“You don’t know them, and why does it matter what they do for a living?” It’s a stupid question, one I already know the answer to. Mom has always been a social climber, and I’m expected to be with someone from our circle.
She arches a curious brow, and lifts the basket of muffins from the middle of the table and holds it out to Linc. Linc takes one and casts me a glance. Worry dances in his eyes. Yeah, he knows what my mother is like and that she won’t be happy when she finds out I’m with someone like Maize, someone without the right pedigree. Although, am I really with her? She’s not even answering my text. Another wave of anxiety races through my blood.
A horrible thought hits me like a sucker punch. Now that she’s had her interview with Dean Saunders, and has his stamp of approval, and that he’s even going to see about internships for her, maybe she doesn’t need to hang out with me anymore. I quickly strike that thought. She is not that girl. I might have run across plenty of them in life, but she’s not like that. She’s honest and caring, and…and why isn’t she answering me?
“You don’t know her, Mom. She goes to Kingston.”
“Oh, a Kingston college girl.” She claps her hands. “Where is she from?”
Dad ruffles his papers, obviously annoyed with my mother’s prying. “What we should be asking is if he’s qualified for a job if he gets injured in the NFL.”
And just like that, I’m pissed off. Nothing will ever be good enough for him, not even football. If I had followed in his footsteps, maybe I’d be worthy of his attention. Getting into the NFL is hard fucking work, but I’m not going to rehash that old argument with them again. Sometimes I wonder if the fact that I chose sports over law is why he dislikes me and my choices. Maybe he simply never wanted me.
“Yes, I’m qualified for work,” I say through clenched teeth.
My mother pinches her lips tight, and I grab her mug and refill it with coffee—she looks like she needs it. She drops sugar into it, and Linc blinks in agony as the spoon clinks against the side of the mug.
“I’d just like to know more about the girl my son is interested in,” Mom says, clearly annoyed. “By the way, Christian. Evelyn Jackson called this morning and she said Katherine was quite smitten with you.”
“Katherine and I are friends.” I take a sip of coffee. “Nothing more.”
Mom takes a bite of muffin and goes quiet as she chews. She finishes and says, “Yes, well, maybe you shouldn’t have led her on, then. You were spending an awful lot of time with her.”
Jesus, I can’t catch a break here.
“I wasn’t leading her on. We were talking.”
Linc checks his watch. “Christian, we have to bounce. We have that thing.”
“You have a thing?” Mom asks and wipes the corners of her mouth with her cloth napkin.
“At the country club,” Linc says, and Mom’s eyes widen.
“I didn’t hear of any event at the country club.”
“It’s like a reunion thing, for Sweetwater kids. Nothing big.” As Linc struggles, I just shake my head. He’s trying to save me, but like me, he’s not very good at lying.
“Oh, have fun then.” We both stand and Mom frowns at our clothes. “Wait, you’re not going dressed like that, are you?”
I glance at my jeans and T-shirt, a complete contrast to what I was wearing last night. I’m much more comfortable this way.
“It’s just casual,” I say with a shrug and before she can ask any more questions, Linc and I hurry out of the room. When we reach the front door, I fish my keys from my pocket and grin at him.
“A thing?” I slap him on the back. “Good one, bud.”
“Give me a break. My fucking head is throbbing, and my brain isn’t firing properly.” His gaze drops as I check my phone again.
“Still nothing, huh?”
I shove my phone into my pocket. “Nothing.”
“Want to pay her a visit? Make sure she’s okay?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. I don’t want to just show up. She didn’t want me to meet her mother, and what if I show up at her door and she’s done with me?”
“Why would she be done with you, Christian? Did she do or say anything to make you think it was over?” I stare at him for a second, and his shoulders fall, no doubt thinking what I’m thinking, but don’t want to put into words. Steph gave Linc no indication there was trouble in their relationship. He gives a heavy sigh. “Never mind.”
I shade the sun from my eyes and glance around. “Maybe we can do a drive-by. Just to make sure nothing is out of the ordinary. Maybe there was an accident or something.”
“Good plan.”
We head to my Jeep and both jump in. I drive through the streets, go past the mall and the quaint coffee shops, and keep my eye out for her. Maybe she’s doing some last-minute shopping. My search comes up empty and I head to the other side of town, and slow when we reach Maize’s place. The curtains are all drawn, preventing me from seeing inside. I don’t know if that’s their normal or not, since she wouldn’t let me drop her off at her place, and I’ve only ever been here at night, to sneak into her room.
I stop the car, and stare, and that’s when I see her friend Ryan exiting his house. He turns my way, glares, and starts coming toward me, his pace fast, determined. As he gets closer, I note the tightness in his jaw, the way his hands are clenched and I instantly know something isn’t right.
“What the fuck is his problem?” Linc asks.
“I don’t know.” I unbuckle
