Entangled by Ginger Voight Read Free Book Online Page B

softly.
    “Don’t be silly,” she dismissed easily. “He loves you. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t care enough to try and help you make better decisions.”
    Jonathan was unconvinced. “He’s still so mad at me. He barely talks to me.”
    “He’s hurt,” she offered. “Sometimes we end up hurting other people when we’re hurt. We get angry. We lash out. It doesn’t mean we love them any less. Right?” she urged gently.
    “I guess,” he agreed quietly.
    “You’re a great kid. Anyone who isn’t crazy about you is a fool,” she said. “I know I’m going to miss you like crazy while you’re gone this weekend.”
    “Me, too,” he said. “I wish I didn’t have to go.” I brought my hand to my heart as tears squeezed between my tightly closed eyes. There was my favorite boy, peeking out from under all the pain. I held back a grateful sob.
    “You’ll be back,” she assured. “Maybe the weekend apart will help you figure out how you can make things better .”
    “Why does that have to be my job?” he asked.
    “Because it’s everybody’s job, Jonathan. We’re all in this together. That’s what it means to be family. We need to stop making it so hard on each other. It doesn’t have to be.”
    There was a pause as he considered what she said. “Thanks, Millicent,” he said.
    “Call me Nana,” she corrected.
    “Like Max?” he asked.
    “If you’d like.”
    There was a pause before Jonathan responded. “I’d like. Nana.”
    I closed the door so they couldn’t hear my sniffle. At last someone broke through. For the first time in a long time, I had faith he could find his way back.

Chapter Five
     
    Hope was quickly dashed once Elise and Derek arrived to pick Jonathan up that evening. Millicent insisted they stay for dinner, which Jonathan echoed. Elise, dumbstruck at the progress we had made, relented, although it was clear as day she was pained to do so. I stayed in the kitchen with Millicent preparing dinner while Elise and Derek sat with Alex and Max in the family room. Their conversation was stilted and uncomfortable, and things only got worse as we headed into the formal dining room.
    A wrought iron chandelier with dangling teardrop crystals hung over the la rge glass and iron table. Millicent had prepared all sorts of sumptuous goodies, including a decadent chicken cordon bleu, but Elise pushed her plate away after two bites.
    “What’s wrong, dear?” Millicent asked. “Not to your liking?”
    “I’m watching my weight,” she explained sweetly. “You have to be very diligent when you are prone to being overweight,” she added. I wasn’t sure if she was insulting Millicent or me or both.
    “Nothing wrong with a curvy woman,” Alex drawled. “Only a dog wants a bone.” Elise glared at him from where she sat as something unspoken passed between them.
    Derek smiled at his love. “Elise has worked very hard to perfect her body and it’s stunning. What is it, babe? Twelve percent body fat?”
    She glared at him as though he had insulted her. “Ten,” she corrected in a low, controlled tone. “Personally I think anyone who cares about their body wouldn’t burden it with extra weight.”
    She didn’t look my direction, but I got the not-so-subtle hint. Jonathan watched the exchange quietly, just to see what I would do. I speared another bite of breaded, cheesy chicken and savored it defiantly. Alex barely hid his smile as he ate another bite as well. Derek and Elise said nothing for the rest of the meal.
    Before they left, I asked to speak to Elise in my library privately. All the men wore their discomfort on their sleeves as Elise eyed me up and down. Finally she relented and we disappeared behind closed doors to speak privately for the first time.
    I invited her to sit, but she declined. She didn’t even budge one inch from the door as she crossed her arms in front of her. “What is it?” she finally spat.
    I sat in my chair. “I know that there’s no love lost