LIB

Chapter 26

            I shivered a little as thoughts of that first time entered my mind. “Screw my place, let’s go straight for the hotel.”

            He laughed and I felt the rest of the tension drain from his body as he pressed his face into the side of my neck. “I knew there was a reason I loved you,” he said quietly.

            A throat cleared from the doorway and just like that, Blake went instantly rigid again and his face turned to stone. I cupped his cheek with one hand. “Breathe,” I murmured.

            He leant into my hand for a brief moment before turning to face his father again, once more placing his body in front of mine. “If you’re staying here, then I’m not.”

            Robert sighed. “Fine, but at least stay and talk to us for a little bit. Your mother misses you.”

            Blake snorted. “Like I care.”

            I tugged on Blake’s arm a little until he turned towards me. “Blake, just give them a few minutes. I know how you feel about them and I don’t blame you at all. But they’re still your parents.”

            His jaw was tense as he thought about it. “I don’t want to talk to them,” he finally replied.

            “I know you don’t, and again, I don’t blame you. But at least you still have your parents.” I hated using the sympathy card, but I knew it was the only I might get through to him right now.

            It worked. He blew out a long breath and put his forehead against mine. “Fine, but only for a few minutes. Then I’m packing a bag and we’re leaving.”

            I smiled and pressed my lips against his quickly. “Deal.”

            Five minutes later, Blake and I were sitting on a couch across from his parents. His mother had blonde hair and blue eyes, which is obviously where Blake got his coloring from. She offered me a tiny smile when we sat down and I returned it, before making my face go blank.

            Robert shifted in his seat a little. “Well, I didn’t catch your name before, but I’m Robert and this is my wife, Susan,” he said to me.

            I nodded once. “I know. I’m Hailey.”

            “So, Hailey, how do you know Blake?” Susan asked.

            I bit my lip. “Um…” I wasn’t sure what Blake wanted me to say.

            He squeezed my hand reassuringly. “She’s my girlfriend. We go to school together.”

            “You have a girlfriend?” Susan asked in surprise.

            Blake tensed. “What, you don’t think someone could love me just because I’m blind? Not all people are like the two of you, mother,” he snarled.

            Susan looked shocked. “No, that’s not what I meant! It’s just that I had no clue you were even interested anyone and yet you have a girlfriend. And you know we love you, Blake.”

            I could see that she genuinely cared, but Blake just snorted. “Sure you do. That’s why you made me live with Aunt Carol while the two of you booked it to the other side of the country.”

            “But we want to fix that now. We want you to come live with us again.”

            This time it was me who tensed up as dread filled me. They wanted to take Blake away?