“What are you going to do about Matt?”
Cora pulled herself out of the last vestiges of sleep so that she could answer Eli’s question. He’d begun to stir several minutes ago, but she’d been reluctant to reach full consciousness, knew she’d have to face all that awaited her when she did. “I hope he got up and left,” she mumbled. “He was supposed to leave this morning.”
“What’s he been doing here?”
She heard the caution in Eli’s tone, could tell he was prepared for an answer he didn’t like. “Sleeping on the couch.”
“You didn’t get back together with him.”
“No.”
He seemed so relieved when he reached for her that she smoothed her hand over his bare chest in a comforting fashion as she rested her head on his shoulder.
“What did he want, then?” he asked.
“He wanted to reconcile, but I wasn’t interested.”
“So why didn’t he leave?”
“He asked if he could stay—to show me what I was missing, I suppose.”
Eli lifted his head. “And you let him?”
“It’s complicated.”
“I can’t imagine it would be that complicated to me.”
Because he didn’t know everything. She’d let Matt stay mostly to appease him. She’d been trying to end their relationship in such a way that he wouldn’t cause trouble. With what he and his mother were going through, she’d also wanted to be supportive and prove she was sincere about maintaining a friendship. “We were together for two years. He said he was having a hard time getting over me, so I figured I owed him a few days to come to terms with our new relationship.”
“Wouldn’t being around you only make getting over the breakup harder?”
“I told him that. He argued that he needed to get used to our new status, and I thought it might give him the closure he seemed to be missing if I didn’t rush him out the door.”
“He didn’t know about me.”
That had been apparent in Matt’s reaction last night. “Of course not. I haven’t told anyone.”
He dropped his head back. “Even your family at home?”
She understood what that would likely indicate to him—that she wasn’t taking the relationship seriously. But she wasn’t supposed to be taking the relationship seriously. “No. Why would I? You told me not to expect anything.”
“You’ve certainly taken that to heart,” he said wryly.
“I don’t want to get hurt any more than you do.”
“And now?”
“Has that changed?”
His fingers slipped through her hair. “You can’t tell?”
She could tell last night. But there were still a lot of blanks to be filled in. She leaned up on her elbow to be able to see into his face. “What is it you want from me, Eli?” she asked. “Specifically.”
He thought for a moment. Then he said, “I want to be with you while you’re here.”
“And what would that entail? A night together every once in a while?”
“I’m asking for a little more than that.”
“But more equals...what? Would we quit trying to hide the fact that we’re seeing each other?”
He sat up against the headboard. “Why not? That hasn’t been the best-kept secret in the first place.”
She pulled the sheet with her as she came into a sitting position, too. “What about dating other people?”
“We won’t date other people.” He spoke quickly enough to suggest he knew his mind on that matter without even having to think.
“We’d be exclusive.”
“Yes, and we’ll see each other a lot. Okay?” He lifted a hand to run a thumb down her jawline. “This past week just about killed me.”
She assumed he was joking, so she chuckled, but he didn’t laugh with her. He seemed serious. “You mean that,” she said, sobering.
“I hated every minute of it.”
“So...we’ll be exclusive and see each other a lot—and then?”
“We’ll deal with that when the time comes.”
“No promises.”
His eyebrows came together. “I told you I’m not good at this. I’m hoping I’ll get better at it. But, either way, it’s too early to try and decide what might come later.”
He had a point. But she had a secret. Now that they had an understanding of sorts, would she be a fool to divulge that? What if she shared the circumstances surrounding her birth and he insisted she tell Aiyana? The deception could make Aiyana angry. Or there could be some reason Aiyana wouldn’t or couldn’t be around her. In that case, she’d lose her job, which wouldn’t be the best thing for her or the school, not midyear. She liked it here, liked being with Elijah.
So, once again, she ignored her better judgment—put what she felt now above what she’d probably be feeling at the end of the school year—and decided to wait.
Fortunately, that was made easy when Eli’s phone began to buzz, drawing their attention. He was getting a call or text. When he reached over to grab it, she thought he’d answer. But after checking the display, he cursed and tossed the phone back on the nightstand as if it had burned his hand.
“Who is it?” she asked.
Closing his eyes, he leaned his head against the wall again.
“Eli?” Whoever it was, he didn’t like them—or wasn’t happy they were trying to reach him. “It’s not Aiyana...”
“No.”
Of course not. Cora couldn’t imagine he’d be unhappy to hear from one of his brothers, either. So...maybe it was an old girlfriend.
When she said nothing more, he opened his eyes and looked at her.
“What?” she said.
Instead of answering, he reclaimed his phone and showed her the text he’d received—How can you be so selfish? I only need $50.
She noted the name associated with that text. “Maleficent’s texting you?”
“Jo Seifert. My mother.”
“Maleficent’s a Disney character, right? From Sleeping Beauty?”
“An evil character. Maleficent means doing harm.”
His mother. She was tempted to touch the scar on his chin—she still didn’t know how he’d gotten it—but refrained. “Seems fitting.”
That he would change his mind and share this with her suggested he was making an effort to be more open, to have some semblance of a real relationship, despite what he’d termed his “limitations.” She would’ve smiled at that but she didn’t want him to think she was smiling at the fact that he was upset.
She leaned forward to peck him on the lips. “Are you going to give her the money?”
“Hell, no.”
“I don’t blame you.” She started to get up, but he caught her arm.
“That’s it?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re not going to ask me a million questions about Jo?”
God knew she wanted to. She was so curious about his biological family and background. But she figured he’d talk about his past when he was ready. She wouldn’t try to force him to share things that were painful for him. “No.”
“Because...”
“I already know the most salient points.”
The old guarded expression claimed his face. “You’re aware of what happened to me?”
She wished she could erase all the pain he’d suffered. She hated the people who’d hurt him, even though she’d never even met them. “I did an internet search.”
“On me?”
“I was attracted to you from the beginning.”
“My childhood is on the internet?” he asked with a scowl, obviously too fixated on that to react to anything else.
“You’ve never Googled yourself?”
“Why would I?”
“Some people do, just to see what comes up.”
“I guess I’ve never been interested in seeing what’s out there. Everyone around here knows me, so it didn’t seem important until now. What’d you find?”
“An old article from when Aiyana first opened this place. They cited you and your...um...background as an example of the type of boy she hoped to help.”
“Oh. Right.” He relaxed a bit. “I have seen that article, now that you mention it. Although it’s been a while.”
“She probably needed the publicity to stay afloat.”
“She tried to keep me out of it, but...there’s no controlling what some reporters dig up.”
“It made for a sympathetic story—a heartbreaking story—so it had to have helped with donations.”
“I wouldn’t know. I was just a freshman then. But...what you read about me, it didn’t raise more questions?”
“It did,” she admitted, “but I’m not going to pressure you for details. If you want to talk about that period of your life, I’m here. If not...let it go—if you can.”
His mood lightened instantly. “Hallelujah,” he said. “Let’s get some breakfast.”
Cora smiled to think letting him avoid that conversation would bring him so much relief. “At Lolita’s Country Kitchen?”
“If you like that place.”
She thought it would be a nice change to go out with him, to forget about trying to hide the fact that they were romantically involved. “Sounds good to me. But...what about Matt?”
He grimaced. “Don’t tell me we have to invite him. I don’t like him very much.”
“No, we don’t have to invite him,” she said, laughing. “But I should at least go over and talk to him, tell him goodbye.” And see what she could do to minimize the damage she might’ve caused by running out on him last night...
“Do that if you have to—then call me when you’re ready,” he said and tugged the sheet away to get a final look at her before rolling out of bed.
* * *
Eli’s phone buzzed just as he was about to turn on the shower. He assumed it would be Jo again, but the screen showed Gavin’s number, so he answered. “’Lo?”
“It’s me. You on for basketball with the boys this morning?”
“Not today.”
“Why not? It’s Saturday. What else you got going?”
“I’m about to have breakfast with Cora.”
A strained silence ensued. Then his brother said, “The same Cora who was at the bar last night with her ex-boyfriend?”
“Yeah.”
“You don’t find that a little strange?”
He leaned against the door to the bathroom while he talked. “They’re just friends, Gav.”
“I thought you were going to say you’re just friends. That’s the type of thing you normally say when I ask about a woman.”
“Cora’s different.”
His voice changed, grew more somber. “Eli, I just passed Doug Maggleby a few minutes ago—out in his yard. He said her ex has been staying with her.”
“I’m well aware of that.”
“In a small house with only one bedroom...”
“Stop it. She has a couch.”
“I’m just being real with you, man.”
Eli started the shower so the water would get hot. “They’re friends, like I said.”
“How do you know?”
“She told me.”
After another brief silence, during which he seemed to be weighing whether to continue the argument, Gavin said, “Breakfast with Cora it is, then. I guess basketball can’t compete.”
“You could join us.”
“No. One of us needs to show up at the court. The boys will be disappointed otherwise. But...can I say one more thing?”
“I have the feeling you’re going to do it regardless.”
“I’ll take that as a yes. Besides the fact that Cora’s had another man in her house for several days, are you sure you’re doing the right thing, getting involved with one of the teachers here?”
“I’m not sure at all,” he admitted.
“But you’re doing it, anyway.”
Eli remembered how he’d felt last night, right before she agreed to come home with him—and how having her say yes had changed everything. When he was with her he could more easily put his childhood into perspective, more easily remember the present and what his life was like now. “I can’t help myself.”
“That’s freaking terrifying,” he said.
Eli drew a deep breath. “Yeah, I know. I guess we’ll see how it goes.”
* * *
Matt was gone. Hallelujah! The dread in the pit of Cora’s stomach eased considerably when she saw that his car was no longer in her drive. She still feared she’d find a nasty note waiting on her dresser, but at least she wasn’t facing a confrontation.
After she let herself into the house, she held her breath as she wandered around. She was afraid he’d only stepped out to buy milk or something and planned to return. But everything that belonged to him was gone. And he hadn’t left her a message or anything else to indicate that he was upset with her. While on the way home, she’d briefly considered the possibility that he might’ve dumped out her drawers, ransacked her personal belongings or thrown away her birth control...
Fortunately, all looked as she’d left it.
A ping signaled an incoming text message, so she reached into her purse to retrieve her phone.
Everything okay? Eli wanted to know.
Fine, she wrote back. She didn’t think of her ex-boyfriend as particularly vengeful, but she did know he’d always been a little threatened by her search for her birth mother. He probably blamed the fact that she’d found Aiyana and was planning to move to Silver Springs as the reason she broke things off with him. It was easier to believe that than the truth—that she just wasn’t fulfilled in the relationship.
Matt’s not giving you any trouble? He’s leaving?
He’s already gone, she told Eli.
Great. Then I’m going to swing by the basketball court and play hoops for a while—until you’re ready to go, okay?
The students were going to love seeing him. Okay. I’ll walk over there when I’m done.
She set her phone to charge, since it was almost dead after going all night, and peeled off her clothes. Then she paused to stare at herself in the mirror.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” she mumbled and turned on the water.