Always You(53)

“I think it sounds perfect for you. And we would be in college together,” I laughed. “How freaking weird would that be?”

“We would almost be a normal couple,” he chuckled.

Layna sat down as Dan carved the roast. She smiled at Dalton, and I could tell she was genuinely happy for him. “That’s great news, Dalton.”

The rest of dinner went okay. It wasn’t a completely natural, easy meal, but it was much less painful than I’d been anticipating. I couldn’t expect for them to be comfortable with the idea of us being together right away, but the fact that they were trying meant the world to me.

***

“That didn’t go too badly,” Dalton chuckled, sitting down on my bed. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to stay in your room?”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, it’s fine. I’m eighteen, remember? Hell, I’m not even in high school anymore,” I joked. I walked over to the bed and joined him, lying on my side, my hand propped up against my head.

“And I’m glad,” he grunted, shaking his head. “Believe it or not, you being my student wasn’t a big turn-on—more like something I had to push out of my head.”

I giggled. “Oh really? I thought that was every guy’s fantasy. That and a three-way.”

“The three-way, maybe,” he laughed. “But seriously, I feel so much more comfortable about us now that school is finished. Though I think to everyone, I’m always going to be that creepy History teacher who took advantage of his student.”

I smiled, rolling over so I sat on top of him.

“See, the way I remember it, I hit on you. In fact, I made every advance. You were the poor innocent teacher who was led astray by his pretty, irresistible student.” I leaned down to kiss him.

He laughed and pushed me away. “No, I can’t kiss you when you’re talking like that,” he chuckled. “But you are right about one thing: you are very irresistible.”

We lay in bed with the TV on, watching horror movies for half the night. A few times I dozed off, only to wake up to him stroking my hair and smiling down at me.

“You’ve slept through most of this,” he chuckled, kissing my nose.

“Big day,” I mumbled, rolling over and falling back asleep.





Chapter Thirty-One


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Wrenn


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I’d never been to Los Angeles before.

It was pretty much as I’d expected: lots of traffic, people, and noise. Dalton snuck glances at me as we drove down the M1 heading toward Lanyard, where his mother lived.

We’d be staying with her for a few weeks, and then moving on to Boston where we planned to get a place together, ready for the start of university.

I was nervous about meeting his mom. She would’ve known my mom, and that connection gave me some relief. It was like we were all intertwined in each other’s lives, and it was inevitable that we would one day meet.

Dalton’s mom lived in a huge two-story brick house that overlooked Potter’s Lake. The gardens were perfectly manicured, and the place was nicely kept. My heart was pounding as he pulled into the driveway.

What if she didn’t like me? What if she thought I wasn’t good enough for her son? As if sensing my concerns, Dalton gave me a smile, putting his hand on my thigh.

“She will love you, just like I do.”

I turned to him. Though he had made his feelings clear, that was the first time he had told me he loved me. I brought his hand up to my mouth and kissed his fingers. “I love you too. So f*cking much,” I said, my eyes brimming with unwanted tears.

He chuckled and reached over to me, wiping them away. “Don’t cry. This is a happy moment. Enjoy it.” He smiled at me again. “I love you, Wrenn.” He kissed me tenderly, his fingers brushing wisps of hair away from my face.

He was right. I deserved to enjoy this. Him. Everything. This was my happy ending. No matter what the future held.

***

Mary, Dalton’s mother, turned out to be a lovely woman who I instantly liked. She hugged me as if we were old friends and ushered us inside. She took us through to the kitchen and demanded we sit down while she made coffee.

“It’s lovely to finally meet you, Wrenn. I’ve been hearing such wonderful things about you.”

I smiled. Who had been talking about me—Dalton or Layna?

“It’s great to meet you too,” I said earnestly.

She set a mug of hot coffee in front of me, and then Dalton. When she looked at him, I could feel the love. It almost took over the room. He was her baby and she would do anything to protect him. Only there were some things he couldn’t be sheltered against.

“Did you make the appointment?” he asked her, fingering the handle of his mug. He looked up and waited for her to answer.

She nodded, biting her lip, her face giving away her anxiety.

“Thanks, Mom. It’ll be fine,” he assured her. “I’ll be fine. No matter what, I’m okay. You don’t need to worry about me.”

She laughed, tears welling in her eyes. “Honey, I’m your mom. I’ll always worry about you. It’s my job.”

***

It was after dinner, and Dalton had gone out to meet up with some friends. He had wanted me to go, but I’d claimed I had a headache. At first he’d wanted to stay, but after five minutes of me insisting he go out and enjoy himself, he relented. After he’d gone, I crept out of the guestroom, making my way to the living area, where Mary was reading. She smiled at me as I entered, putting down her book.