Chasing you | ✓

Chapter 25 - Zafferano

Thankfully, mom and Grant had allowed me to take a shower and change before we headed out for dinner. It had given me a solid thirty minutes to figure out how to explain everything to them.

Yet, sitting across from them in Zafferano, the quiet Italian restaurant a mere ten-minute rental car drive from my dorm, I still had no idea what to say or where to begin. 

I stuffed more pasta pomodoro into my mouth, staring down at my plate. I snuck my phone out from my purse, but to my disappointment there was still no reply from Jack. Although I couldn't blame him. My hurried apology text between showering and getting dressed had been weak at best. 

Sorry about that. I forgot my parents were visiting this weekend. Rain-check on the practice?

I tugged the sleeves of my flowy blouse over my hands as the cringe hit me again.

"Allie." Mom's voice was surprisingly tender. "Please explain to us what is going on. That boy... he looked just like Cade. Who is he?"

When I glanced up, my mom's eyes were unblinking. There was no way I would get out of this situation. I snuck a peek at Grant, hoping he could help me out, but he seemed intent on stuffing his mouth full with mozzarella pizza.

Very convenient, Grant.

He chewed slowly, helplessly shrugging his shoulders at me. I was on my own.

"His name is Jack," I told them, poking the pasta around on my plate. "I think he and Cade are twins."

"You don't say," mom muttered. "It was like seeing a ghost. You understand why we were shocked, don't you?"

"Yes, mom, I know. But I honestly don't know much about him. He's a freshman dancer like me and he and Cade have the same birthday. That's all I know. Oh, and I think he's from Malibu."

"Wait." Mom drawled out the word and put her cutlery down. "Did you say his name was Jack? As in, your dance partner Jack?"

"Yup. This is what my life has become."

To my dismay, mom didn't crack a smile at my joke. The worried wrinkle stayed between her eyebrows as she turned to Grant. A brown strand of hair fell out of her perfect bun, the only sign that she'd just come from a long flight.  

"What do you think?" she asked him.

Grant washed down the pizza with a mouthful of beer. He was silent for a moment, pondering mom's question. Finally, he nodded.

Mom turned her gaze back to me.

"Mikayla and Stewart adopted Cade back in 2005," she revealed.

I dropped my fork and it bounced against my plate with a loud clash. Mom darted her head around the restaurant as if to make sure no one around us had been disturbed by the sudden noise.

"Why have you never told me that?" I swallowed around the lump forming in my throat. "Why did no one ever tell him that?"

I blinked rapidly, trying to stop my eyes from watering.

Mom's hand reached over the table and covered mine. "It didn't seem important at the time. It was Mikayla and Stewart's decision."

I scoffed. What did they know?

"We never knew he had a twin, Allie. I don't even think Mikayla and Stewart know. I would be very surprised if they do." Her hand gave mine a gentle squeeze. "What does he say about it? Jack?"

"I don't know," I confessed. "I haven't talked to him about it."

The crease between her eyebrows deepened. "Why not?"