Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91925 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91925 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
CHAPTER 24
I Can’t
Reminisce
When my mother called me over for tea this weekend, I didn’t think she was going to blindside me with Tessa Moran, Knight’s mother. Tessa knows Knight and I had something going on a while back. I met his parents once.
It was the first time we were a thing. I think for Knight, things were getting serious. The lines had definitely blurred. I was grateful to both Tessa and Fred for not blasting us when our families first came together.
I was already in shock when I realized who Bishop was. Seeing Knight in Saga’s new home almost brought me to my knees. However, Tessa and Fred were cool about it and didn’t out us.
I’ve sort of been avoiding them since. Especially Tessa. With good reason too. She’s looking at me now as if she can see right through me. This day is going to be a disaster.
“You know, I’ve never walked the maze here. Reminisce would you mind walking me through?” Tessa says after finishing her tea.
“I … ah … um … I.”
“She would love to. You should head in and use the ladies first. It always hits me halfway through. I swear I should have thought to have them design a restroom hidden somewhere in there,” my mother chortles.
“Oh, then I’ll be right back, dear. I’m so excited,” Tessa coos.
She rushes into the house for the bathroom as I sit glaring at my mom. Mom totally just threw me under the bus. She doesn’t know that, but I’m still annoyed.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that? Tessa is a lively lady. I think she wants to get to know you better.
“We should all be more welcoming to our in-laws. Especially after that fiasco between your father and Bishop in the beginning. Do this for Saga,” Mom says.
I fight not to roll my eyes. I have no problem with my sister’s in-laws. I don’t know why my mother is lumping me in on that mess. I’m avoiding Tessa to keep my secret from getting out.
Knight and I are friends. We don’t need anything to complicate that. I wipe my sweaty palms on my thighs. My stomach begins to churn.
“Why do you look like you’re waiting in an interrogation room ready to confess?”
“Mom, you have no idea,” I murmur.
Just then, Tessa steps back out of the house. “Shall we?” she says, looking at me expectantly with a bright smile on her lips.
I stand and grab my phone to join her for a walk through the garden maze on my family’s property. The walk is silent at first. We walk side by side, mirroring each other’s steps.
“Reminisce, I may have asked your mother for this teatime to get to speak with you one-on-one. I’ve always liked you from the very first time Knight brought you to our home.”
“The feeling is mutual, ma’am.”
“Tessa. You know you can call me Tessa.”
“Okay.”
“You’re probably wondering what I want to talk to you about.”
“A little.”
She stops and turns to face me. “I know you and Knight still see each other here and there. I told myself I wouldn’t pry, but I’m a mother. Knight is my baby. I want to see him happy.
“When he’s with you, that’s when he’s happiest. I can’t tell you that you have to love my son. However, I do want to request that you keep an open mind and heart when it comes to him.”
“I … I. We’re. It’s complicated.”
She releases a small laugh. “You know, he said the same thing. When you’re young, everything feels complicated. I promise you. Years from now you will see it’s not.
“If you love someone. You open your heart and the two of you fight for it. If both parties are willing, that love will stand the test of time. Can I tell you something about Knight?”
“Yes.”
She turns to start walking again, linking her arm around mine. I want to run back to the house and hide, but I pull my big girl panties on and keep moving forward. Tessa means well, and her heart is in the right place.
“When Knight was a little boy, the others would give him a hard time as the youngest. He would grin and bear it, but I could always tell when it upset him. He loved his brothers, so he never ratted them out.
“There was this one time when Prince took things too far and Knight was truly upset. He still wouldn’t tell on them, but I figured it out. When I asked him about it, he told me nothing happened.
“It was about two weeks later when he got Prince back and earned all their respect. Do you know why I’m telling you all of this?”
“No,” I say honestly.
“Knight has always taken control of things in his life. He will allow things to go so far before he does. When he decides he wants something there’s this determination that fills him.