Start Us Up by Lexi Blake

Author:Lexi Blake [Blake, Lexi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Park Avenue Promise, Lexi Blake, contemporary romance, romantic comedy
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

It’s early the next morning when I quietly let myself into my mother’s apartment.

“I was wondering if you would come home.” Mom is sitting in her favorite chair, a mug of coffee to her side. “Your friends are worried about you. Whose shirt are you wearing? I wasn’t aware you were seeing anyone.”

“It’s mine.” Heath has slipped in behind me. I’d thought we’d agreed he would stay outside while I grabbed a few things, but I should have known he would stay close. He moves toward her, a hand out like the polite man he’d been raised to be. “Ivy got caught in the rain yesterday and needed to borrow something. Hello again, Mrs. Jensen.”

She gets to her feet. She’s dressed but hasn’t put on the makeup she wears most days even if she doesn’t go out. “Hello, young man from my fire escape. Ivy didn’t mention you were seeing each other in that fashion. I believe she told me you were business partners.”

He nods. “Yeah. She struggles when it comes to defining relationships. I think any way you look at it you’ll probably be seeing more of me.”

“Well, I hope you’re nothing like the last one. He should be in jail.”

“Mom,” I whisper under my breath.

Heath gives her a bright smile guaranteed to melt the heart of any woman in a two-mile radius. “She’s right. He was an asshole. Now if you don’t mind, I’ll use your bathroom if that’s okay. I took Ivy out for donuts and drank way too much coffee.”

She nods and shows him which hall to go down. It’s the only hall, really, so he shouldn’t have too much trouble.

She looks tired in the early morning light, and I don’t really want to fight with her. Talking things through with my friends last night made me realize how often in the last few years I’d gone into fight-or-flight mode.

“I’m picking up some things and then we’re going back to his place, so don’t worry. I won’t bother you this weekend. I’ll send you money on Monday for the month. Is it only rent you want? I know I ate some stuff you bought last week. And drank some of the milk.”

She’s watching the hall, studying Heath as he disappears. “Just the rent is fine. I suspect you’ll be out of the place more than in it now that you’re…working again.”

I do not understand her, and I’m worried I never will. I don’t know how everyone else in my life can be supportive and she simply can’t. But I’m tired of fighting her, and I told Heath I wouldn’t be long. “All right then.”

She looks my way. “You’re not even going to apologize for not checking in last night?”

“Checking in with you?” I’m surprised at the inference. “I didn’t think you were watching when I come and go. Mom, I’m honestly surprised you would be worried.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means that I wasn’t aware that you would care if I didn’t come home at all.

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