Cheat Sheets

Chapter Four

Offering me a shrug and a small smile, Braeden digs his spoon into his ice cream – despite the fact he already ate all of my pie – and takes a bite of his breakfast meal. “There was something about the school reunion and a sexy husband. And hey, since when were we getting married?”

I harrumph. “You are such an arrogant-”

Before I can add more adjectives to my list – it would be a rather long list – Braeden offers his spoonful of desert over to me. “I know. I know. I’m also a chauvinist, a pervert and an air head. You won’t be the first to say it already, so can we skip that part of the date where you insult me and just get to the eating part?”

I stare down at the spoonful of Pistachio and Almond ice cream he’s offering to me speculatively. “This isn’t a date.”

Braeden rolls his eyes as I take his spoon and mouth the ice cream off into my mouth. “Sure it isn’t. And we’re not actually eating ice cream. And the pope doesn’t wear bondage gear on his free days…”

And suddenly ice cream goodness comes pouring out of my mouth. Oh man and I was really starting to enjoy that. Wiping at my mouth with the napkin, I scoff at Braeden. “The pope does not wear bondage gear on his off days!”

“That’s what they say, but I beg to differ.” He smirks, before digging his spoon into my ice cream bowl and taking off a large chunk for himself. He shoves it into his mouth just as I raise my spoon to tap the back of his knuckles. “I can’t believe you got Plum flavour, how boring.”

Mock growling at him, I curl my arm around my ice cream protectively before he can steal anymore whilst making up a spoon for myself “It’s not boring. It’s Damson Plum flavour. My mom used to make Damson Preserves and sell them at the farmers market. I remember waking up every morning and having a piece of toast with Damson spread on thickly. It’s just nice is all.”

Across the table, Braeden goes quiet. And we eat our ice creams in peace for a few moments, before I glance upwards and realise that he’s staring intently at my face. “What?”

“Do you miss her a lot? And what happened, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Intrigued by this sudden calm about him, I sigh and slide my ice cream across the table towards him. I really don’t have the stomach for anymore ice cream; it’s too early in the morning for this. “I guess I miss the little things most. I don’t really remember her that well so there isn’t much to miss. When I was six, she was involved in a huge pile up on the motorway on the way back from visiting her bit on the side.”

“Damn, that’s a harsh bit of karma.” Braeden winces. “She was cheating on your dad with this other guy? Why on earth? Your dad is amazing.”

“That’s what I thought too. But my dad explained that she wasn’t happy in their marriage because he wasn’t around often enough, and they were struggling for money so it was tough. She wanted to be a housewife, but because they couldn’t really afford it she had to get a part time job at some lawyer’s office as a secretary. I guess that’s where she met the other guy.”

Braeden shakes his head and leans forwards in his seat, splaying his hands on the table. “You must hate this other guy, for ruining your family like that?”

I shrug, staring down at my hands as Braeden moves in and starts circling the backs of my knuckles with his thumbs. “Not really. I met him at the funeral. He didn’t know about us at all, mom kept it a huge secret. He was told she lived with her overbearing father; they were planning to run away and elope but… He was as heartbroken as my dad I think. They were both in love with my mother and she was just playing them off against one another in a way. I’m still in contact with Max; he’s like an uncle to me now. I just can’t fathom somebody doing that to people they claim to love; it’s inexcusable.”

“Man; that sounds like something from a movie.” Braeden leans back, blowing out air whilst considering me. “The woman in the pictures at your house, that’s your mother?” I nod in acquisition, wondering how he’s seen the photos, but then remembering that he practically eye burgled my house this morning when my dad left. “You look a lot like her. And although the stories kind of tragic; she was beautiful and I understand how Max and Officer Greene fell for her. She must have loved them both, at least?”

“In her own way, possibly.” Feeling the atmosphere dark and heavy around us, I attempt a smile as I nudge Braeden with my foot under the table. “Well, you know all there is to know about my family now. So I think it’s your turn to share some family secrets.”

The tender smile on his face suddenly falls into a barely tempered scowl. “My family is none of your business. So just keep your nose out, alright?”

“But I-”

Shocked, I watch in astonishment as Braeden slides out of the booth, leaving the empty ice cream pots still on the table. I’m too dumbstruck to do anything, and by the time I do make a move – because the waitress comes along and offers to throw our trash in the bin – Braeden is already on the back of his bike in a strop and riding out of the parking lot.

Okay, I honestly have no idea what I did to tick him off to the extent that he drove away and left me. But damn, what on earth got him that over sensitive? His family? Please, it’s not like I care too much anyways; I was just trying to make conversation and get to know him better. But if he’s going to flare up like that maybe I’ll just stay out of the way.

Now, how on earth am I going to get home?