-MIA-
Jake left later in the afternoon, but not before insisting on washing the dishes. He and Mom were getting cozy—too cozy, too fast. I just hoped neither of them got hurt. Jake was going to be a fixture in my life for the next ten months, maybe less. After that, I’d move back home and leave Asher’s world behind.
Just thinking about it made my stomach twist. The lasagna churned like it was trying to escape.
I slumped onto the couch beside Mom, the late sun warming my skin through the window. "So... you and Jake, huh?"
She shifted, her hands clutching her knees. "What do you mean?"
I tilted my head back, watching her through half-lidded eyes. "You like him."
Her lips pressed together. Her fingers traced the seams of her striped velvet pants. "Of course I do. He’s a nice man."
I gr
