Stay With Me (She's With Me #2) - Jessica Cunsolo Page 0,40

all yours. You can meet the cleaning lady there tomorrow at three and she’ll let you in and show you where the spare keys are. It’s six bedrooms too.”

Everyone starts talking at once, and even the twins pop in to ask us if Santa will know that they’re there, and we assure them he will. I catch Aiden’s eye and smile when I notice the heaviness around his eyes has eased. Now there’s no doubt in my mind that I have to go, and all that’s left to do is somehow convince my mom.

It’s only eight by the time I walk in the house, and I find my mom on the couch in the family room, with a glass of wine and a book. We haven’t spoken since our fight this morning, and I hadn’t been planning on breaking my silent treatment anytime soon, but I guess now I need to.

“Can we talk?” I ask her, timidly walking into the room and stopping a few feet away from her.

She sits up and takes off her reading glasses. “Of course.”

I take a steady breath for confidence. What will I do if she says no? I don’t even know, but I do know that failure isn’t an option. “We want to go away for the two weeks of Christmas break. Torywood Springs—it’s not far from here. We have a house for free and it’s right on the beach and we have money for food and stuff and it’s break anyway and I’m all caught up on courses.” The words rush out together before I can stop myself.

She frowns. “Who’s we?”

I shift nervously. “Me, Aiden—”

“No.”

I’m taken aback. “What? Mom! You didn’t even let me finish!”

“You’re not going away to some random place with Aiden.”

I huff in annoyance, my tone clipped. “If you had let me finish, then you’d know that it’s not just me and Aiden. It’s me, Aiden, Anna, Chase, Julian, Char, Noah, Mason, and Aiden’s brothers, Jason and Jackson.”

She tilts her head slightly. “And where are you going?”

That’s not a straight up no. Hope builds up in my chest. “Mason’s dad’s friend has a beach house. She’s not there right now so we can use it for break. It’s only five hours away.”

One of her eyebrows draws up. “Mason’s dad set this all up?”

Mentally high-fiving myself for mentioning another adult’s involvement, I steam ahead. “Yeah. We’re all so stressed about”—I pause and pick my words carefully—“school. So Brian suggested we have some fun, and he set up the house for us.”

She takes a sip of her wine, studying me intensely. “I don’t know if this is a good idea. You’re not supposed to be getting close to people and now you want to live with them for two weeks?”

The hopefulness that was bubbling through me deflates. “We’re leaving anyway, might as well let me spend the little time I have left with them before I never see them again. Plus, it’s a completely random town, Tony won’t know I’m there.”

She sighs and grows serious, setting her wine glass down. “I’ve been thinking about our conversation this morning. I really am trying my best here, Amelia. I know it must be hard for you to go through all of this, and I know that I’m hard on you. I want you to live your life but I just want you to be safe …” She trails off, thinking, and I don’t dare breathe. “You’ll need to check in every morning and night.”

“Ahh!” I squeal, not really believing that she’s agreeing. I wasn’t even completely sure that I wouldn’t have to sneak off.

“And you still have to be responsible. No getting drunk and posting on social media,” she continues, a small smile growing on her face.

I nod vigorously. “Yes, yes. Same rules, etcetera, etcetera. Thanks, Mom!”

I wrap my arms around her, and for the first time in what feels like forever, feel like our relationship isn’t past saving, that she really truly does want me to be happy, and is willing to compromise so that I don’t feel like I’m living out a jail sentence. For the first time in a long time, I feel like my mom gets it.

9

On Monday morning I wake up pretty early, excited about our trip. I do a quick workout then text Aiden, asking if he and the twins want to come by a bit earlier for pancakes. After I shower and get dressed, I smile at Aiden’s reply.

Trying to buy the twins’ happiness through fluffy, sugar-loaded