Wound Up(30)

                Clearing his throat, he sat up. “So what’s with the whole ‘come into my web’ business? You planning to cocoon me and drain my life force for not calling?”

                “I ought to wash your mouth out with soap for being such a disrespectful brat,” she teased, setting her coffee cup down and crossing her arms over her chest. Her face suddenly lost all traces of humor, and she stared at him with such intensity he wrapped his hands around his coffee mug to give them something to do besides fidget.

                Unable to stand it, he asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

                “You’re avoiding the conversation. That typically means you’ve done something remarkably unwise and you aren’t ready to discuss it yet.”

                His shoulders hunched. “Yeah, well, it would help a great deal if you didn’t know me so well.”

                Leaning forward, she stilled his hands as he spun his coffee cup. “Talk to me, Justin. What happened?”

                “Things that were supposed to be simple got very complicated.”

                “Complicated how?”

                He whipped his chin to the side and popped his neck before sliding low in his chair. Settling back in his seat, he began twisting his cup around in his hands again, over and over, staring at the chip on the rim instead of looking at her. “Just complicated.”

                “Tell me one thing.”

                “Sure.”

                “Does she matter to you?”

                “Jeez, Mom.” Shoving out of his seat, he took the dregs of his coffee to the sink and dumped them out before rinsing the cup.

                “Justin.”

                He faced her, propping his hip against the worn laminate counter and staring at her with as much detachment as he could muster.

                “Enough said,” she murmured softly.

                “Nothing said,” he countered.

                “And that’s enough.” She stood, resting her hand on the back of the chair. “I’ll be here if you want to discuss whatever went wrong.”

                “I just want to get on with my life, but it’s not that simple.” When she didn’t press, Justin gently banged his head against the nearest cabinet door. “She’s working with me, Mom. At Second Chances.”

                “That’s a complication, but far from an insurmountable one.”

                He snorted. “She didn’t tell me she was doing her practicum there. I wouldn’t have messed around with her if I’d known. It could cost me my job. I can’t afford that, not in the short or long term.”

                “Did you tell her you were working there?”

                “No, but...” His mouth thinned as his jaw set, but damn if he could stop himself. “No.”

                “Then doesn’t she have just as much right to be angry with you as you have to be angry with her?”

                “She’s just doing a practicum. This is my first professional job.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “It’s not quite the same thing.”