Mockingbird (A Stepbrother Romance #2)(43)

"Easy there," she says, steadying me. "I think I gave you too much."

"Yeah," I manage.

A few minutes later the horn is honking and Bob Anderson's black Crown Victoria is parked out front. I lean on Charity until we get to the car and dump myself in the front seat and stare at nothing as he drives.

"You've been drinking," he says, in a neutral tone.

"Yes."

"You're not old enough."

"Nope."

"That's a shame. If you were my daughter we'd have words. You're not, though, so we won't."

"Thanks."

He just drives, and soon deposits me at the house. Literally. He keeps me from falling on my ass until I'm in the sitting room on the couch. Mom walks in and sits down in the chair on the other side of the coffee table. She looks tired from travel.

"Diana," she says. "I got home and you weren't here. I call you and you didn't answer your phone. I was worried something happened to you."

My lip trembles. My jaw shakes. Then I burst out sobbing, weeping violently into my hands. I see her feet as she gets up and sits next to me, and puts her arms around my shoulders.

"What happened?"

I can't tell her. I can't.

"Is it something to do with Apollo?"

I nod.

"You know I didn't approve of my daughter dating my… boyfriend's son," she catches on the words. "That doesn't mean I want you to get hurt. Did you two… while we were gone?"

"We didn't…"

She sighs. "Diana, you're old enough and I know how the plumbing works. He didn't make it to home plate, you're trying to tell me?"

"Yeah. I wanted to. I would have, but then he started bullshitting me about stupid shit about not wanting to hurt me or something."

"Hurt you?" she says. "What did you mean?"

"I w-wanted him to be my boyfriend. I've never had a boyfriend. I wanted to… with him. I tried to make him and…"

"If he wasn't willing to work through it with you, that's for the best. He's not the one."

I snort. "The one. What do you know about the one? I've never seen you go out with a guy more than twice."

She shrugs. "I get bored quickly. That was the problem with your father. I was bored and never knew it. There was no heat, no passion." A wistful smile passes over her face before she looks away, distant. "It was like that at first with him, your dad. Then it wasn't. I've been hoping ever since that I'd find it, but." A deep sigh.

"You don't seem like the most passionate person."

"I don't? My whole life is passion. I put myself into what I do one hundred and ten percent, and I expect that from everyone else. Diana, I wanted to talk with you about this. I think I'm changing my mind about your choice of schools and career paths."

I look up. "What?"

"I've been a bitch," she sighs. She notices my flinch and smiles. "No need to gild the lily, right? I should have listened to what you were telling me. We're a lot alike, Diana. I fell hard for the first boy to show a real interest in me. Unlike you, I married him before it was too late."

"It felt like it was real."

"Not every spark has to catch flame. Love at first sight isn't real, Diana. That's just infatuation. Real love takes work, and both parties have to be involved, deeply committed. You can't make someone love you. If you scared Apollo off with your intensity, that's a good thing. You want somebody that clicks with it. Meshes with it. Meshes with you."

This is getting weird. We've never, ever talked like this before. Not any kind of heart to heart or anything like that.

"Does his dad mesh with you?"

She takes a deep breath.

"Yes. I feel more compatible with him than anyone else. It's a good thing that it didn't work out between you and Apollo, sweetie. Believe me, it's for the best."

I sit up.

"Where are you going with this?"

She looks at me almost sheepishly. I think the f*cking world is ending.

"Well," she says, a hint of uncharacteristic hesitation slipping a quaver into her voice, "The thing is… we eloped."

"Excuse me?"

"We got married."

"I know what eloped means… what did you say?"

"We went to a wedding chapel in Las Vegas. I'm Mrs. Temple now. I'm keeping my name, but-"

I shoot to my feet, wobble, and fall right on my butt, all staring at her.

"You…"

"I know this is sudden. We're going to have a second, formal ceremony here at the house, invite some friends…"

"You married him? After a week?"

"I know what I'm doing. You should be happy. We're prepared to support your academic efforts. He helped me see the light-"

"I don't f*cking care about that, Mom. I care about you. You've known this guy for a week and you got married?"

She looks at me and shrugs.

"It's my life. It may not last, but I hope it does. He makes me happy. As I said, we're going to have a ceremony… Let me get you some cranberry juice. You're going to need it."