He wets his lips. “But I didn’t tell her that. I let her think it was. I’ve thought a lot about how that might have made a difference somehow in how she felt, like she got closure. I was pissed off though.”
“You had a right to be.”
He rubs his arm. “I shouldn’t have treated her like that. She was my mother, after all. It’s why I drew the rose and had Jay help me with the details. It’s my way of saying sorry. Of remembering her.”
“That’s very sweet of you.”
Once again, he shrugs.
“What about the skull?” I ask, resting my elbow on the table and my chin in my palm.
His grin is sly. “The death of innocence.”
My brows arch. “Deep.”
“More like demented.”
I shake my head. “You’re far from it.”
He meets my eyes. “I don’t always feel like it. What I did to my mother still gets to me. I’m moody, in case you haven’t noticed. I shut down easily and react without thinking sometimes. I’m not an easy person to like.”
“Maybe not,” I agree. I reach out and touch his hand. “But you’re an easy person to love. Even if you weren’t, I’d still do it.”
His lips part.
“Like you said, we’ll fight and make up. It’s what couples do. Nothing is easy about being with the person you’re meant for. We’re only human. Demented or not.” Though no matter what he believes, I’ll never think of him as that.
He doesn’t have to answer me.
I’ve learned from Ainsley that love is more than a spoken word.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Adjusting my curled red hair over my shoulders and fixing my cap, I smile at my reflection in the mirror and move off to the side while other graduates finish preparing themselves for commencement. I’m flattening out my white gown when I notice Carter standing by the back wall watching me.
I smile and wave, walking over to him in heels that Jenna made me wear with my new black dress Mom helped her pick out for me. He assesses me with nothing more than a friendly smile, bumping my arm with his. “Big day today. You look lovely.”
“Thanks.” I glance at the room of women behind me, all eagerly talking amongst themselves. “It seems like a long time coming.”
“You’ve gone far,” he comments. “I saw your family in the audience. Jesse saved me a seat next to him and Ren.”
My eyes widen. “They’re both here?”
He nods once, sliding his hands in his usual dress pants. “They’re right next to your parents and Ainsley. Though Ainsley was on somebody else’s lap.” His lips twitch upward in a knowing way. “Dark hair, tattoos, younger guy. He and Ainsley are out their making faces at each other.”
Easton. “I’m surprised she’s not sitting on Jesse’s lap. She’s got a huge crush on my brother. He totally feeds into it. He doesn’t think I know, but he brings her candy when he visits. It’s not often, but it’s their tradition.”
Carter laughs. “I’ll make sure to bring up their future nuptials to him when I take my seat. I just wanted to check in on you and say congratulations.”
I smile. “I appreciate it.”
“It’s him, right? The guy out there?”
“Yeah, that’s Easton.”
“He’s good with her.”
I rub my arm. “You’re really okay with how everything happened? I know you didn’t have to come, so I’m glad you did. And you defended me to my brother, which I really do appreciate. I know I didn’t say so when we saw each other after, but it meant a lot. And talking about Easton just seems…”
“A little weird?” he offers casually.
“Kind of.”
He shakes his head, seemingly not bothered at all about it. “I defended you because they had no right talking about you the way they were, and I’m supportive of this Easton guy because I can see he’s good to you and for you. There’s a light in your eyes that was lacking before, Piper. I’ll never be upset over that, even if I didn’t get the girl.”
“But you will.”
“One day,” he agrees.
“One day.”
He gestures toward the door. “I should head out. Your brother told me he’d give up my seat to the highest bidder if I didn’t come back at a reasonable time.”
“You must have gotten good seats if he thinks he can make money off them,” I muse. “You better go before Jesse does sell your seats. I’m picturing an auction. I wouldn’t put it past him. You should have seen what he did during my high school graduation.”
His brows arch. “What did