Atlanta City's Bad Boy

Chapter 17. Mom

Jesse's POV

I kiss Mia goodbye and tell her I'll pick her up later after work. Once in my truck, I head back toward home. My moms up, waiting for me.

"Hijo, you were out late?" She arches an eyebrow at me. I'm not sure how to tell my mom I have a girlfriend. I look down at the floor, feeling awkward and back at my mom.

"I went to go see someone," I admit.

"An important someone?" She asks me.

I take a deep breath. "Yeah."

"You have a girlfriend?" She asks, confused. She tilts her head, looking at me curiously. This is very awkward.

"Sorta, I guess," I tell her.

"Sorta?" She asks.

"Yeah, mom. Look, I didn't say anything because we had a little argument. I haven't seen her in over a week. I didn't know what was going on," I grumble.

"Was she here the night of the fire?" She asks.

"Yeah," I admit.

"Do I get to meet her?" She asks, grinning widely.

"Damn it, ma." I groan. "We've only been together a couple of weeks, okay? Not even that really," I tell her as I make my way for the stairs.

"Is she the one?" Mom smirks.

"I don't know, ma," I grumble.

"Hmm, I think you do." She smiles, wickedly at me.

"Maybe, if I don't fuck it up," I tell her. With that, I dart up the stairs and walk down the hall toward my bedroom. Once in my room, I shut the door and drop the keys on the dresser. I throw my shirt off, going to my dresser, and grabbing a pair of shorts. I head into the bathroom and turn the hot water on to the shower.

As good as the hot water feels, I don't want to take too long. So as soon as I wash up, I step back out. I wipe the steam off the mirror and look at my face for a moment, I let out a heavy sigh and check my phone.

Mia: I forgot that I have friends coming over tomorrow from Reidsville. I do have to work from 8 A.M. to 12 P.M.

Me: Okay, I'll just see you after they leave then?

Mia: Okay.

I go to sit on my bed and grab my journal out of my drawer.

Dear Me,

It's been a while since I've written in this, I used to write every day. My mind has been so clouded, though. My barn was set on fire, Damon swore he didn't even after I tried to beat it out of him. After the fire, Amelia and I got into an argument. It ended when she walked out on me. I don't blame her for a second for leaving. I deserved it maybe worse. She forgave me tonight when I showed up at her doorstep. She was so upset. I hate myself for hurting her the way I did. It was like driving a knife straight through my own heart. It sounds crazy when I've only known her for three weeks. I've been hooked on her since the moment I laid eyes on her. I still can't fathom just tossing her to the side the way I did the others. She is the only girl I've ever slept with more than once, and yes, I know how terrible that sounds. I was just full of one night stands before she showed up. Now I wonder how the hell I survived without her all this time. I keep telling myself that I'm not in love with this girl. That something is going to change, but it doesn't. I seriously do think I'm falling in love with her. Maybe my mother wasn't as full of shit as I'd thought. Perhaps first sight is possible because that's pretty much how this happened. My father was supposedly the same as me, went from girl to girl none of them meant nothing. Until he met my mom and at just the sight of her, she was all he wanted. Is that what's happening to me? I was never one to believe in soul mates. How could I when my mothers was ripped away from her. How is that fair? Then if I'm being honest with myself, Amelia is all I think about. I think about the first night I met her. The moment I first kissed her, our ups and downs, when I took her virginity. It's moving so quickly yet seems like so much has happened that it feels as if I've known her for years, not weeks. I almost said it tonight. I almost told her I loved her, and if I'm not careful, it might slip out soon.

Jesse Parker

I throw the book down into my drawer and lay back on my bed. I grab my phone off the table and decide to text Mia.

Me: Sweet dreams, baby.

To my surprise, she's still up.

Mia: Sweet dreams. 😘

I toss my phone back onto my end table and cover up with the blanket. I bury my head into my pillow and let myself drift off to sleep.

***

Once I'm downstairs, I can hear mom in the kitchen. She notices me and grabs a second cup to pour coffee into. She watches me curiously, setting the cup down as I sit at the island.

"Thanks, ma," I yawn.

"Ya know, your father and I bought this place together. He loved this ranch a lot. It was always sort of his dream to own one." She smiles at me then looks down with a sort of defeated look.

I look at her in confusion. "Yeah?" I already knew it was my father who wanted the ranch. Though my mother eventually grew to love it out here and learned a lot from him. What I don't get is why she's bringing it up all the sudden.

"Yeah," She murmurs, taking a sip of her coffee. "I think your dad wouldn't want me to sell it, but I don't have time for it anymore. I don't know. Without your dad being here, it just hurts. The constant reminder, you know?" She asks.

"Mom..." I trail off. "y-you c-can't just s-sell-" I stutter, but she cuts me off before I can finish.

"You're right. I can't." She nods. "This is your home, too, and that wouldn't be right. Not with all the work you put into it. So I'm giving you the option. You can keep it, or I can sell it because I'm moving to Los Angeles with Richard," She explains.

I inhale sharply. "I'll keep it," I tell her and take another sip of my coffee. It isn't something I have to think about. I can afford the place without mom. Thanks to the races, I've got a lot of money. We were able to get the ranch running a lot better and are making a profit off it now.

"I'd like to meet your girlfriend before I go back to Los Angeles," She smiles at me.

I chuckle, "You mean my baby, mama."

My mother gasps and wacks me over the head.

"Ow ma fuck, you are crazy," I grumble.

"Don't you forget it. I hope you don't talk to her like that," She grumbles.

"I'm pretty sure if I did, she'd laugh and shrug it off. Fuck it's a joke, ma," I grumble.

She slaps me upside the head again. "Fuck," I grumbled, rubbing my head.

"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" She asks.

I look at her pointedly. "Yep, I do," I nod in amusement.

She gives me the death glare.

"Okay, I'm gonna go do chores and then get Mia," I tell her. "I don't think she'll want to meet today. She has friends coming over."

My mother nods in understanding. "Good, you do that," She grumbles irritated at me. My mom and I got a funny relationship. Most people wouldn't understand. I piss her off, but some part of her deep inside is laughing hysterically.