LOGINI couldn’t have heard wrong, could I? Ocotillo Canyon. Or maybe it was my head playing tricks with me. There could be a million and one Ocotillo Canyons located just outside Phoenix, right?Jordan narrowed his gaze. “Ocotillo Canyon. What about it?”I locked eyes with my mother, and immediately, I knew it. And right then, it all made sense: the reason she was so worked up when I travelled to Spain, and how she'd insisted on dropping me right at Arthur's mansion.And then, earlier today. It was the reason she offered to take me to Paradise Valley for the meeting. She didn’t want to leave me with the same people who’d caused her heartache.But it made no sense. Jordan was here, and I didn't see her freaking out. “No,” I muttered, more to myself as I got on my feet, the chair scraping noisily on the floor. Enzo looked up at me in confusion. “Marcus, you are scaring me,” he whispered. But he wasn't the one I paid attention to right then. I barely even heard him as I shot an accusatory
I couldn’t have heard wrong, could I? Ocotillo Canyon. Or maybe it was my head playing tricks with me. There could be a million and one Ocotillo Canyons located just outside Phoenix, right?Jordan narrowed his gaze. “Ocotillo Canyon. What about it?”I locked eyes with my mother, and immediately, I knew it. And right then, it all made sense: the reason she was so worked up when I travelled to Spain, and how she'd insisted on dropping me right at Arthur's mansion.And then, earlier today. It was the reason she offered to take me to Paradise Valley for the meeting. She didn’t want to leave me with the same people who’d caused her heartache.But it made no sense. Jordan was here, and I didn't see her freaking out. “No,” I muttered, more to myself as I got on my feet, the chair scraping noisily on the floor. Enzo looked up at me in confusion. “Marcus, you are scaring me,” he whispered. But he wasn't the one I paid attention to right then. I barely even heard him as I shot an accusatory
I didn’t answer Enzo’s question. I knew it was a stupid thing to do, especially since he was going to be spending the night in my house. He was in the bathroom now. I could hear the water running from where I stood, leaning against the door to my bedroom.My mom appeared at the entrance to the hallway. I stood straight. “Well?”She drew closer and angled her head, as if listening to the water, before responding. “He seems like a good kid from a good family.”I shook my head. That was the generic response she gave each time she didn’t think it was in her place to form an opinion about someone. But this was important. For some reason, I felt like I needed someone to tell me I was in over my head and needed to stop waiting for something that would never come. “What do you want to hear, honey?” She stood in front of me, watching. "I don't know," I whispered. "He's a good friend, and he just… he just asked me why I don't want to be in a relationship. I panicked and asked him to go have h
I didn’t answer Enzo’s question. I knew it was a stupid thing to do, especially since he was going to be spending the night in my house. He was in the bathroom now. I could hear the water running from where I stood, leaning against the door to my bedroom.My mom appeared at the entrance to the hallway. I stood straight. “Well?”She drew closer and angled her head, as if listening to the water, before responding. “He seems like a good kid from a good family.”I shook my head. That was the generic response she gave each time she didn’t think it was in her place to form an opinion about someone. But this was important. For some reason, I felt like I needed someone to tell me I was in over my head and needed to stop waiting for something that would never come. “What do you want to hear, honey?” She stood in front of me, watching. "I don't know," I whispered. "He's a good friend, and he just… he just asked me why I don't want to be in a relationship. I panicked and asked him to go have h
I didn’t answer Enzo’s question. I knew it was a stupid thing to do, especially since he was going to be spending the night in my house. He was in the bathroom now. I could hear the water running from where I stood, leaning against the door to my bedroom.My mom appeared at the entrance to the hallway. I stood straight. “Well?”She drew closer and angled her head, as if listening to the water, before responding. “He seems like a good kid from a good family.”I shook my head. That was the generic response she gave each time she didn’t think it was in her place to form an opinion about someone. But this was important. For some reason, I felt like I needed someone to tell me I was in over my head and needed to stop waiting for something that would never come. “What do you want to hear, honey?” She stood in front of me, watching. "I don't know," I whispered. "He's a good friend, and he just… he just asked me why I don't want to be in a relationship. I panicked and asked him to go have h
I didn’t answer Enzo’s question. I knew it was a stupid thing to do, especially since he was going to be spending the night in my house. He was in the bathroom now. I could hear the water running from where I stood, leaning against the door to my bedroom.My mom appeared at the entrance to the hallway. I stood straight. “Well?”She drew closer and angled her head, as if listening to the water, before responding. “He seems like a good kid from a good family.”I shook my head. That was the generic response she gave each time she didn’t think it was in her place to form an opinion about someone. But this was important. For some reason, I felt like I needed someone to tell me I was in over my head and needed to stop waiting for something that would never come. “What do you want to hear, honey?” She stood in front of me, watching. "I don't know," I whispered. "He's a good friend, and he just… he just asked me why I don't want to be in a relationship. I panicked and asked him to go have h







