Say Yes (Something More) by Tara West Read Free Book Online Page B

me, and I wish he’d say it. “So do you know where Karri is?”
    No use denying the truth. He’ll find out sooner or later.
    “ No, I haven’t seen her since she ran off with her drug dealer,” I say on a groan.
    “I knew it!” He punches the air with his fist. “She’s never going to get custody of Tyler again.”
    “Is that what you want?” I rise on tired legs and wag a finger. “Ty to grow up without knowing his mother?”
    “I don’t know.” He takes a step back and holds out both hands. Then his eyes soften, and I swear I catch a glimpse of compassion beneath his blue-green gaze. “I’d say certain mothers are not worth knowing,” he says in a voice laced with pity. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
    I fist my hands by my sides and glare at him. Who the hell does he think he’s fooling? Now he cares about the way my mom treated me? “You were my mother’s friend.”
    His pale face reddens as he vehemently shakes his head. “Not really.”
    “Yes, yes you were.” I stomp up to him, closing the short distance between us, and jab my finger in his chest. “You two called each other and bad-mouthed me all the time.”
    “We didn’t bad mouth you.” He drops his gaze to the grass beneath his shoes. “At least, I didn’t.”
    “Anyway,” I say as I roll my eyes. “About Ty.”
    “I think he’d be better off with a stepmother because Karri doesn’t deserve him.” Jackson’s words tumble out of his mouth, tripping over his tongue along the way. His face and ears flush an even brighter shade of red as he looks away.
    I can’t pretend I don’t know what Jackson is hinting at, but that ship has sunk to the deepest, darkest part of the ocean. It will never, ever be resurrected again.
    “He has your parents,” I say coolly, hoping he will take the hint.   
    “Yeah, but I’m his dad.” Jackson puffs up his chest as he says this, as if he believes himself to be a real man since he fathered a child. Uh, not hardly. Andrés is ten times the man Jackson will ever be.  
    “Oh, are you now?” I narrow my gaze and plant my fists on my hips. “So you’re finally ready to fill that role?”
    “It just took some getting used to, Teen—” Jackson bites his bottom lip and then lowers his voice. “Christina,” he says as he looks at me with a gaze so soulful and full of emotion, I am thinking he’s either the world’s biggest pussy, or a total faker. Maybe it’s a mixture of both. “I mean, one second I’m engaged to a beautiful woman, and we’ve got this whole future together.” He throws his arms wide as his lower lip trembles. “The next second, I’m getting dumped and I’m a father.”
    I am so not buying his bullshit. “Your problems are consequences of your mistakes.”
    He bats his lashes. “I wouldn’t say Tyler is a mistake.”
    “No.” I heave an aggravated groan. “He’s the one good thing you’ve done.” What the hell does Jackson expect from me? Does he want me to throw away my perfect relationship for a lifetime of farty breath, lousy sex and misery?
    I breathe a sigh of relief when I see Andrés’s truck navigating through pedestrians and heavy traffic. I pick up my book bag and sling it over my shoulder. “My ride’s here.”
    Jackson steps forward and grabs my arm. “Do you want to see him? He’s been asking for you.”
    I look down with contempt at his fingers digging into the fabric of my sleeve. “Of course I want to see him.”
    I shake off his grip and take a step back, but it’s too late. I’ve already caught scent of his breath. What is it with Jackson’s oral problems? I know his family can afford a dentist. I’m almost tempted to tell him he needs to get checked for gum disease. I’ve wanted to tell him for so long, but knowing how Jackson’s feelings get hurt easily, I’ve always been afraid he’d cause a scene.  
    “I get him all day this Sunday.” Jackson flashes a hesitant smile. “Maybe you can come with us.”
    “I don’t know