Shifting in his seat, he asks, “I thought you liked Ryan?”
“It isn’t that, but I know how Candace is with guys. Hell, man, she’s practically a virgin. I don’t want her to get hurt, and after everything that’s happened, I just—”
“I think you need to relax. If she’s as closed off as you say, then I wouldn’t worry. I mean, the girl never goes anywhere aside from school and work. I think you’re stressing over nothing, but if you want to talk to her, then you should.”
I lean over and kiss him before getting out of the car and heading upstairs. When we walk in, we make our way into my room to see Candace curled in a ball in the center of the bed. Stripping down to my boxers, I lean over and whisper, “Hey, sweetie, Mark’s staying the night with us.”
Keeping her eyes closed, she nods her head.
“I just didn’t want you to wake up and be scared,” I say, and I slide into bed at the same time Mark does.
The following morning, we sit around and drink coffee before we have to get ready for class.
“You guys have fun last night?” Candace asks from the kitchen as she’s refilling her mug.
“Yeah. Why didn’t you tell me that Ryan came to see you at work?” I question as she walks back into the living room and sits at the corner of the couch.
“I don’t know.”
“Well, what happened?” I pry, wanting the answers I didn’t feel like I could get from Ryan last night.
Taking a sip of her coffee, she says, “He had my scarf that I had left at the concert. He just returned it, and then Roxy, being Roxy, told him that I would have a drink with him when he asked me.”
“So you guys hung out?”
“Yeah. It was fine though. We just talked about school, and then he invited me to go hiking with you guys.” Staring between Mark and I, she shakes her head and asks, “What?”
“Jase is just being protective,” Mark answers.
“I thought you’d be happy that I agreed to go with you guys,” she says, a little confused.
“I am,” I try to convince her and then Mark takes over. “Jase is just worried about some stuff we heard about Ryan.”
“What stuff?”
“He has a reputation for sleeping with a lot of women. But ever since I’ve known him, I have never seen him be that way. At all. So, I’m not sure how much truth there is to it,” Mark tells her.
“You don’t need to tell me this. I have no interest in him. In anyone. Why would you even think that?” she states, clearly bothered with what we are insinuating.
I don’t tell her that I think Ryan feels differently because it might freak her out, so I just let it go for now. “I don’t. It’s just me feeling like I need to protect you.”
She looks at Mark and he tells her, “Ryan’s a good guy. Jase is just worried, that’s all.”
I reach over and pull her down on the couch with me as I lean into Mark behind me. Wrapping her arms around me, she says, “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to have that.”
“Have what?” I say and then kiss the top of her head.
“Feelings like that.”
Letting out a deep breath, I tell her, “You will. One day, you’ll get everything you deserve.”
“I feel weird about leaving Candace all week,” I tell Mark as I pull a few t-shirts from my closet to throw into my suitcase.
“Isn’t she going home tomorrow?”
“Yeah, but that’s what I’m worried about. They have a horrible relationship.”
“Jase—”
“I know,” I say when I turn to face him. Mark has been pushing me to take a step back. He thinks she depends on me too much, and I know she does, but I like being that for her.
“She’ll be okay. I mean, she was completely fine getting out with us on Saturday and being around Ryan,” he says, and it’s true. “Hell, I think she actually enjoyed herself for a change.”
Mark made sure that I gave her space when we went hiking. When I wanted to stay with her, he dragged me ahead, leaving Candace to spend most of the time with Ryan. And he’s right; she was fine. Spending the whole day together, seeing Ryan with Candace, actually settled some of the feelings I was having about wanting to protect her from him. I don’t really think there is much to protect her from. If anything, I like the fact that she could possibly see Ryan as another friend, or at least open herself up to that idea.
“Did you talk to your mom?”
“Yeah, I feel bad that I waited so long to tell her I wasn’t coming home, but she had to know that it probably wasn’t going to happen anyway,” I say as I toss the last of my things in my bag and zip it shut. Mark grabs it off of the bed and takes it into the living room while I finish shutting everything off before we leave.
“What did she say?”
“Not much. She’s upset, but she’s always upset. A part of me feels guilty that they will be alone for the first time this year, but if I went home, it would just be a disaster.”
Turning off the lights, Mark steps in front of me and says, “I’m sorry,” as he wraps his arms around my waist.
“Don’t be. Honestly, I don’t see them moving past this, and I just have nothing left to say.”
I cup his jaw in my hands when he kisses me. This fracture in my family would hurt a lot worse than it does if it weren’t for the solidity Mark gives me. Somehow, it makes up for all the other crap going on.
“You ready?” he asks when he pulls away.
“Yeah.”
Grabbing my things, I lock up and we head down to Mark’s car. I’m nervous, and this drive to the airport is becoming unsettling. A thousand different scenarios are running through my head, and none of them are good. As he reaches over to hold my hand, I continue to stare out the side window.
When Mark turns into the parking garage and parks, I turn to look at him as he shuts off the car. He’s staring at me, still holding my hand.
“Tell me what you’re so scared of,” he demands softly.
“What do you mean?”
Shaking his head, he sounds irritated when he says, “You don’t think I know you well enough by now to read you? Just be honest. What are you scared of?”
I lean my head back on the seat and exhale before admitting, “Everything. Everything but you.”
“Then trust me enough to know that I would never put you in a situation with my family if it weren’t anything but safe. So whatever has been consuming you since you got into this car, let it go.”
Eight and a half hours later, we land in Cleveland, Ohio. I know that Mark’s mom will be the only one meeting us here at the airport. He called her to tell her a bit about my family, and that it would be best if everyone wasn’t here to meet us.
We make our way down to baggage claim, and my heart is racing with nerves. I don’t know what to expect, and I shove my hands in my pockets to keep myself from fidgeting too much. When a woman with shoulder-length, dark brown hair walks towards us, he quickly pulls her into his arms.
“Hey, Mom.”
“I’m so glad you’re here,” she says as they hug. “I’ve missed you so much, sweetheart.”
“I’ve missed you too,” he says as he steps back to introduce us. “Mom, this is Jase.”
“Please, call me Andrea.” She walks straight to me and gives me big hug.
I laugh lightly at her affectionate demeanor when I say, “It’s great to meet you.”
Loosening her grip, she looks at me with a big smile. “Well, I am so glad that you came. Mark has told me a lot about you. How was the flight?”
“Long,” I say as she hooks her arm through mine, and we head to the carousel to get our bags. I instantly feel my nerves calm with Andrea’s relaxed nature. Mark walks ahead of us, as she continues, “Have you ever been to Ohio before?”