Free Bound to Surrender (South Jersey Bound Series) by Tess Lamont Page A

shouldn’t try again.”
    What the hell? “Where is all this coming from?”
    “I think you know. Just know I don’t blame you.”
    Oh, shit. There was only one explanation for Joe’s sudden chattiness. He knew she was seeing someone.
    “How do you know?” She demanded.
    “What?” Joe asked.
    “I know your lying voice. You know I’ve been seeing someone. How?”
    “Michael’s coach was here earlier today.”
    “What?” She nearly screeched. She was going to kill Bryce, dismember him limb by limb.
    “He came because Mike asked him to help him practice. Tryouts are next week, and Mike said he needed to work on his swing.”
    Well, maybe she’d leave Bryce’s throwing arm intact.
    “How the hell did I come up? Were you trading war stories, too?”
    She knew she sounded irrational, but she couldn’t understand how this had happened. She’d wanted time to break this to Michael. But, time had just run out.
    “Don’t be like that,” Joe insisted. “How was I supposed to know Michael was going to ask about him and you? I didn’t even know you were dating.”
    Neither did she. Her head pounded.
    “What did Michael say?”
    “Apparently one of Michael’s friends said they saw you two having ice cream, then, later the same day, they saw his car at your place. Michael asked what was going on. Mr. Walker told him you’ve been seeing each other and that he hopes it will last.”
    “Damn,” she said.
    “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
    “I’m not upset.”
    “You’re being sarcastic. That’s another thing you do...”
    “No, really?”
    “Okay, maybe now’s not a good time. I was just trying to tell you I’m happy for you. He seems like a good guy.”
    “I don’t believe this.” She shook her head. “How did Michael leave things with Bry—Mr. Walker?”
    “Michael told him it was weird, but said he was glad you won’t be alone when he leaves.”
    Oh, God.
    “I’m coming over,” she said. “I have to see Michael.”
    ****
    By the end of her day with Michael, Christina had assured herself that her son really was okay, or at least dealing with the trifecta—living with his father, going to boarding school, and knowing his Mom was dating.
    Joe had been right. Somehow Mike had acquired maturity beyond his years. She assured Michael he’d always come first, and he’d responded by saying he was growing up and breaking off on his own, and she needed to do the same.
    Mr. Walker’s a good guy, Mom.
    The whole idea of her son calling Bryce freaked her out, but what was done was done. After their weird distance the other morning, Bryce could have said there wasn’t anything going on, but he hadn’t.
    Which meant there was hope.
    She brushed her hair back and urged herself for the third time to get her ass out of her car and ring Bryce’s bell.
    She sank back into the seat and closed her eyes. She sat listening to her breath and feeling the heat constrict her lungs. A knock on her window disturbed her silence.
    She opened her eyes and met Bryce’s unreadable gaze. He opened her door.
    “It’s too hot to be sitting in a car,” he said. “Come inside.”
    “You don’t have any air conditioning.”
    “I fixed the damn thing. Come in. You want to, or you wouldn’t be here.”
    “Look who knows so much,” she said, getting out of the car.
    He closed her door behind her and braced himself with one arm. She leaned against her trunk, remembering all the post -game chats they’d had in exactly this position.
    She’d wanted him all along.
    “Hello Mr. Walker,” she said.
    “Hello Ms. Welch,” he replied.
    His dark v-neck tee clung in all the right places. “You’re right. I want to come in.”
    He looked away, but took her hand. Cradling her palm with firm fingers, he led her to his place. He opened the door and straddled his threshold.
    “Ladies first,” he said.
    She expected a typical I-don’t-put-any-thought-into -my-home bachelor pad. His apartment surprised her by being a warm