me for pre-Cancun tanning.”

“Of course. I need to have a talk with her.” My mom rolls her eyes. “So, I’m guessing the bare-ass show was meant to get someone’s attention.”

“Mom.”

“Well, you’re not much of an exhibitionist, so I assume you were doing it to make a point.”

I blow out a breath and explain what happened—not all of what’s been happening, but the part about Kodiak seeing my schedule and then magically appearing in my art class to pose as our nude model.

“Nude as in . . .”

“As in swinging free.”

“Really? Kody vomits before games, and he got naked in front of your class?”

“How do you know he pukes before games?”

“Rook and your dad talk, and your dad tells me everything before he falls asleep.”

“Oh, well, yeah. He was totally naked. For almost three full hours.”

“Huh.” My mom taps her lips. “That’s an interesting way to communicate your undying love for someone.”

It’s my turn to roll my eyes. “He was being a dick.”

My mom gives me a look and drops her head, snickering like a teenage boy, which is roughly the level of her sense of humor.

“Seriously, Mom.”

“Oh, come on! It’s kind of funny.”

“Well, it might be if he wasn’t a complete asshole to me all the time.”

That seems to sober her. “It’s that bad?”

I shrug. “I know things were messed up when we were kids, but it’s been years. I don’t get why he needs to keep reminding me I messed up his life.”

“You didn’t mess up his life, Lavender.”

“Well, he’s very intent on making me feel that way. And don’t you dare tell Lainey I said that. The last thing I need is Lainey telling Kodiak he needs to be nice to me. Then I’m the sucky baby who runs to Mommy when I can’t handle it,” I snap.

“Talking to your mother doesn’t make you a sucky baby.”

I kind of love how offended she sounds.

I point at her two-dimensional face on the screen. “Do not tell her.”

She scowls. She really, really hates pointing, which I did a lot of as a kid. “I won’t, but I wish you’d said something to me before we agreed to let him move into the house, even temporarily. Lainey and I thought we were doing the two of you a favor, and I don’t believe Kodiak thinks you messed up his life.”

“Well, we can agree to disagree about that. You’re not here to experience the warm fuzzies he exudes around me.”

“Kody has never exuded warm fuzzies, honey, except with you and Lainey. He’s a momma’s boy through and through. Kody’s brain doesn’t work the way everyone else’s does.”

“I’m aware.”

“Are you also aware that he has an infinity symbol tattoo?”

“I’m pretty sure I would’ve seen a tattoo when he posed nude for my class.”

“Unlikely since it’s in the webbing of his left hand between his ring and middle finger.” Her expression is ridiculously smug.

“How do you know this stuff?”

“Lainey and I talk. He got it two years ago.” She sighs before she continues. “Look, honey, we screwed up a lot of stuff when you two were kids—including the way we dealt with the situation when things started to get out of hand. Lainey feels as bad as I do about it. We projected our own fears onto your relationship with him, because we were worried about the future. I don’t think any of us took into consideration how severely it would impact both of you, or the extremes Kody would go to in order to keep from hurting you.”

“To keep from hurting me?” My eyebrows shoot up. “He’s being a grade-A asshole extraordinaire. He makes River’s bad moods look like sunshine and rainbows.”

My mom makes a face. It looks a lot like she’s constipated, which means she’s trying to hold back her commentary.

“Just spit it out, Mom.”

She sighs and rubs her temples. “I think I’ve done enough interfering.”

“Oh, come on! You can’t do the whole temple-rub-and-sigh thing and then decide you don’t want to offer your opinion!” I want to throw my hands up in the air, but I’m holding my phone. I secure it in the dash holder so I’m free to flail.