Page 53 of One Good Crash

"Well, youaremy daughter. Can't I call just to say, 'hi'?"

She never called without a reason. In fact, she seldom called at all, not unless she could benefit in some way.

I said, "Alright, what do you want?"

"Who says I want anything?"

"So, you don't?"

"No. I don't. In fact, I'm calling to giveyousomething."

The idea was laughable. "Oh, yeah? What?"

"Some advice."

I stifled a groan. Over the years, my mom had given me plenty of advice. If I'd followed even half of it, I wouldn't be in a stranger's guest room. I'd be in some women's prison, stamping out license plates – assuming that was really a thing.

Bracing myself, I said, "Okaaaaay. What's the advice?"

"Don't leave."

This was so unexpected, I almost didn't know what to say. "What do you mean?" I asked. "You want me to keep living with you?"

"Withme?" She laughed. "Sorry. That's not gonna happen."

I muttered, "Well that's nice."

"Oh, don't be insulted," she said. "We both know it wasn't working out."

She was right. It wasn't, especially last night when she tried to hook me up with her meal ticket. Still, her breezy dismissal hurt to hear.

How pathetic was that?

Now, I couldn’t help but sigh. "I've just gotta ask, why'd you beg me to come down here in the first place?"

"I wasn't begging."

"You were, too," I said. "You were crying and everything."

Now, it washerturn to sigh. "It was just one of those days. You know how it goes."

I wanted to kick myself. Like a dumb-ass, I'd moved ten hours south just because my mom was having "one of those days”.

From experience, I knew exactly what kind of day she meant. "Let me guess. Dominic was gonna kick you out."

"What? No." She paused. "Well, we might've had a little fight, but we worked it out. So see. You're worried for nothing."

I wasn't worried. I was tired of her games. As far as my stuff, I decided to think aboutthatlater. After all, it's not like I knew where I'd be moving it. I said, "I've gotta go."

"Wait," she said. "You haven't heard my advice."

"Fine," I snapped. "What is it?"

"When I told you not to leave, I meant don't leavehisplace."

I blinked. "Sorry, what?"

"You're with Jax Bishop, right?"