Page 21 of Burning Love (Looking For Love #7)

STATING A FACT

“ W hat do you have planned today?”

Talia turned to look at her mother three days later.

“I’m not sure. Not much. Why?”

“Is Jace working?”

“He is.” Now that her mother knew who she was dating, she was getting more questions.

“Did you want to go shopping with me and out to lunch? We haven’t had a girls’ day in a while.”

“I’d love that, Mom. Only if you don’t ask me a ton of questions about Jace.”

Aileen smirked. “I wouldn’t do that.”

“Yes, you would.”

“You’re right,” her mother said. “I would, but I won’t. I promise. We can get some new outfits though. Maybe something sweet or sexy for your new boyfriend.”

She rolled her eyes. “He’s not my boyfriend.”

Her mother stopped. “What? I thought you said this wasn’t a friends with benefits type of relationship.”

“It’s not, Mom.” So much for not talking about this. “I told you what it was.”

“You didn’t say much.”

“Because there isn’t a lot to say. I’m not sure we can put a label on it. And do people in their late thirties call someone their boyfriend or girlfriend? I don’t know.”

“You think I do?” Aileen asked, grinning.

“Nope. So drop it, please.”

“Sure.” But she knew her mother wouldn’t.

“I’m going to fold my laundry before we go. The dryer should be done soon.”

“I don’t like to leave it running if we aren’t home anyway,” her mother said.

Talia left her in the kitchen and went to her apartment. One of the best things was the small stackable washer and dryer she had to herself.

Long gone were the days where everyone who lived upstairs had to share the same laundry room. Her mother made them all do their own too. She couldn’t blame her. It was a lot for one person to do with so many kids.

The dryer had ten minutes left, so she changed out of her athletic shorts into a pair of faded jeans, ones that were frayed on the bottom and a little wide on her thighs.

She exchanged her baggy T-shirt for a bright yellow one that was fitted and stopped short of the top of her waistline.

Since her bottoms were on the loose side, her top wouldn’t be.

Her flip flops were swapped out for her brown leather Birks.

The timer went off on the dryer, she took care of her laundry, then grabbed her purse and put it over her shoulder and went up to get her mother.

“We are matching.”

Her shoulders dropped. Her mother had changed too. Jean shorts, a yellow T-shirt, just a different shade, looser and not showing her belly, and the same damn shoes on her feet.

“I’ll go change.”

“No,” Aileen said. “You’re not. My shorts are longer than yours and darker denim, my shirt is pale, yours is bright. Our shoes are the same. Who cares? It’s fun. I never got to match us when you were younger. Come on, Talia. It’s meant to be.”

If her mother didn’t sound so excited over it, she’d turn on her heel and change anyway, but they weren’t identical.

“Fine. You win.” She was smiling at her mother’s giddiness.

Aileen hooked her arm through hers. “I’m so happy we are doing this.”

They got in the car and she turned to her once she started it. “Are you lonely, Mom?”

This was one thing the family was worried about. Talia was the last one living at home, the last in the same town. If she moved away, that left Elias an hour away, who barely had time to breathe with all the responsibilities of his brewery and now he was in a relationship.

“I’ve got the bookstore,” her mother said.

The one West bought for her years ago. It was a place Aileen had worked part time for years and West bought it when it was going to close.

Her mother put more than part-time hours in. Hosting events and working the counter. It kept her busy but not overworked.

“You do. You’ve got a lot of friends too.”

“Not all genuine,” Aileen said. “I know the difference between those that are there for me and those that know I’m West’s mother.”

“I guess I never realized how hard that was on you too.”

“It’s not hard. I’m extremely proud of all of my children, but I rarely boast about them to anyone other than family.”

Talia nodded. There was a reason.

There were times she hardly ever talked about her siblings. A lot of her friends from high school that were still around reached out for gossip more than friendship.

She had a handful of close friends but no one she’d confide in completely.

None that knew about Jace.

Hmm, she didn’t know why that just occurred to her.

“I know. Sometimes I get lonely. I’m glad I’ve got you for that,” she said sweetly.

Her mother reached over and patted her hand. “There are times I miss your father. When things like that creep up, it’s nice to have that one person in your life that you can count on one hundred percent.”

She turned to look at her mother. “But could you count on him? He wasn’t around to talk to let alone be a real partner. I’m not trying to be mean, just stating a fact.”

“I know you’re being honest. You missed the most and I’m sorry for that.”

“Why are you sorry? You didn’t die and leave me.”

Her jaw dropped when those words came out unexpectedly. “Oh, Talia. We’ve never talked about this before. I’m sorry for that too. You were so young and I think you didn’t know what you missed like the rest of them.”

“It doesn’t change the fact that he wasn’t there for me. He wasn’t there for you a lot either. Weren’t you ever upset over that? All those kids you had to raise on your own even when he was around. I mean, it was your choice to keep getting knocked up.”

Aileen laughed over the family joke all the kids shared. “I’m not so sure it was always my choice. There were a few of you that snuck through even though we were preventing it.”

She snorted. “Come on. I don’t believe it.”

“I’m not lying to you,” her mother said, laughing. “Let’s see. I think it was Elias that we hadn’t planned.”

“Were you on birth control?”

“No. We were doing other things.”

Talia burst out laughing. “Mom. Pulling out or trying to time it isn’t really fully preventing it. That doesn’t count and don’t delude yourself into thinking it.”

Aileen laughed with her. “Fine. We weren’t trying to get pregnant but not fully preventing it.”

“Who else unless it was the same method?”

“Rowan definitely wasn’t planned. After Elias, your father decided to wear condoms and one broke. So yeah, there you go.”

“He always was the misfit,” she said, grinning.

“True.”

“Why didn’t you go on birth control?”

“There didn’t seem to be a reason to do it when your father was gone all the time. Why would I want to take something daily and put it into my body if he wasn’t around?”

“To stop from having eight kids.”

“I don’t regret any of you.”

“Oh, that’s good to know. Do you think you would have had more if Dad had lived?” She’d like to think not.

“No. You were the last. As you know, most of you were two years or fewer apart. You were four when your father died. I was done. I was exhausted.”

“Why did you keep having them? We were poor. You were tired and alone. I don’t get it.”

“For two reasons. I want to say they are silly, but I love my children, so nothing is silly.”

“I won’t take offense. Be honest.” They hadn’t had a heart-to-heart like this before, but all of them always gave her mother a hard time about the number of kids she popped out.

It was meant to be a joke, but deep down it wasn’t always so funny.

“I wanted another girl. That part is silly.”

She smiled. “Really? You and I have fought the most.”

“Because you’re the baby and I don’t want to let you go. Which brings me to the other reason.”

“You were lonely,” she said as if it just hit her. “Dad was going to be a career military person and having kids at home gave you a purpose and company.”

“You know I love children and always wanted a lot of them.”

“You didn’t answer me, Mom.”

“Yes. Each one of you reminds me of your father and it helped when he was gone.”

“Until he left and couldn’t come back,” she whispered.

“I know you’re going to move out at some point, but I’m not rushing it. I hope you’re not either. But you will grow your wings and take flight when you’re ready.”

“I pushed to move out for years and I wasn’t ready. Not by a long shot. I’m glad you put up a stink about it. I’ve got a good thing at home. I needed to see that.”

Her mother’s eyes got glossy. “I’m glad you have, but you will still leave someday.

Elias will always be close by. I can jump on a plane at any minute and get my fill in New York.

When you move out, I might just do that, go and stay for a few months.

Life is good for me, Talia. Don’t you worry one bit about me to the point that it hinders your plans. ”

“Oh, trust me, I’m not going to let that happen.”

Her mother coughed out a laugh. “I’m not surprised.”

They got to the mall, decided to have lunch first, then hit the shops.

Between the two of them, they were walking out with their hands loaded full of things. Some for the house, more baby clothes that Abby didn’t need for her nephew that would be born in a month, but were fun to buy, and a few outfits that were too cute to pass up.

On their way home, about a mile from their house, she pointed. “What’s that?”

“It looks like smoke,” her mother said. “I can hear sirens now too.” Before she could think twice, she put her blinker on and turned toward it. “Talia, what are you doing?”

“I’m going to see. Jace is working. That’s him.”

“I don’t think you want to do that,” her mother said. “Do you?”

“I’ve seen him at work before. That’s how I met him.”

“But we didn’t have a fire,” Aileen said. “Don’t do this to yourself. You’re going to put something in your mind that isn’t there.”

“It exists. It’s his job. I have to know. I have to see it. It’d be smart.”

At least that was what she was telling herself.

She kept turning down roads until she found where the fire was. It was a home and this was an actual fire. She saw the flames shooting out the windows, the fire trucks there and the men in full gear gathering hoses and running in.

She couldn’t see who Jace was at first with everyone looking the same, but she’d bet anything he was in the house.

“Don’t get out of the car,” her mother said.

She was parked on the side watching the action. There were others outside standing around. Neighbors most likely.

Her fingers went to the handle and the door opened, she moved out without thinking and went outside by her hood to watch the action.

Her mother was right. Maybe she shouldn’t have done this.

She couldn’t tear her eyes away though. Water was spraying out of the hoses and landing on the house trying to fight back the flames coming out of the side window. Two more firemen ran in battling it from within.

More water was landing on the neighbor’s house while trying to prevent the spread.

She stood there watching for over an hour, ignoring her mother’s attempts to get her to leave.

Time ticked by like a clock spinning on the wall in warp speed.

The fire was out, the homeowners were crying and hugging each other. It appeared no one was hurt, but the house was badly damaged, not destroyed though.

The firemen were taking off their helmets and gear, the heat of the day and the fire not stopping them from doing their jobs.

Her eyes locked with Jace briefly before he turned to his men and started to issue orders.

She knew he was fine; she could leave now.

Once she was in the car, she turned to look at her mother. “How did you do it?”

Aileen sighed. “I told you not to watch.”

“I can’t hide from it.” She started the car and drove away. “I feel better knowing he’s fine.”

“But you also know how dangerous his job is now. It’s not going to make you sleep any easier.”

She didn’t watch it for that reason.

She watched because she had to know and now she understood what her mother might have felt all those years her father was deployed.

But that didn’t mean she could walk away from Jace either.

Not when everything else pulled her toward him.