“I understand that, but I’m your mom. I get to decide what is best for you. I don’t like the idea of you hitting people. It’s not okay. You’re going to get bigger, and if you keep hitting before you try talking, it’s going to get ugly. Someone is going to be seriously hurt. When you get bigger, you can get in real trouble. I want you to think before you act.”
He rolled his eyes. “Can I read my book now?”
“Why don’t you eat breakfast, and we’ll go to the arcade?” I said and did my best to ignore his sour attitude.
“I just want to read.”
“I made you breakfast. You need to eat,” I said firmly.
He let out a big sigh. “Fine.”
He tossed his book to the side and got up. I followed him out. When he was in one of these moods, it was better to leave him alone. He’d settle down eventually. I left him in the kitchen and went back to do laundry. When I returned, his half-eaten meal was still sitting on the table and he was gone. I carried his stack of folded clean clothes into his room. He was back on his bed reading.
“Why don’t you get dressed?” I said in a cheery tone. “We’re going to the arcade in fifteen minutes.”
“I don’t want to go,” he said.
“Okay, how about we go to the park?”
“I don’t want to go,” he muttered.
“What would you like to do?” I asked.
“I want to read my book.”
I had to take a deep breath. “Okay, how about you read for a little bit and then we’ll go to the mall? I need to get you new shoes. We can stop by the game store and see if there is anything new out.”
He didn’t answer me. I looked at him and waited. “Jace?”
“What?”
“We’re going to the mall later,” I told him.
“I don’t want to go.”
“Fine, read. I’m going to clean house. When you’re ready to go, I’ll be waiting.”
I walked out of the room so I didn’t have to hear his silence. I was dreading the teenage years. I wasn’t going to take it personally. I turned on some music and started dusting. It gave me time to think. I might have overreacted a little. Nash’s heart was in the right place. I understood why he wanted to show Jace how to defend himself. I appreciated that but to high-five him? That was not okay.
Now I had to figure out whether I was going to let Nash and Jace hang out together anymore. After yesterday, I wasn’t even sure if Nash would want to spend time with Jace. It wasn’t like he had anything invested into spending time with him. We weren’t officially dating. The quickies at the office didn’t promise anything.
“Easy come, easy go,” I said with a sigh.
I couldn’t be sad about it. There were never any promises between us. I had fun. The fun was over. I couldn’t be upset about it. It was for the best. Nash getting close to Jace was bound to lead to disaster. I had just been telling Joss I was uncomfortable with the two of them having a relationship. This was for the best. I had to keep telling myself that.
There was a knock at the door. I couldn’t explain why, but I hoped it was Nash. I pulled my hair out of the messy bun it was in and shook it out. I walked to the door with the intention of looking casual. When I opened the door, it was to find Joss and Caitlyn. “Oh, it’s you.”
Joss burst into laughter. “Gee, I feel loved.”
“Sorry, come in. What brings you guys by?”
“We brought donuts,” she said and held up a bag.
“Oh, thank god,” I breathed.
She gave me a funny look. “Were you having a donut crisis?”
“Caitlyn, why don’t you take a donut to Jace?” I asked. “He’s in his room.”
“Okay. He likes the one with the sprinkles. I picked it for him.”
I smiled at her. “That was very nice of you. Thank you.”
She carried the bag to the kitchen, removed the donut, and went to his room. “You look like you are ready for a drink,” Joss said with a laugh.
“My child grew up overnight and I now have a surly teen in the room,” I told her.
“I hate when that happens. Are you the worst mom ever?”
I groaned and rolled my eyes. “Yes, how did you guess?”