Chapter Seven
Jonathan
After picking up Marissa, I drop her and Gabby off at my apartment, then head back to my parents’ house. Walking Gabby to my own door, kissing her goodnight, and leaving takes every ounce of willpower I possess. Especially since it’s my fucking apartment.
But this was the deal we made with her parents. Even though I’m planning on us getting a few nights together at least, I know Gabby won’t want to upset her parents by completely defying them. They still pay for her expenses at school. She can’t afford to piss them off too much.
I’m a little more frustrated with my own mother’s constant butting in. Which only intensifies when I find her waiting up for me when I get home. She’s sitting at the kitchen table flipping through a magazine, and she raises her head to look at me. “And where’ve you been for so long?”
I sigh. “Where do you think, Mom? Spending time with my girlfriend. You really want the details?”
Sitting back and crossing her arms, she purses her lips. “I thought she and her sister were exhausted. I guess she found her second wind.”
“Yeah. Guess so.” I shove my car keys in my pocket and start to walk past her, ready for this conversation to be over.
“Her sister seems nice.”
Stopping at the door to the hallway, I turn to face her again. “Yeah. She does.”
“She’s a lot closer to your age.”
A quick laugh escapes. “Not by much. She’s three years older than me.”
Mom tilts her head to one side. “I didn’t realize. Still. Gabby would be better suited for one of your younger brothers, don’t you think?”
“Seriously, Mom?” I cross my arms and stare her down. “Are we all just interchangeable? You think Gabby’s too young for me, so you’ll stick me with her sister and put her with, what, Brendan? Or do you like her better for Colt?”
She has the decency to look repentant. “That’s not what I meant.”
Sighing, I lean against the doorway. “Then what did you mean?” I’m pretty sure I know what she’s going to say. She’s been hinting at her feelings about my relationship with Gabby since they met at graduation. But she hasn’t come right out and said anything directly.
Her nostrils flare, but she meets my eyes. “I think she’s a distraction. You need to focus on what you have going on now. This industry won’t wait around while you chase after some girl who’ll be stuck in Spokane for the next three years.”
“You don’t have to remind me how fickle things are. I’ve already been through it once before, remember?”
“That’s my point. You know what it’s like. You really want to drag her with you? Put her through the invasion of privacy just to be with you? What’s her life going to be like with you as a boyfriend? Not to mention the fact that she came running out here the minute your picture shows up with some other woman.” She snorts, shaking her head. “If she can’t handle that, how’s she going to deal with you traveling all over, going on tour? Does she know what’s coming?”
I hold up a hand. “Hang on. First she’s too young and too much of a distraction. Now you’re worried about the effect I’ll have on her? Which is it, Mom?”
“The two aren’t mutually exclusive. She seems like a nice girl. I like her.”
Now I snort. “You have a funny way of showing it.”
She glares at me, but goes on as though I didn’t interrupt. “I like her. I just think the timing’s wrong for both of you. She’s only nineteen. She’s not even old enough to drink, for God’s sake. You’re going to drag her around to parties and industry events while she’s here visiting? Or will you leave her at home?”
“She’ll hardly be the only one under twenty-one at those things.”
“Okay, fine. But what about her music? Hmm? Have you thought about that? Pop music is fickle, but the classical world is cutthroat. She needs to be one hundred percent focused too, or she’ll never make it as far as she could. Trust me on this one.”
That gives me pause. I swallow, my eyes darting around, trying to come up with some kind of comeback. “Thanks for your input, Mom, but why don’t you let Gabby and me worry about our respective careers? And our relationship, for that matter. Like we have for the last six months. During which time she made a three point eight GPA, played beautifully for her juries, and made it to assistant principal second violin. As a freshman. I think we can figure it out on our own just fine.”
Her nostrils flare again. “That was with you in the same city, practically living together. You think things’ll be easier with you apart? She already broke up with you once. You don’t think she’ll do it again?”
I flinch at that jab, and the memory of that month without Gabby. “Like I said, Mom. We’ll figure it out. Remember what you said when this all started? I don’t need this. I’ve done it before. I know how it goes. I love performing, but when it comes down to it, I can walk away if I decide something’s more important.”
“That was before you had a contract.”
“What?”
She stands and takes a step toward me, her arms crossed. “You have a contract now. You have legal obligations. If you walk away, you’re on the hook for a lot of money. So no, you can’t just walk away anymore, kiddo. Keep that in mind.”
My jaw clenches. She’s right. About that. But she’s wrong about Gabby. Totally wrong. “It doesn’t really matter, Mom. It won’t come to that. Gabby didn’t come running because my picture got taken with another woman. She came because we miss each other, and I can’t easily go there. She’s here. She’s not going anywhere. You need to figure out how to come to terms with that. It would mean a lot to me if you could get along with her. I’m not asking you to treat her like the daughter you never had. But at least be as nice to her as you are to Colt’s girlfriends. Can you do that?”
“Fine. Yes. I’ll be nice to her. But remember that I always have your best interests in mind.”
“I know, Mom.” I rub my hand over my face. “It’s been a long day. And I have rehearsal tomorrow. I’m going to bed. Goodnight.”
She nods. “Get some rest. I love you.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
With that I turn, heading toward my old bedroom. It seems small and bleak after spending all evening with Gabby. And my mom’s comments eat at me, as much as I try to push them away.
I love Gabby. And she loves me. We’ve decided to make this work no matter what. We’re not engaged or anything. Yet. It’s still too soon for that, and there’s too much else going on. But I’m not willing to let her go. The jab about her breaking up with me at Thanksgiving burns. The thought has crossed my mind, but each time I’ve pushed it away. I don’t think she’ll do that this summer, unless I give her a reason to. Which I have no intention of doing.
But once she’s back in school? When my schedule drags me all over the place, unable to be with her for weeks, maybe months at a time? What then?