Spring Unleashed (The Summer Unplugged Series) by Amy Sparling Read Free Book Online

romantic way. We might not have talked about this specifically, but I definitely thought about it in my head for the last few months. Now I can’t get over the fear that Jace is simply agreeing with Mom’s plan and that he doesn’t really want me with him at all. All of these thoughts haunted me this afternoon and now that I’m in the passenger seat of Jace’s truck as we head back to his apartment, I can’t seem to force myself to appear as if nothing is wrong.
    “You okay?” Jace asks tentatively after a few moments of silence.
    I nod. “Yeah.”
    His eyebrows wrinkle with doubt. “Are you mad that it took me longer than I promised?’
    “No.” It sounds like a lie, but it really isn’t. I’m too consumed with thoughts about Jace to even care about how long it took him at work. It’s not like I had anything else to do. It’s not like I have a job or anything.
    His hand reaches across the front seat, resting on my thigh with a little squeeze. “The sooner you tell me what’s wrong with you, the sooner I can make it all better.”
    My stomach chooses this time to let out a loud growl of hunger. Jace cups his hand to his ear. “What did you say, Bayleigh’s stomach? You said that Bayleigh is being a butt face for not telling me her feelings?” He nods and looks at me as if my stomach is the smartest thing in the world. “Yep, stomach. I totally agree.”
    This act of stupidity gets a smile out of me. Jace can be so dorky at times. He curls out his bottom lip. “Please tell me what’s wrong babe.”
    I shake my head. “I can’t tell you. It’s awkward and embarrassing.”
    Jace pulls into the apartment parking lot and leaves the engine running.
    “We’re soul mates, Bay. Nothing should be awkward or embarrassing. You can tell me anything. I mean, hello!” he says, squeezing my thigh again. “I bought you tampons! I’m like the world’s greatest most understanding boyfriend.”
    “Fine. If you really want to know then I’ll tell you.” I fold my arms over my chest and clench my jaw together. “But it’s going to make me look like a pathetic loser and it will probably change everything between us.”
    Concern dances across his features and he sits up straighter, pulling his hand away from my leg. “What’s going on?”
    With a sigh, I accept the red that I know will rush to my cheeks and I tell him what’s on my mind. “I’m incredibly embarrassed that my mother talked to you about me living with you before I even got the chance to. It seems like you only agreed to it because you were pressured into it and I feel like you probably don’t even want me to live with you. But you’re too nice to admit it and the last thing I want to do is force myself to live with someone.”
      I can’t read the emotions on my boyfriend’s face. His head tilts slightly to the left as he thinks over what I just said and at one point his lips part as if he wants to say something. He looks over at me and the silence continues. Overwhelming dread floods into me at the realization that I might have just screwed things up by telling him all of this. My fingers twine together in my lap. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t want things to turn out like this. I was planning on finding a job and having my own money to come down and visit you. I wanted to be a partner with you so that you would ask me to move in and I’d be able to contribute.” Jace remains silent and I let my head fall as I stare at my hands. “I just feel like a burden that my mom has handed down to you. I wanted you to ask me. I never wanted to impose.”
    “Babe.” My heart shatters at the flat tone of his voice. His face is expressionless and his mouth freezes halfway open as if he can’t find anything to say. I unbuckle my seatbelt, fully ready to grab my purse and run to my car, driving back home as fast as possible.
    “Just answer one question,” I say as my pained heart thuds inside my chest. “Did you want me to move in this summer?