Down for Her by Melissa Chambers (best electronic book reader .txt) 📕

finally break down and turn the car and air conditioner on. I want to go in and introduce myself to Brett’s mother and grandmother, but this definitely does not seem like the appropriate time. After a while, Brett gets back with his brother in tow. His brother goes inside without another word, and Brett gets in the car.

“Listen,” I say, “if you need to stay, I can call someone to come get me.”

“We’re an hour away. I just need to take you home.”

I want to press the matter, but it doesn’t seem like I should push him right now. He backs out and we head home, riding in silence for a long time. I can’t take it any longer, so I say, “I assume that was your brother.”

“Yeah. That’s not how I meant for you to meet him.”

“I noticed he wouldn’t really look at me.”

“He’s like that with strangers.”

I try not to let his words sting, but it’s a little tough. He’s not in a great mood right now, and his tone reflects it, so I keep my thoughts to myself. He knows I’m here if he’d like to talk.

When we arrive at his place, he parks the car in his driveway, and I wonder if he’s going to invite me in. “I’ll go with you to Tori’s house. I want to talk to her a minute.”

“Sure,” I say, as if he was asking and not telling.

We walk into Tori’s unit, but she’s not home. I turn to him. “I guess she’s gone.”

“I’m gonna go home. I’m sorry about today. I know I hijacked your whole day.”

“It’s totally fine. I’m just glad your grandma is okay.”

He nods and turns to walk out the door, barely giving me a wave.

I take a shower and get dressed. I eat something, do a load of laundry, and then check in with Samantha, who I haven’t had a proper conversation with since I got here. I leave everything about Brett out. There’s no need for anyone back home to know about him or my feelings for him. Not that I don’t trust Samantha, but it’s just better for me to keep my mouth shut.

I try to watch television, but I’m too anxious. I feel so displaced, like I’m living someone else’s life. If I can ever get my own space, I’m hoping I will start to feel more like a real Florida resident. But for now, I’m a homeless person who strangers have taken pity on.

My phone rings, an actual call. It’s my mom. I close my eyes out of exhaustion. If ever there was a convenient time to talk to her, it’s now. Though I’d rather be struck by lightning.

I answer it. “Hey.”

“Finally, you take my call. I only gave birth to you.”

“Yes, I know. What’s up?”

“I’m just checking on you. I hear you’ve moved to Florida,” she says with a laugh.

“Just like I said I was going to,” I say.

“Yeah, but I didn’t believe you’d really do it.”

“Hmm,” I utter, because I don’t have anything else to say to her.

“You could’ve come out here to California,” she says.

“You could’ve offered that when I talked to you a few weeks ago.”

“Well, it wouldn’t be necessarily convenient for you to come here and live with me, but you’re my daughter. It’s not like I’d let you go homeless.”

I roll my eyes. My mom moved to California when I was sixteen. I would visit her for a week every summer, and I could tell she was done with me after about two or three days. We’d spend the rest of the week in our own pockets of her mansion...or her husband of the week’s mansion, I should say. If I’d have gone to her now, I have no reason to think it’d be any different.

“I’m not homeless,” I lie.

“Well, that’s a relief. So what are you gonna do down there in Florida?”

“I’ve got a job, actually.”

“Doing what?” she says, like it’s the craziest idea she’s ever heard.

“I’m working at a resort.”

“Like bringing people mai tais?”

I roll my eyes. This is what my mom thinks resort workers do.

“I’m cleaning houses, actually,” I say, just to get her goat.

“When you’re up for having an adult conversation, feel free to call me back.”

“Yep,” I say, and we hang up.

Tori finally gets home late in the afternoon wearing the same clothes she had on when she left for her date last night. I see I’m not the only one who didn’t come home.

“Looks like you had a good night,” I say.

“It was unexpected,” she says, but her smile reveals everything. “I’m gonna jump in the shower.”

“Cool. Um, did Brett get in touch with you?”

“Yeah,” she says, offering no further info.

After she gets out, she comes into the living room with a silk robe on and wet hair combed out down her back. I’m surprised at how long her hair is. She always wears it up in a bun, so I’ve never really been able to tell.

“I heard you met Brett’s family today,” she says, not looking up from her phone as she sits in the armchair.

I want to say I didn’t actually meet them, but instead, I say, “I think I might have met your mom.”

She huffs a laugh. “I bet that was a barrel of laughs.”

I don’t know how to respond to that. I could tell her I know what it’s like to have a mom who you don’t see eye to eye with, but the last thing I want to do right now is talk about my mom.

We sit in silence, scrolling through our phones, until a knock sounds at the door. She stands. “That’s Brett.”

I sit in somewhat stunned silence as she answers the door in that silk robe. He comes in. “Hey,” he says to me.

“Hey,” I say, not sure what’s happening, until the two of them head toward her bedroom. A moment later, the door closes, and I’m left glancing around the living room, looking for invisible answers.

After a few minutes of