Fight, Jamiee - Ellie R. Hunter Page 0,45
You don’t need to compare yourself to him.”
“You think that’s what I’m doing?”
“Why else would you be asking?”
He slips off the bed, not caring that he’s completely naked, and heads straight for me. “Don’t think for one second I don’t want to be your everything, in all areas and with everyone. I know your parents love me, but it’s different when it comes to their daughter. Your dad especially knows what we’ve gotten up to on the road, so him imagining me doing that to you isn’t going to get me his blessing to date his daughter.”
Rolling my eyes, I cup his cheek. “We’re more than dating, Freddie, and I don’t care what anyone has to say about us. It’s not going to change how I feel about you.”
Leaning up on my tiptoes, I press my lips to his, wrapping my arms around him.
A knock at the door startles us both. “Jamiee, your parents are here. Just a heads-up in case they come looking for you.”
“Thanks, Alice.”
We hear her footsteps fade as she walks away, and Freddie guides my chin up so I’m facing him once again.
“What’s it to be, sweet thing? Do we tell them or wait?”
Biting into my bottom lip, I try to quickly work out each scenario. I’m pretty sure they’ll be happy for us. But even if they are, I don’t want to take any light away from Alice and Damon. This is their moment, and I don’t want any part in spoiling a second of it.
“We’ll tell them once Damon and Alice are on their honeymoon, and everyone’s moving on.”
I quickly kiss him again before heading for the door. As I’m about to twist the knob, I hear someone knocking on my door.
Looking back at Freddie, my heart thumps away when I hear my mom calling my name.
“Shit!” I mouth at him, trying to work out how I’m going to explain me being in Freddie’s room.
The man himself dresses quickly and runs his fingers through his shaggy hair, trying and failing to install some order to it.
“She’s in here, Mrs. Coleman!” he hollers.
Shit! I could kill him.
“What did you do that for?” I all but fail to shriek.
Brushing by me, he reaches for the doorknob. Like being in a nightmare, every movement is slow, and agonisingly painful to watch. The door opens, and there she is, my sweet mother standing in the hall, wondering what the hell is going on. Never mind that I’m grown adult; she’s still got that look on her face that she wants to know what I’m doing in a boy’s room.
“Oh, Jamiee… What’s this…”
Her stammering has me cringing. There’s no point in lying to her at this point.
Stepping out into the hall, I take hold of her hand and pull her into Freddie’s room, then wish I’d taken her into my room. The bed isn’t made, and my clothes from two days ago are still littered across the floor.
“Mom, Freddie and I, we…” Shit. How do I word this?
“We’re together, and I want you to know, I love your daughter. I have for a very long time.”
We both look at Freddie. Neither one of us can argue his sincerity.
“I see,” she says quietly, turning her attention back to me. “I came up to talk to you about what your father and I have been hearing about Deacon. Is it true?”
“What have you heard?”
“Cut it out, Jamiee. Did he hurt you? Considering you should’ve spoken to us long before now, you owe me the truth. Did he put his hands on you?”
I swallow hard. “Yes.”
Lowering her eyes to my stomach, her lips tighten. “And is he the reason you miscarried?”
“Yes.”
Her chest heaves, but she turns to Freddie. “Why did you attack Deacon?”
She knows. Moms are far from stupid, and I guess she wants to hear it from him.
“I saw what he did to her, and I don’t for one second regret it.”
Silence hangs between the three of us as she takes in the news.
“Are you doing okay? I admit, I haven’t had to worry since we heard you were with your brother, but then the news about you and Deacon came out, and you hardly ever answer my calls—”
“I’m sorry, Mom, I am,” I urge, stepping closer to her. “I’m good. I’m safe, and I’m happy being with Freddie. You don’t need to worry about me anymore.”
With bated breath, I can feel Fred’s anxiety from here. I realise now he needs my parent’s approval, and so do I.
“Okay. So, I take