Choosing Us (Pierced Hearts Duet #1)(52)
“Was he working?”
“You could say that.”
“His precious hospital is all that matters to him anymore.”
“I don’t think that’s true at all.”
“How do you know? Did you talk to him?” There was no denying the hopefulness in his voice, breaking my heart a little more.
“I could just tell.”
“How?”
“I could see it in his eyes. He misses you as much as you miss him.”
“I don’t miss him.”
“Jackson…”
“I don’t. I don’t need him. To hell with him.” There was so much pain in his words, making my heart bleed for him.
“You don’t mean that. You’re just angry. Trust me, I know what that feels like.”
“You think you know everything, don’t you, Mary Poppins?”
“I know I’ve become your punching bag, and I don’t care what you tell yourself, I know you don’t hate me. But if it makes you feel better to take stabs at me, then so be it. Hit me again, Jackson, because maybe there’ll come a day when you can see me as your friend and not your enemy. I’m actually a pretty cool person. If you gave me half a chance, you’d see I’m not a threat to you. To anyone for that matter. I’m not here to replace anybody, I just want to help you.”
“And then what? When you’re done helping, you what? Just leave us behind?”
“Is that what you want?”
“No.”
I smiled, thinking I got through to him. He abruptly stood, quickly handing his baby sister over to me.
“Journey wouldn’t like that. Because let’s face it, Camila, we both know she’s the only one who wants you here.”
I grimaced, and for the first time I saw regret pull at his eyes.
“Did that make you feel better? Because the expression on your face says otherwise.”
With a spiteful tone, he bit, “Everyone leaves, that’s just life.”
My eyes watered, knowing in the core of my stomach he was referring to his mother.
“I’m sorry, Jackson, I hate that you feel that way. I wish there was something I could—”
“What did he say? I want to know what my father said to you.”
Before I knew what I was responding, I blurted, “That he loves you very much,” I unintentionally lied through my teeth, peering down at Journey, who was staring at me as intently as her brother, listening to every word I spoke like she needed to hear it too.
I couldn’t look at either of them, my eyes shifted every which way and all across the room until they finally landed on Journey’s favorite book On the Night You Were Born. Giving me the courage to speak up for him, “Your dad is hurting, and he just doesn’t want you to see how bad.”
“He is?” He genuinely sounded shocked.
“Yes. He broke down.”
“In front of you?”
“Mmm hmm.”
“After he said he was hurting?”
“Sort of.”
“So, my father who’d just met you for the first time, willingly told you all this?”
“Mmm hmm.”
“Why do I feel like you’re lying?”
Our eyes connected.
“Why would I lie?”
“You tell me.”
“I am telling you. Why is it so hard for you to believe your father loves you?”
“I don’t know, Mary Poppins, maybe because I haven’t seen him since my mom—”
“There you are,” Skyler interrupted. “Jackson, you’re going to be late for school. You gotta go.”
I was going to scream.
Why was it every time someone was going to say something about their mother, they were interrupted? What. The. Hell?
Jackson grabbed his backpack off Journey’s floor and walked out of the room, taking the truth of their mother’s whereabouts with him. I shook off the thought, leaving it in the back of my mind for later.
“Camila, do you mind staying over tonight? I know it’s Friday, but Jackson and Jagger are both staying with friends, so it will only be Journey and you.”
“Bah!” Little Miss enthusiastically exclaimed, leaning her head on my shoulder.
“Girls night, huh?”
She kicked her legs in excitement.
“Sure, I don’t mind.”
“Great. Noah wanted to take me out, it’s our anniversary.”
“Awe, happy anniversary. How many years?”
“I don’t know, forever.”
I chuckled. I never did Google Skyler’s name, it was her story to tell me. It didn’t seem right reading it on online and not hearing her experience from her own mouth. I knew one day she’d tell me.
“He claims I’ve been his since we were almost twelve.”
“And you haven’t?”
“No, I have. I just like to mess with him. My husband needs to be kept on his toes, it’s the Jameson in him.”
“Is he anything like Harley?”
“Harley is her father, who is ten times worse than my husband, even though they’re brothers. She’s also a lot like her mom, Mia, too. I swear, Camila, the day Harley starts dating, oh man… I’m already sorry for that boy because Creed and Noah are going to kill him. I’m not joking, they’re going to put him to ground.”