“I’m going to a friend’s house,” I said, not wanting to bring up Vaughn’s name because A) he was a guy and my mom would flip, and B) because Ollie had tried to tell me to stay away from him and his entire family. Mom instantly looked like she wanted to argue, so I went on, “Just for a few hours, Mom. I’ll be back around dinner.” I had no idea whether or not I’d actually be back, but she didn’t need to know that.
She folded her arms across her chest, giving me a stern look that told me she wasn’t having any of it. “I don’t think so.”
I glanced to Ollie, wordlessly asking for his help. For something. I meant it when I said I couldn’t live in this house for the rest of my life. Being on house arrest because someone was after me wasn’t how I wanted to spend my free time. Sue me, but I wanted to live. You know, have some fun. Do what I wanted to do.
“If you want to hang out with any friends, they should come here,” Mom added, thinking she had me cornered.
Oh, yeah. Let me just bring my parade of boyfriends into the house and give her a heart attack. That’ll be fun. Hey, Mom. Look at all the dick I got. Aren’t you jealous? Somehow I didn’t think that would go over well at all.
“I’m going,” I said. Both of us were stubborn; we could go at this all day and never get tired.
Ollie shifted his weight, leaning on the counter as he stared at the both of us, pensive for a few moments. “I think,” he started, causing my mom to snap her eyes back to him, “both of you are right. Piper, you’re right in wanting to keep her here, because when Jaz is here, you know she’s safe. Jaz is right in wanting to try to live her life in spite of everything going on, because eventually you won’t be there to fall back on.”
Mom looked like she wanted to argue with him, tell him, proudly proclaim that she would always be here for me, ready to shelter me from the world and all of the shit that happened in it. But then the strangest thing happened: my mom’s expression softened, and she closed her eyes for a few moments. She actually looked like she was giving his words some thought, which was more than I could say I would’ve predicted.
“You can do everything in your power to protect her, but you won’t be able to protect her forever,” Ollie said, an innate sadness passing over his features, and I wondered if he was thinking of his old family, the ones he’d let down, the sons he couldn’t help. “Sometimes letting them go is all you can do, and hope that you taught them right.”
Was it weird that I wanted to give that man a hug? Just a tiny one. Just a quick one, one that would tell him everything would be alright.
Hah, look at me, wanting to comfort Oliver Fitzpatrick. That was worth a laugh, definitely.
I reached for my mom’s arm, giving her a gentle squeeze and a small smile. “Mom, I’ll be fine. I promise.” Of course, I realized that was something I couldn’t exactly promise, but I wanted to put her at ease, and that was the best way of doing it.
Mom still looked like she wanted to argue with me, but eventually she softened and sighed. “Fine. But I want you back for dinner at six, okay?”
Nodding, I said, “No problem.” It might cut my time with Vaughn short, but I had to take baby steps when it came to my mom. She’d been so sheltering, so paranoid that my dad would find us. She would absolutely flip shit if she knew Dante was here, and that he’d come here to bring me back to him.
As if by magic, Ollie’s phone rang, and he went to answer it. He said nothing, listening to the other person on the line. His blue eyes landed on me, and when he hung up he said, “There’s a driver here to pick you up.”
Perfect timing. I couldn’t have timed it better.
“I’ll see you guys later,” I said, practically skipping to the front door.
“I love you,” Mom called out.
“I love you, too.” Saying the word, hearing it, reminded me of Jacob’s slip-up. I was never going to let that man live that down, I