Free B00AAOCX2E EBOK by Jaycee DeLorenzo Page B

the door before he could answer and shrieked, “
Mom
!”
    My mother came rushing from the kitchen, eyes wide with alarm. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
    “Chief Breckenridge?” I demanded in disbelief. “You’re dating Chief
Breckenridge
?”
    Mom held a hand over her heart and exhaled in relief. “You had me scared half to death.” She gave me her mom-glare, then sighed and wrapped her arms around herself. “I was afraid you’d react like this.”
    “What happened to him being a tight-ass hick pig with all the compassion and personality of a Pet Rock?”
    “Oh, well.” Mom tossed her hand with an amused chuckle.
    “I’m glad you’re finding this so funny,” I said, scrubbing my disbelieving eyes with both hands. I then flung my arms apart. “How many times has this man thrown you into jail, again?”
    Mom shrugged. “Once or twice.”
    I shook my head, my mouth gaping in disbelief at her attempt to downplay their turbulent history. “Try six.”
    “How do you even remember these things?”
    “How could I forget? The last time you were arrested, I got to watch him dragging you away from Ironwood High’s campus in handcuffs, while my classmates were pointing and laughing. It’s the kind of traumatizing event that sticks with a person.”
    A wounded look moved over my mom’s face. “I was just backing you up.”
    I sighed. “Yeah, I know.”
    My senior-year editorial decrying the high school’s abstinence-only policy as a joke and calling for distribution of condoms in the nurse’s office had not been received well by the school administration. When the vice principal had refused to let it be printed in the school paper, Mom pinned condom wrappers all over her body and marched down to the school to protest the violation of my first amendment rights.
    Things had gotten out of hand. They always did.
    Mom brought her hands together before her. “Look, things change.
People
change. Yeah, our history is a little… colorful, but if we can look beyond it, then why can’t you?”
    I raised a brow. “Colorful? Is that what you’re calling it?”
    Mom’s eyes flashed. “
Basta!
Enough! I’m starting to really care about this man, so if you can’t be polite and respectful, I’ll ask you to leave. C
apisce
,
cara mia
?”
    I sighed. There was no arguing with her when she channeled Nonni Rossini. “Yes, mother.” Mom brows lifted in warning, and I forced a smile. “C
apisco, Mamma.
”
    Mom fluffed her hair with her fingers and then opened the door with great flourish. “Nathan, I’m so sorry about that.”
    “Not a problem,” he assured her, appearing in the doorway. He held out the wine and flowers. “For you.”
    My mom melted as she received his gifts. “Oh, how thoughtful of you.”
    Chief Breckenridge’s eyes flickered my way before he leaned in to give her a chaste kiss on the cheek.
    Mom giggled, reminding me of one of Ian’s bimbos. She motioned him inside. “Where’s your boy?”
    Chief Breckenridge closed the door behind him. “He got held up at work and wanted to run home for a quick shower.”
    “He got the job, then?” My mom clapped her hands together. “Wonderful news!”
    Chief Breckenridge nodded, then tipped his head in my direction. “Hello, again, Ivy.”
    My mouth twitched in a fake smile. “Hey.” I caught my mom’s stern look of warning and went on. “I’m sorry I slammed the door in your face. I was just a little…”
Shocked? Disgusted? Revolted?
“…surprised,” I finally settled on.
    “It’s quite all right.” He ran a hand through his thinning sand-colored hair. “We thought this might throw you for a bit of a loop.”
    Understatement.
    “Just a bit,” I admitted. I walked over to my mom and held out my hands. “How about I go put these in some water?”
    “Why, thank you, dear, that would be lovely.”
    I tried not to roll my eyes. Mom only spoke like that when she was trying to impress a boyfriend, as if using words like “dear” and