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

around the table and gripped my
shoulders softly before leaning over and pressing a kiss to the top of my head.
"You need to focus on you and not me."
    "Right. Try again." I stifled
the need to make a million more promises I wasn't sure I could come through on.
I wanted to give her the world, and not just because she'd opened her home and
her heart to me, but because she was a good woman and deserved it. Her last
boyfriend had been an asshole and a half, and the day I got to kick him out was
one of the best days of my life.
    She had no clue what respect looked like
between a man and a woman, and I was struggling to find the boundary lines
myself. I couldn't remember her ever being in a healthy relationship.
    My best friend Sam's parents were in a
good, solid relationship. I'd learned most of what I needed to know about being
a good man from Sam's dad. Sam and I had been inseparable since grade school,
and it had been him who forced me to look into scholarships and grants to
attend University of Minnesota. It was a great school and I loved the idea of
growing smarter and furthering myself, but it was certainly taking a toll on my
income.
    Funny enough, Sam was also the one that
regretted getting me started in college. My ability to diagnose and fix cars
was almost uncanny, and the guys at the shop were giving me hell for passing up
Jerry's opportunity to have more hours at the shop. Sam was on my ass to
rethink everything, too, but I was eighteen months away from graduating. There
was no way I was throwing in the towel. I'd invested far too much. I could keep
pushing forward for another year and a half, then I would find a way to cut
back and re-balance everything.
    Weariness rolled over me as I thought
through all that I had coming up the next week with classes starting back up.
Jerry needed me at the shop six days a week for the next few months. The winter
season was always the busiest for us, and I was loyal to a fault, if nothing
else.
    A knock pulled me from my thoughts. My
mother was already headed toward the door by the time I stood up.
    "Mom, let me-"
    She opened the door, and Sam walked in,
giving her a big hug.
    My stomach was tied in knots as I let out
a long sigh and dropped back down into my chair. I was scared as hell that we
hadn't seen the last of Daniel, my mom's ex with a temper that would scare
Lucifer himself.
    "It smells like your famous beef stew
in here, Ms. Phillips. You saved me some, right?" He walked in and patted
my back. "Hey, buddy."
    "Hey. There's still some in that pot
on the stove. Get you a bowl and join me." I took another big bite and
tried to calm myself. Daniel was in jail the last time I checked and everything
was fine. It had to be. I couldn't handle another uproar where my mother's life
was put in danger. We would need to move, regardless of funding or opportunity.
She meant too much to me to let anything happen to her.
    "There's plenty. You boys eat it
until it's all gone. You know I hate leftovers. It means the meal wasn't nearly
as good as it should have been." She stopped by the door to the kitchen
and coughed again. "I'm going to turn in early and try to knock this cold
out before it knocks me off my feet."
    "Alright." I got up and gave her
a hug. "No opening the door tonight. I'm serious."
    "Tate. It's fine. Daniel is in jail,
and I got my shotgun by the front door. No one's going to hurt me. I
promise." She touched my face and moved around me to focus on Sam.
"Don't let him bring home another slut puppy. Alright, Sammy?"
    "Yes, ma'am." He glanced over
his shoulder to give her a serious look and curt nod. "Only church girls
that sing in the choir for Tate, Ms. Phillips."
    "There we go. That's why you're his
your best friend." She laughed and turned to give me another hard stare.
"Be careful on the bike. I'm serious."
    "Alright, Mom. I'll be home late
tonight. Get some rest." I moved to sit back down at the table and dove
back into my dinner, loving how well my mother could cook.