Fallen Crest Public(133)

He laughed, tipping my head up to his. “I never thought you were poor.”
“You didn’t? You could’ve. I forget sometimes that you come from money.”
“Why does that matter?”
“It doesn’t.” But it did.
“Then why’d you look away just now? Sam,” he brought me back to face him, “money is just padding. It can be used to shelter you from some things, but there’s no sheltering from other things like love and kindness. Money has no effect on the real stuff.”
“Is Helen going to buy that house? Nate’s old house?”
“Wait. Where’d that come from?”
Money was important to her. Helen Malbourne would never approve of me; she didn’t think I was good enough for Mason. “I know she’s there. It’s another thing you didn’t tell me this past week.”
“Oh.” His hand fell away from my face. “You don’t trust me now?”
After all he had done, that was the last thing I should be feeling. “No. I’m sorry.”
“Sam.”
I sighed on the inside. Would I ever be secure enough?
“Sam.”
“What?”
“Look at me.”
I refused, glancing at my hands. Twisting them in my lap, I looked again after he gently nudged me with his shoulder. He smiled at me. Seeing the tenderness in his gaze, I melted inside. Then he murmured as he drew closer to me, “You have baggage. I understand. Your mom betrayed you. Both of your dads left you. Your two best friends and your ex screwed you over. I start keeping secrets, and you see me kissing another girl. I get it. I’m sorry for making you doubt me.”
“This week sucked.”
He laughed, capturing my hand again and bringing it onto his lap. He held it with both of his. “The past couple weeks have sucked.”
“Is it done?”
“Who knows?”
I cracked a grin. “That’s not very reassuring.”
“Whatever else happens, we’ll deal. We always do.” Turning to me, he lifted me onto his lap and scooted back until he was resting against my headboard. For some reason, sheltered in his arms in my old room gave me a peaceful feeling. My old and new had combined and somehow that was all I’d needed. He pressed a kiss to the side of my head. “You don’t believe me?”
I did, but words weren’t coming to me right then and there. My throat swelled and a big knot lodged in my chest, but it was the good kind. For once.
“Sam,” he whispered, his breath caressing my skin, “I love you.”
I clasped my other hand over his and squeezed with as much force as I could. I loved him. I just couldn’t say it. The knot had doubled, so I tried to turn around so he could see it. I needed him to see my love. Tears and all, they were shining within me, and I wanted him see it all. He always saw everything.
Then he groaned, “Do you know how hard I am right now?”
A laugh broke free. My ribs hated me, but I kept laughing. It wasn’t until later that night when the lights were off and we were in my bed that I was able to speak over the pain, “So your mom really is buying that house?”
His arms tightened around me. “Yeah, I think so and especially after last night.”
“What else happened?”
He stiffened underneath me. “I got a call last night from my dad, and I didn’t even think about it until now, but you should know something. Your mom had another freak out. My dad had to call the cops on her.”
I didn’t know what hit me first: fear or hope.
He added, “She was admitted to the hospital and she’s under a seventy-two-hour psychiatric hold. My dad says that your mom has a disorder or something. She’s going to some treatment center.”