Rich people tend to stick together—one valuable lesson I learned from my father.
I put the car in park and pull out the key from the ignition.
Nova takes a shaky breath beside me and stares straight ahead at the garage doors. “Let’s do this.”
She doesn’t sound enthusiastic about it at all.
I keep reminding myself she needs to do this.
Closure is everything. Without it we keep spinning in circles.
I slide out of the car and she does the same, we meet in the front and her hand reaches for mine. Her fingers curl around mine—she’s holding on like I’m a buoy keeping her afloat in the turbulent ocean.
We walk slowly up the walkway and then up the three small steps to the front door.
“Ready?” I ask her.
“I’ll never be.”
She reaches out anyway and rings the doorbell.
Her hold on my hand tightens, and I can’t be certain but I think she’s holding her breath.
I hear the sound of heels slapping against hardwood floor and then the front door is swinging open, revealing an older form of Nova—also, a much unhappier version.
Her brown hair is pulled back in a tight bun that looks painful, while the messy one Nova usually sports looks light and free.
She sports a pinched look, like someone who’s had too much Botox and can’t move their face.
“Hi, Mom,” Nova speaks softly beside me.
“What are you doing here?” she snaps, her lip curling as her gaze moves from Nova to me.
“We were in town and thought we’d stop by.”
“Hmm, well, come in, I guess.” She steps aside to let us in but I can tell it’s the last thing she wants to do. “Take your shoes off.”
I give Nova a look like is she for real?
Nova’s look back says, unfortunately.
I let go of Nova’s hand and remove my boots. Even though I’m careful to set them aside I still get a dirty look from her mom.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I say, even though it’s anything but, and hold out my hand.
She stares at my hand like it’s a wild animal. “Don’t you have a bank to rob?”
My brows shoot up. “Excuse me?”
“I know your type. You have criminal written all over you.”
I glance at Nova and her cheeks are red, not in embarrassment but in anger.
“I can’t say I know what you mean,” I finally reply.
“People with a low IQ wouldn’t understand.” She turns sharply on her heels, heading further back into the house.
I grab Nova’s arm, halting her before she can follow. “What the fuck is that about? Is she for real?”
She shrugs. “This is what I grew up with.”
“I’m surprise she didn’t shove you down the steps when you were pregnant, as awful as that sounds.”
Nova flinches. “Sadly, I am too. I think it’s only because it was Owen’s baby.”
We finally make our way through the house and to a living room. Her mom sits perched on a couch, looking stiff and angry.
“Where’s Dad?” Nova asks.
“In his office,” she replies tartly, barely moving her lips.
“Would you mind asking him to join us?” Nova asks hesitantly.
If her mom’s brows could move, I think they’d furrow in that moment. “Why?”
Nova takes a deep breath, like she has to hold back her irritation. “Because I wanted to talk to you guys while I’m here.”
Her mom looks away. “I don’t know why you’d need to talk now. You left and never looked back.”
Nova shakes her head. “It goes both ways, you know? You never reached out to me, either.”
“Did I or did I not call you a few months ago?”
“Yeah, to tell me once again what a failure I am and how Jace isn’t good enough for me. Did you ever stop to think maybe it’s you who’s not good enough for me?”
Go Nova! I silently cheer. I’m proud of her for sticking up for herself.
Her mom stands, smoothing out her skirt. “I’ll get your father.”
“Thank you,” Nova says softly.
Once she’s gone we sit side by side on the white couch. It’s uncomfortable and definitely more for looks than actual comfort.
Nova’s hands wring together nervously, and I place mine overtop to still her movements.
It isn’t long until her mom breezes back into the room, head held high, followed by a tall man with graying hair, a smooth-shaven face, and an expensive looking suit and tie.
The man fiddles with the sleeves of his suit before sitting down.
“Novalee,” he says gruffly. No I missed you or I love you or I’m glad to see you. Just Novalee, like he’s disgusted to have her in his presence.
Sometimes, people horrify me. Is it so fucking hard to be nice?
“Hi, Dad.” Nova wiggles beside me, her unease rolling off her in waves.
“Who are you?” he asks.
I highly doubt he doesn’t know who I am—if her mom was aware of me, he must be too.
“Jace Kensington,” I reply, holding out my hand to shake his.
He eyes my hand before he finally takes it in his. The handshake is so quick I’m not sure it even happened, then the fucker has the audacity to wipe his hand on his pants leg.
Her mom runs her hands down her skirt, smoothing it out. “What brings you to town?”
“I wanted to see you guys.”
Her mom makes a noise of disbelief. “I highly doubt that. Liars are disgusting, Novalee, surely you can do better.”
Nova’s teeth clamp down and she looks torn between screaming and crying.
“Well, it’s the truth.”
Her mom looks at her nails, like Nova’s so unimportant she can’t even be bothered to look at her.
It takes everything in me to bite my tongue and not to tear into these people.
Her father sighs heavily and claps his hand. “You’re obviously here for a reason, get to the point and stop wasting our time. What is it? Do you need money? Your boyfriend looks like the type to lose all his on drugs. I can assure you, we won’t be digging you out of any more holes, young lady. This is your mess, you figure it out.”
Nova seethes. “Do not talk about him. You don’t even know him. And I’m assuming the holes you’re referring to is Greyson—yeah, that’s his name, but I’m sure Claudia told you since she seems to tell you everything. But I take serious offense to you insinuating my son is somehow less because I was young when I had him.” She takes a deep breath. “I came here to tell you I’m having a baby, and I’m happy, and I guess I hoped you’d be happy for me too.”
Her mom scoffs and clutches her heart. “But you’re not even married.”
“Another mistake, I’m sure,” her father pipes in.
What the fuck is it with people and thinking you can’t want to have a baby when you’re not married?
Nova stands so fast I nearly get whiplash. She points a menacing finger at my parents.
“I assure you, this baby was very much wanted, and for your information, Jace and I have no intentions to ever get married. We’re happy and in love the way we are.” She shakes her head. “I hoped maybe you guys could be different, but you’re not. You’re the same selfish and hateful people you’ve always been. I’m leaving, and I won’t be back. Forget you have a daughter.”
Nova storms from the room and her parents look at each other before looking at me.
I make a face and point in the direction Nova fled.
“I’m going to go,” I mutter, and dash out of the room and after Nova.
I find her outside pacing the driveway. When she sees me, she stops, looks up at the sky and screams.
All her sadness, anger, and frustration bleeds out into the sky above.
When she looks at me, there’s a clearness to her eyes now.
“Let’s go home.”
Nova
It’s been a month s
ince we went to my parents.
They haven’t tried to contact me at all, not that I’m surprised.
I’m choosing to let it go. A small part of me kept hoping they might change and want to be a part of my life, a part of my child’s life, but they are who they are and I don’t need their negativity in my life.
Sometimes you have to let go.
Christmas has passed and the new year is underway.
“I can’t believe how big you’re getting,” Sarah comments as we watch Jace and Greyson jumping in the indoor trampoline park. My heart warms watching Jace with my son, and picturing him with our child. He’s so good with Greyson and he’s not even his flesh and blood.
“I know.” I rub my stomach. “I’ve really popped out.”
“When do you find out the gender?”
“My next appointment.” I smile, watching as Jace picks up Greyson and tosses him onto the trampoline so he bounces high.
“What do you think it is?” she asks.
“I have no idea. With Greyson I was certain it was a boy, but this time I have no idea, and I don’t care either way.”
“I think it’s girl,” Sarah replies.
“Really? Why?” I ask, curious.
She shrugs. “I don’t know. I guess I think a girl would be fun.”
A girl would be fun—especially since I’m sure Jace will be super overprotective of a girl.
But a boy would be great too.
Either way, I know our lives are about to get even more full and exciting.
“How are your friends handling the baby thing now?” Sarah asks.
When we told Sarah and her husband we were having a baby, they were thrilled for us, it was the kind of reaction you expect and it warmed my heart that at least someone was happy for us.
“Really good,” I reply honestly. “I think they all feel bad for their initial reaction. Thea’s already told me she’s dragging me to shop for baby things once we find out the gender.”
“Well, I hope you know I’m totally game to babysit anytime you need it.” She laughs. “Babies are a handful, but they’re also something special. Sometimes I miss Greyson being that small. He was such a beautiful baby. Perfect.”
I know she doesn’t mean for her words to hurt me, but they do. Greyson was taken from me so quickly at times I wondered if he’d even existed.
“He was adorable,” I agree, though I’m totally biased. Sarah put together an entire photo album of all of Greyson’s years before I got to meet him and I look at it often, stroking his chubby little baby cheeks.
Greyson’s laughter carries over to us and I smile, watching him and Jace throw balls at each other, trying to hit the other.
“You’re going to be an amazing mom.” Sarah smiles at me, her eyes crinkling.
Even though she’s not old enough to be my mom, in many ways it feels like she is. She’s been kind to me, a friend and confidant. I trust her in ways I don’t trust a lot of people.
“Thank you. Sometimes it scares me, my parents weren’t the best and I wonder how on Earth I’ll know what to do.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t worry about it. It’ll all click into place once that little guy or gal is here. Everything you need to know is right here.” She taps her heart.
I believe her too.
Greyson comes running toward us and hugs his mom, then hugs me.
“I’m tired,” he declares, out of breath. “Can we come back tomorrow?”
Sarah laughs. “Not tomorrow, bud, but we will come back.”
He frowns but nods. “Fine.”
Jace glances at his phone. “Thea’s bitching, we need to go.”
“Jace,” I hiss.
“What?” He blinks innocently. Finally, it clicks into place. “Don’t repeat what I said, Greyson. Those are grown up words.”
Sarah laughs and shakes her head. “Trust me, he knows if he repeats anything like that he’ll get soap in his mouth.” She stands and places her hands on his shoulders. “Come on, let’s go get your shoes. We have to get home so I can make dinner.”
“Bye, Grey. I love you,” I tell him and hug him one last time before he has to leave.
“Love you too, Angel.”
He presses his lips to my cheek and then he’s walking away.
I won’t lie, every time he walks away from me it hurts, but at least I know he’ll always come back eventually.
Jace gets his shoes and we head out. We’re having dinner at Thea and Xander’s place. It’s the only place big enough for all of us to get together unless we go out, but most of the time we’d all rather avoid the chaos of public spaces.
We get in Jace’s truck and he tosses his phone at me.
“She keeps blowing up my fucking phone. Tell her to chill the fuck out before I run her over with my truck and make it look like an accident.”
I snort and shake my head, reading the string of texts from Thea. I secretly love how she always texts Jace incessantly to bug the crap out of him. I love seeing him get riled.
Thea: Where are you guys?
Thea: Seriously, where the fuck are you?
Thea: I’m giving your food to the dog, making her throw it up, and then giving it to you.
Thea: JACEN
Thea: JAAAAAACEN you can run but you can’t hide
Thea: I know where you live.
Thea: Why are you ignoring me?
Thea: I’m just going to keep texting.
Thea: How many Jace’s does it take to screw up a family dinner?
Thea: Answer—One.
Jace: Hey, it’s Nova. We were with Greyson. On our way now.
Thea: Don’t tell Jace, but I’m spitting in his food. Mark my words.
I can’t help it, I laugh.
Jace: You’re bad.
Thea: Bad is the best. Good is overrated. Who has ever had any fun by being good?
Jace: Definitely not you—you did propose to your husband in Vegas.
Thea: Dammit, why can’t any of you let that go?
Jace: Hey, I’m impressed you had the balls to go for what you wanted.
Thea: Xael’s screaming her head off, apparently her food isn’t to her liking. I’ll see you guys when you get here.
I put Jace’s phone on the seat beside me.
“What’d she say?” he asks.
“That she’d see us when we got there.”
He harrumphs. “She’s doing something to my food, isn’t she?” I smile wickedly, unable to help myself. He sighs heavily. “Knew it.”
Thea yanks the door open before we can. “Thank God you’re finally here. I thought I was going to have to hunt you down. Everybody’s already in the dining room. Xael sits in her high chair with a few toys. She’s gotten big. It’s crazy how fast kids grow up. She’s going to be a year in a month.
Jace and I greet everyone and then take our seats. Thea’s made homemade lasagna and it smells delicious. My stomach rumbles.
Thea sits down beside Xander and takes his hand. He smiles at her, love shining in his eyes. That boy would kiss the ground she walks on and she knows it.
“We have gathered you all here today,” Thea begins dramatically, “to share with you the momentous news that my husband’s super sperm has once again penetrated the barriers of my birth control and knocked me up.”
“Thea,” Xander groans, shaking his head in embarrassment.
We all stare at her in stunned silence, wondering if she’s serious or joking. She seems to pick up on this fact and adds, “I’m not kidding.”
“Um, wow,” I say, still shell shocked. “Congratulations.”
“Our babies will be close in age.” She claps her hands giddily, so she must be happy about this. “I hope one of us has a girl and the other a boy, then maybe they’ll grow up and fall in love.”
Jace gags. “Ew, no, that’s like incest or something.”
Thea rolls her eyes. “We’re not related, dumb ass.”
“Ass! Ass! Ass!” Xael cries, smacking her f
ist against her high chair tray.
“That’s my girl.” Thea smiles.
Xander shakes his head. “God help me if it’s another girl.”
“Another little niece or nephew. Sounds fun.” Cade grins and stretches his arm behind Rae’s chair. “Babe, I think we’re falling behind these guys. We better get busy.”
She laughs. “Not yet. But I am excited to have so many little babies running around. This is going to be fun.”
“Oh, come on,” Thea eggs, “you have to start popping out babies to compete with the rest of us, and this way all our kids can be best friends. Xael will be the leader of the group, obviously, I mean she came from my loins and she’ll be the oldest.”
Jace snorts beside me and Thea narrows her eyes.
“Do you have something to say, Jacen?”
He suppresses a laugh. “Not at all.”
“Sure.” Thea rolls her eyes.
“Yeah, sorry,” Rae begins, but she doesn’t sound sorry at all, “but we’ve only been married a year. I want to enjoy married life a little while longer.”
“You suck.” Thea sticks her tongue out.
I take a bite of lasagna and my stomach rolls. I push the plate away and Jace looks at me questioningly.
“Is something wrong?” Thea asks. “I swear I followed the directions exactly—except with Jace’s piece, I don’t think dropping it on the floor and letting the dog lick it was part of the directions.”
Jace glares at her. “You didn’t.”
“Maybe I didn’t. Maybe I did. You’ll never know.”
This time it’s Jace who shoves his plate away.
“No, it’s not your fault,” I hasten to tell her. “Food is making me nauseous.”
“Ugh, I know your pain. That’s how it was with Xael. So far this baby is treating me kinder. Knock on wood.” She raps her knuckles against the dining room table.
The rest of the dinner goes smoothly—even if neither Jace nor I eat. Afterward, he swings by a McDonald’s and gets himself a burger and fries. I turn down his offer to get me something, feeling sick at the thought of the greasy food.
We get home and, knowing I need to eat something, I eat a piece of toast with butter.
Broken Hearts (Light in the Dark Book 5) Page 11
