Always There

Chapter Forty-Three

"We had hoped that things would be better for her once she got to high school, but that wasn't the case. She's never liked going to parties and she seemed very lonely at times. I'm fairly certain that something was going on between her and Mateo for a little while, too. Do you know anything about that? Anything that she wouldn't mind you telling me about, of course."

When our eyes meet, I see nothing but sincerity in her gaze. She's brushing her thumb against the back of Blossom's hand as she smiles at me, and there's something about her expression that makes me truly see the resemblance that they have.

Of course, they would almost certainly have to look alike considering that they're mother and daughter, but in this moment, their resemblance in uncanny.

I gently trail my fingertips across Blossom's cheek and down her neck. When she doesn't react—she would typically bat my hand away and tell me that touching her like that gave her butterflies in her stomach because she's so clueless as of to what it feels like to be turned on—my heart clenches, but I ignore the pain so that I can continue speaking to Kathleen.

"We never really discussed her . . . relationship with Mateo until recently. She said that she didn't really like him, but that his eyes reminded her of me and so she was able to pretend that she was kissing me and not him." I pause. "Fuck. She'd kill me if she knew that I just told you that."

Kathleen chuckles, gently running the fingers of her free hand through Blossom's hair. "She loves you with her whole heart, Bryce. I can see it in the way that she looks at you. She was so
miserable over the years that you lived in Florida, and though I know it was entirely my fault, I can't thank you for helping her out of that dark place that she was in enough."

"She helped me out of a dark place too," I reply, murmuring. "After everything that happened with my mom, it was nice to have someone to talk to. Lexi really does mean the world to me."

Kathleen gives me a sad smile. "I'm sorry about everything that happened with Sierra. I'm very glad to see that Elena and your father are so happy together. I'm also terribly sorry for being so rude to you last year. It was extremely childish of me. All I want is to see my daughter happy, and you've done nothing but respect her and bring her joy, so thank you for that, Bryce."

I don't quite have the right words to say at the moment, and so I remain silent as I ponder what to respond with. By the time I finally open my mouth to speak, though, Johnathon is standing right next to his wife, gently squeezing her shoulder.

"We've got to find a hotel, Kate," he says to her softly.

Kathleen lets out a sigh, turning to stare up into her husband's eyes. "All right. Let's try to find somewhere nearby. Are you able to stay here until we come back, Bryce? If not, one of us will stay. I wouldn't want Lexi to wake up alone."

I nod. "Of course I'll stay. You know, my apartment has two bedrooms, so if you'd like, you could just stay there. A friend of mine from Florida was planning on staying with Lexi and I for the next three nights, but I can have her sleep in my room and I can sleep on the couch so that you could have the spare bedroom."

Johnathon's eyes meet mine. "A friend from Florida or a girlfriend from Florida?"

I feel my face go pale. "Just a friend. I promise. Lexi is the only girlfriend that I've had, and she's the only girlfriend that I ever will have. The friend staying with us showed up without a warning and so I'm allowing her to spend a few nights with us before she has to go back home. That's all."

Johnathon still doesn't seem to be convinced. "Now that Lexi is in the hospital, you and that American girl will be alone in your apartment at night. How would Lexi feel about that?"