Damn, her body fits with mine. The way my lips can kiss her head, her arms don’t strain to wrap around me. The fact that I’m the first person she’s trusting won’t fail her cracks open my heart and allows her to glide right in. For the first time in months, I don’t fight her occupying that space; instead I welcome her into the one part of my body I close everyone out of.

“I love you, Paige. I’ll always be here,” I whisper and a whimper muffles into my shirt.

Urging her head up, she follows and I wait to have all of her attention. “I love you, Paige and whatever happens in that room, with Matty, or your dad, doesn’t change that.” I make the promise to her, that I wish someone would have given to me seven years ago.

Her eyes pour love and adoration, but she remains speechless. I can’t help my heart from constricting until I hear her mutual feelings, but I don’t want empty words. When she tells me, I want her heart pledging it, regardless if it’s right now, an hour from now, or a month. I’ll wait for her to be ready because I know how hard it can be to tell someone. Especially when you’ve been let down and in Paige’s case, she’s never expected anything but to be let down by people.

“Thank you.” Her hand grazes down my back, until she links her fingers with mine. “Please, come in with me.” She begins ushering me toward the door. I realize this is the best promise Paige can give me. To be side by side through her hell right now.

When we break through the door, and shuffle past the curtain, Linda is lying down on her side, facing the window. Paige stops at the edge of the bed and I hold her hand tightly in mine.

“Mom?” her voice is a whisper.

Linda wiggles in her bed, but never looks over to us.

“Go away, Paige.”

Paige inhales a deep breath and I grip her hand tighter.

Don’t shut me out.

“You know I won’t.”

“Just go with your daddy,” Linda sneers and the dislike in her voice isn’t missed by either of us.

“Mom,” Paige sighs. “That’s not true.” She unlinks our hands but then places her hand on my forearm and gives me a small tilt to her head.

I get the hint she’s giving and I nod, exiting the room.

Paige

My heart hurts asking Rob to leave. He’s trying to be there for me, but this is going to be hard enough, let alone have my mom embarrassed by Rob’s presence.

I roam over to the window and sit down in a chair, facing my mother. She rolls over away from me and I huff. “I’m not leaving.” I cross my legs and lean back, waiting for the standoff.

“You don’t care about me. If it wasn’t for Matty, you’d be gone.” She talks directly to the wall.

“True.” I’m not going to sit here and pretend I didn’t wish for a different mother most of my life.

“See. So, go.” Her finger points to the door. “I’ll give you Matty and you can leave me the hell alone.”

“And who would they call the next time this happens? Mom?” I move to sit on the edge of her bed. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t love you, but you need help.”

She flips around fast, her eyes darting hatred into mine. “No, I don’t.”

Inhaling another breath to keep myself from losing it. “Yes you do. Think about Matty. What if he would have found you?”

“He wouldn’t have, I left him at Aunt Kate’s.”

Knowing she’ll dodge this until she wants to get help, I decide to ask for more information. “Why were you in the city?” I close my eyes, because I already know why. She probably has a tracker device on him like a dog.

“You know why . . .”

My fists clench and I smooth them out on my pants. “How did you know?”

“Please honey, your dad is creature of habit. Him and the guys always go to the same restaurant and stay in the same hotel the night before a tour kicks off.” She presses her palm to her head and I bring the sheet over her body more.

“What happened?” I’m not even certain why I care. It’s always the same thing.

“I knocked on his door and he refused me.”

How can she not figure out, he doesn’t want her? I mean I’m twenty-two and I get that he led her on when I was younger, but lately he’s had no contact with her.

“He doesn’t care about you, why don’t you see that?”

Tears trickle down her cheeks and I notice her eyes are bloodshot. How horrible it must be to love a man so hard and never have him reciprocate.

“What do you know? You’re only following in my footsteps with that guy you live with. You think he cares about you, he doesn’t. You’re a good fuck like me, Paige. Congratulations you got Momma’s genes.” She sits up in bed and I get up, pacing the floor.

“That’s not true, but this isn’t about me.”

“Admit it Paige, you have the curse. The curse of loving a man who isn’t capable of loving.”

“You know nothing about Rob, so, let’s concentrate on you.” I’m trying to keep this talk steady and on track. There are enough insecurities of my own let alone her enlightening me on more.

“I know that you’ll never be number one. Music, other girls or drinking will take priority to you. Face it Paige, you have daddy issues.” She raises her fingers doing air quotes around daddy issues and I gain all the strength I have not to storm out and never speak to her again.

“Listen,” I place my hands on the edge of her bed. My palms dig into the edge of the footboard. “I’m not going to sit here and argue with you about Rob’s and mine relationship. Either you get help, or I take Matty.”

She shakes her head and then peers out of the window. “Why can’t you love me?” Here comes the depression.

“I do love you, but I can’t do this anymore. My whole life has been taking care of you and it’s time for my life to start. You can snarl what you want about Rob, but you know what he just told me? He said he loves me.” I point my finger into my chest.

My mom blankly stares over to me and turns to look out the window. Rob’s words sink in. He loves me. Oh my God, he really loves me. Never would I have thought he’d be the one to say it first.

“They say anything to get in your pants.” My mom brings me back from the clouds.

“He told me because he’s upset that I’m crying over my mother, but I’m not crying because you tried to commit suicide or the fact you face depression. I’m crying because I’m exhausted that my life once again gets placed on hold. You’re probably right though, Rob won’t stick around, but it won’t be because of another woman. It will be because of all the shit you’ve deposited into my head all these years. That the self-doubt in men will make me too insecure for him to deal with.” I stop, because if I don’t, I’ll get meaner and more hurtful to her.

She breaks down and tears stream from her eyes. A nurse weaves through the curtains and I catch a glimpse of Rob in the hallway, a minute away from stepping in.

“Miss, you’ll have to leave.” The older nurse looks at me without sympathy, but dislike.

Live my life lady and then judge.

“What is she on?” I ask, not giving one shit if she doesn’t like me.

“That’s none of your concern.” She checks my mom’s IV and pats her arm. “Linda, are you okay, dear?”

What the fuck?

“Yes, thank you.” My mom acts sweet as pie. “This is my daughter.” The nurse glances over to me with a twitch of her lip.

“That’s nice.” She struts up to me at the edge of the bed. “I suggest you go cool off, maybe down to the cafeteria.”

“Thanks for the suggestion.” I cross my arms and wait for her to leave.

With a huff, she writes something on the whiteboard and exits.

“I’m not going to argue with you. You need to get help, end of the discussion. I’ll have Matty until it happens. Tell Carl—”

“Carl left town,” she murmurs, which means I see why she ran to my dad now. Another man broke her heart.

“Does Matty know?”

“No. I doubt he even cares.”

“It’s his dad, Mom, he cares.” My heart sinks for Matty.