Where Love Lies (Love vs. Loyalty Book 1) by Nia Arthurs

Author:Nia Arthurs [Arthurs, Nia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-06-07T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 14

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Trenton watched Merna Moore eat her fried chicken. Her teeth filed into the meat like a weed-whacker mowing grass and she smacked her lips together every so often to indicate her enjoyment of the meal.

While the mother seemed perfectly content, the daughter sat on the edge of her seat, ready to pop up and clean whatever mess was made. She reached out to wipe her mother’s mouth with a napkin and steal a glance at him.

Trenton kept his expression pleasantly calm. His interactions with drugs addicts were limited to the few that cornered him on the streets to ask for change. He couldn’t imagine living day-to-day with someone suffering from such an illness.

How hard it must have been for Breana!

“Looks like you’re almost done, Mom,” Breana said, offering her mother the cup of soda she’d purchased earlier. Back in the store, Merna Moore had reached for a bottle of liquor—which her daughter promptly replaced with a carbonated drink.

It had been amusing to see them interacting, the older woman behaving more like a child and the child becoming the responsible adult.

“Don’t rush me, Breana. It’s impolite.” Grinning at him, Merna shrugged. “My daughter’s always uptight like this. Don’t take it personally.”

“Mom,” Breana groaned.

“You two look very much alike,” Trenton said, observing them closely. Despite the hardness of Merna Moore’s face, he could see shadows of the beauty that her daughter possessed. Their likeness was uncanny.

“Why, you sweet-talker!” Merna batted her curly hair behind her shoulder. “I used to be a looker until life got in the way. That’s why I’m always telling Breana to catch a man while she’s young.”

“Mom…”

“I’m just glad that someone as handsome and well-spoken as you walked into her life. Breana would make a wonderful wife. She’s smart, well-mannered, and polite. I know it might not seem that way, but you shouldn’t judge us on where we live or what we live in.”

“About that…” Trenton took a deep breath. “I was hoping to tell you later, Breana, but since your mother’s here, I figured I should let you both know now.”

“What?” she asked, the crinkle between her eyebrows appearing.

Trenton grinned. “I talked to your area representative. He’s awarding you a grant for a new home which Barrington and Co is building.”

“What?” Mother and daughter shrieked at once.

“That’s wonderful news!” Merna clapped. “I’ve been pestering the government for help, but they refuse to give me money. They should hear all I’ve been through, then they wouldn’t be so stingy.”

“Mom, Trenton’s not interested in hearing your life story,” Breana said stiffly. “Let’s just pack up here and go home.”

“Why not?” Merna nudged her daughter in the shoulder and then looked at him. “Aren’t you interested in hearing my story, Trenton?”

“If you’d like to share it,” he said.

“See, he wants to hear,” Merna said, snubbing her nose at Breana. “Well, where should I start?” She tapped her fingers on her chin.

Breana smacked her hand against the table. “She was drugged at a party, had me at sixteen, got her

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