Valentine (A Standalone Novel) (Bad Boy Romance Book) Read Free

studying
by now."
    "Long day at the shop. We had more
cars than hands to fix them." I let my backpack drop from my shoulders
onto the couch before tugging my jacket off. "I'm going to go with Sam to
a party later tonight, but I'll be back home for sure."
    She moved back into the kitchen and had
her back to me when I walked in. "Fine, but please be careful. I'd rather
you take my jeep than drive that bike late at night. It's freezing out there
and you know that in next few days, it's only going to get worse."
    "I'll be fine, Mom. I'm not taking
your jeep. My bike's sturdy and has the right tires to deal with anything that
your jeep could deal with. Shit, it's probably more prepared." I sat down
at the table as she gave me a look over her shoulder.
    "Watch your mouth. There are a
million more words you could choose. I don't need to hear you cursing."
She dished me up a bowl of something and moved to sit down in front of me.
    "Sorry, Mom." I pulled the stew
toward me and breathed in deeply, loving the smell of it as it penetrated my
lungs.
    I'd been raised by the kind woman across
from me, and she was all I knew, but she wasn't my mother. I didn't know my
parents, nor did I want to. Sarah was all I needed. We'd spoken about my
adoption once when I was twelve and never again. She was all the mother I could
hope for, and I tried hard to live up to being the son she deserved.
    "Where is this party, anyway? Are you
taking that sleazy blonde girl you were seeing from school?" Her nose
turned up as she pushed a pan of cornbread toward me. "You want
butter?"
    I got up and laughed. "I'll get it
myself, and no, I'm not seeing Andrea anymore. I'm not sure why you didn't like
her. She was so...loving."
    The snort from my mother caused me to
laugh. Andrea was by far one of the sluttiest girls I'd brought home, but
something about her left me wanting to save her. I was most likely the one that
needed saving from my grandeur hope for a better future and a love story to
tell my grandkids, but nevertheless, I looked for broken souls. It somehow made
me feel better. Wanted. Needed.
    "Yeah, loving and extremely touchy-feely.
The girl groped you three times the last time you guys were here." She
followed me with a stern look on her face as I laughed again.
    "Mom. That's the new way to hug
nowadays. You should get out more."
    "Hug? By cupping someone’s crotch?
No, sir." She shook her head. "I'd whoop someone's ass if they tried
to hug me."
    I'd just lifted a spoonful of soup to my
mouth and laughed so hard it sprayed it across the table.
    She turned and started to clean it up as
her lips lifted in a smile. "I love you. You're a great kid. Did you know
that?"
    "I'm a man, Mom." I smirked and
sat back in my chair. "Now, if you could butter and honey up my cornbread,
please. You do it better than I do."
    " Brother ."
She grabbed the plate and started to fix my bread like she always had. A cough
left her as she turned and lifted her hands to her face.
    "That doesn't sound good."
Concern ran through me, and I watched her closely for signs of anything other
than the nasty cough as she walked to the sink and washed her hands.
    "It's okay. Just a cold. You know I
don't do so well during the winter months. It just gets so cold here." She
turned to look at me as she dried her hands. "When does school start back
up?"
    "Tomorrow." I shook my head and
worked on the stew in my bowl. "I'm actually looking forward to it,
though. I think having to work so damn hard to pay for it makes me honestly
respect the fact that I need to do well."
    Her expression saddened. "I wish I
could help. There is a possibility for me to pick up more shifts at the
hospital."
    "No." I gave her a silly expression.
"I'm good. The shop is bringing in enough to help pay for my books and
keep me and you fed. You just worry about the mortgage and the lights. One day,
I'll be able to take care of all of it for us."
    "One day, you'll be married with a
family of your own, Tate." She moved