When 20-year-old Kara Bennett moves to Boston to escape her post-high school drama with her daughter, she didn't expect to fall straight into it in the form of Austin Mayer.
• • •
All Kara Bennett...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I NOTICED I ANCHORED MYSELF TO AUSTIN IN EVERY WAY.
After Ace was gone, Austin held me a hand in every situation I called for help. He helped me take care of Sophie, take care of my life, and take care of myself. He shattered the walls I'd built over time, against the strangers, the enemies, and my feelings.
The last time I felt this dependent on someone — it was his sister. This realization hit me like a truck like I was leading up to another mistake of my life. Where had the promises I made gone? When did I let someone lead the way again? Wasn't I supposed to walk my own way with my daughter? When did I fall into steps with someone else's path, following his steps in a heartbeat? What was at the end of this road? Why didn't it matter?
As I lay on my bed, all the thoughts marching in my head, I heard Sophie's giggle with Ace. Does loneliness ever frighten you? I had asked this question to Mila when we were fourteen, lying on her king-size bed. Loneliness had frightened me then, though all I'd ever been was lonely. Ace and I weren't as good as we were now, and I had to take care of myself. The best parts of my days were when I was with Mila — in her house, sitting at their dinner table, joining their family conversations, even when we were eavesdropping at her parents' quarrel behind the doors. It made me feel like a part of the family — a Mayer.
Still, a small voice at the back of my head asked if I chose Austin to be a Mayer — to stick with the family I always wanted.
I shut my eyes as Sophie barged into my room and jumped on my bed. "Mama," she said, laughing and nudging my arm. "Ace is ticking me." It was her way of saying tickling.
"Stop ticking my daughter, Ace!" I yelled laughingly. In the wake of Sophie's presence, all of my evil thoughts were gone. Such magic. "He can't tickle you now, sweetheart."
Ace emerged by the door, watching us with his typical sly grin. "Yeah, I'm too scared of your mama, Soph." Sophie buried her head into my chest and hugged me with her tiny arms. "Breakfast is almost ready, by the way."
"You made breakfast — oh gosh, Soph, you hear that?" She made a humpf sound against my chest. "Let's go, my stomach is growling." As I made a move to rise, she put her ear against my stomach to test. When she heard the growl, she giggled. In the end, she was much faster than me to follow Ace to the kitchen.
In the midst of breakfast, after Ace took a long sip of his tea, he sighed and said, "Something is bothering you." I glanced at him. "Is it that girl?" he continued in a low tone not to attract Sophie's attention, who was busy feeding Daisy with her food.
I nodded curtly. "She's a nightmare, Ace."
"Nothing you can't handle, doll."
"We both know it's not about me," I muttered. "She wants something bigger." I pointed at Sophie with my eyes. "If she learns, if she...informs him..."
