Evie’s face drops. And it’s another blow to my gut.
I really fucking hate my mother.
“So, this is what my money’s paying for,” Ava says, looking around the beach house.
Ignoring her, I say in a quiet voice to Evie, “I’m really sorry. I had no idea she was coming.”
“Why do you need to be sorry about your mother turning up at your house?”
I run a hand through my hair. I should have told her before what Ava was like. I just never wanted her to know the kind of fucked up my family is.
“Because she’s not a good person, Evie.”
Evie only knows good people. She doesn’t know the kind of evil my mother is or what I grew up around.
“I can’t explain now, but I will later, I promise.”
I just need to get Evie out of here—now. She can’t drive, so I’ll have to take her home and then come back and deal with whatever Ava wants from me. Because, without a doubt, she wants something.
“Ava, I’m just going to take Evie home, and then I’ll be back.”
“No need for her to rush off. Stay, and visit with me a while.” Ava sits down on the sofa. A false smile is plastered on her face as she pats the space on the sofa beside her.
Evie glances at me in question and then tentatively walks into the living room before taking the space beside Ava.
I sit on the arm of the chair, facing them.
“Oh, happy birthday, by the way,” Ava says to me.
“My birthday was three weeks ago,” I respond blankly. “You know, September thirtieth.”
My fingers go to the pendant around my neck that Evie got me.
It says, Surf. Sleep. Repeat.
It’s the best gift I’ve ever received.
“Of course I know when your birthday is.” Ava fakes a laugh. “I was there. Most horrendous day of my life. I’m not forgetting that in a hurry.”
Evie’s horrified gaze lands on my mother.
I just let out a sigh.
“So, what brings you to Malibu, Ava?” I say in a bored tone.
“We’ll get to that soon.” She flicks a hand at me. “First, I want to hear all about this one here.” She turns her body toward Evie, who still has a look of absolute horror on her face.
Evie clears her expression and offers my mother a smile.
“So, how long have you and my son been seeing each other?”
“Not long,” I answer. “And we’re not really seeing each other. Are we done here?” I stand up.
Ava ignores me, and I try to ignore the look of devastation in Evie’s eyes, the devastation that’s crushing my insides.
“Hush, Adam.” Ava gives me a look before turning back to Evie. “He’s always kidding around like this. Don’t take him seriously. You must be important to him. I know my son, and I’ve never seen a girl with him at four in the afternoon. He usually brings them home late at night, and then they’re gone before breakfast.”
I didn’t know Ava paid enough attention to me to know my routine with girls. Then again, she never lets anything slip by that might be useful to her.
“So, how long have you two been seeing each other?” She reaches over and squeezes Evie’s hands, which are clutched firmly in her lap.
Evie looks like she doesn’t know how to answer the question. Maybe she doesn’t. I am treating her like shit, and she’s probably unsure of what to say.
“Since July,” she edges the words out slowly.
“Since July? Wow…” Ava’s eyes meet with mine, and I see it written there.
She knows I care for Evie, and she’s going to use that against me in one way or another.
“Well, I think I should probably get going.” Evie gets to her feet, pulling her hands from my mother’s. She gets her bag from the side of the sofa and hooks it on her shoulder.
“I’ll give you a ride home.” I can tell her everything then—how sorry I am, why I’ve treated her this way in front of my mother. And I can tell her that I love her.
I need to tell her.
“No. It’s fine. I’ll get the bus.” She won’t meet my eyes.
Fuck.
The word is echoed in my ears in the sound of Max’s voice.
I turn to see him standing in the doorway, his eyes on Ava.
“Max,” Ava greets him.
“Mrs. Gunner. What brings you to Malibu? Was hell too warm, so you thought you’d come cool down here with the natives?”
And this is why I love Max. He just says whatever he wants to her, which isn’t usually anything nice.
The smile is tight on my mother’s lips. “You are funny, Max. You really should consider a career in comedy.” She turns her eyes to me before looking back at him. “So, how are your parents doing nowadays?”
I freeze. She’s taunting me, not Max.
She can’t punish him for what he just said, so she’s taking it out on me.
She knows I never told Max what happened, what I saw that day when I came home from school early.
She knows how important Max is to me, and she knows I’m afraid to lose him.
“Wouldn’t know. I haven’t spoken to them in a while.” Max shrugs, moving farther into the living room. He eyes the situation—Evie on her feet, ready to run, while I’m tense, looking like I’m about to explode any second. “Everything okay?” he asks me.
“Fine,” Ava says brightly. “Just meeting Adam’s new girlfriend.”