Boarded by Love Read online

  I’m reapplying my lipstick when I hear, “You’re gorgeous.”

  I pause mid-swipe and look over to find my boyfriend watching me. He looks delectable in a pair of fading blue jeans and a gray shirt that reads “We are all freaks.” On his head is a black beanie, and while I’m starting to develop an unhealthy obsession with beanies, I can’t help but be completely turned on by the scruff on his face. My man grows the best beard.

  Smiling, my shoulders fall and I say, “I’m a mess, I’m late, and I’m so embarrassed.”

  “Don’t be. My mom likes you a lot and understands. Come on, let’s not keep her waiting,” he says and opens my car door. I look in the mirror, finishing another swipe before tucking the lipstick in my purse and taking his hand to get out. Pulling me to his chest, he presses his lips to mine, and I smile against his lips as we kiss. I’ve missed him. I didn’t even get to see him yesterday; he had practice twice and I had work, dance team, and then the club at night. We’re both so busy, but being pressed against his body like this, his lips on mine, makes the time apart bearable.

  Lacing his fingers with mine, he pulls away and kisses my nose. “Come on.”

  I agree and we head inside as he wipes his mouth free of my lipstick. I see Mrs. Sinclair sitting in a booth, and a grin spreads across my face as she stands to hug me tightly. I don’t know what it is about this woman, but I’ve liked her from the moment I met her. It’s probably because Jude is so much like her.

  Pulling back, she smiles at me and says, “I have to admit, I didn’t expect to ever see you again.”

  I laugh as I nod. “Yeah, apparently no one did! Jayden bet Jude that he wouldn’t last two weeks with me.”

  She tsks as she sets Jude with a look. He shrugs his shoulders. “It was an easy hundred bucks, Mom. I knew she was a keeper,” he says, hugging me tightly before kissing my temple.

  I smile, warmth spreading throughout me and then sit down, scooting over so he has room too. Sitting down beside me, he takes my hand in his and rests them against his thigh. I love how he has to touch me when he’s near me. I know that his need for me is just as strong as my need is for him. It’s very reassuring, not that I need reassurance. I know he loves me. More than he loves himself and that makes me giddy with happiness. Especially since I love him just as much, maybe even more.

  “Sorry I’m late,” I start, but she holds up her hand.

  “Jude told me you had a wedding rehearsal. It’s completely fine.”

  I let out a breath, my cheeks warming. “Yeah, tomorrow is my uncle and aunt’s wedding. We’re pretty excited, but it’s a circus since Reese thinks she can do it all and be in the wedding. I think my uncle is going to hire a girl for tomorrow ’cause today was hell.”

  She laughs and Jude chuckles beside me. “So you’ll be busy for the next couple days?” she asks and I nod.

  “Yeah, I plan on sleeping all day Sunday.”

  “Sounds like a good idea to me,” Jude says and we share a grin. I hope he knows that I very much want him to nap with me, and by the look in his eyes, I think he does.

  “Jude, are you going with her tomorrow?”

  Jude’s eyes leave mine to meet his mom’s. “Yeah. I’m her date.”

  “That’s nice. Are they coming to the game tonight? To watch you dance?”

  “Yup, and to watch Jude play,” I say with a grin.

  “Well, hopefully I’ll run into them. I’d love to meet them.”

  “I’ll try to make that happen. My uncle is being a jerk right now,” I say, but as soon as the words leave my mouth, I wonder if it was a good idea to mention that.

  “Why?” she asks like I knew she would.

  I glance at Jude for help, but he’s just grinning. Looking back at Mrs. Sinclair, I say, “He’s crazy overprotective of me.”

  “And doesn’t like me,” Jude adds. “But that will change.”

  “Sure, it will,” she says with a grin. “That’s the thing with parents. In our eyes, no one is good enough for our babies.”

  Her eyes meet mine, and I know that she thinks that about me. That shocks me a bit because I thought she liked me, but maybe I was wrong. Maybe I was so caught up in my feelings for Jude that I didn’t realize that his mom could see me as some tramp out to steal her son from her. While that hurts my feelings a bit, I know she’s right. I’m nowhere near good enough for Jude, especially with the secret I’m carrying. Looking down, I wring my fingers together and let out a breath.

  “As parents though,” she says, and I look up to meet her gaze, “we have to trust what our children want. When Lucy brought Rick home, I wanted to gag. He was a creep.”

  “Yeah, he was,” Jude agrees.

  “But he was what she wanted, so we all put aside our thoughts and let her be. When it all came crashing down, we were there to catch her. That’s what family does.”

  “I agree, but Phillip doesn’t see it that way. He just hates anyone who wants to date me.”

  She laughs as she shakes her head. “That’s a man for you, but it will get better,” she says, almost like a promise, and it honestly makes me feel better. “You know, I thought I wasn’t going to like you either. I figured the girl who bagged my Jude would be a train wreck. Since I threw every good girl his way and he didn’t want anything to do with them.”

  “Wow, thanks, Mom,” Jude says, and she reaches over to take his free hand, grinning at him.

  “But I was wrong. I knew the moment I met you that you were right for my Jude. It was the way you looked at him. Like he was the flame and you were the moth. It’s a beautiful sight to behold. So obviously, you weren’t looking at her in front of Phillip the way you do when you’re around me,” she says and inside I turn to mush.

  She likes me!

  Jude laughs. “I couldn’t look at her ’cause he scares the crap out of me. But don’t worry, I’ll stare at you all day tomorrow,” he says, looking over at me.

  “Oh, I bet that will go over great,” I say, rolling my eyes.

  We all laugh but then Mrs. Sinclair says, “The main thing is Phillip might be hard to deal with now, but once he sees that you aren’t going anywhere, and that Claire trusts and loves you, then he’ll let up. It’s hard on us, but we have to trust the people we love.” She then looks at me before saying, “Without trust, there is no relationship.”

  “Yeah, you’re right,” I say, my heart in my throat as I slowly nod.

  I feel like a complete and utter hypocrite because I’m not being honest at all.

  Lunch was awesome, even though I mostly tore myself apart and went back and forth about telling Jude about Ms. Prissy. I still don’t know what to do and sometimes I get so tired of going around in circles. I wish I could just make a decision. Just tell him or don’t and be done with it, but it isn’t that easy. I wish I didn’t care so much about the money. I wish I could trust that I can make it without it, but something inside me is programmed to make sure I have it. Make sure I’m protected.

  Ugh, it’s so frustrating, and I have no clue what to do, but I do know I love Jude’s mom. She makes me feel like a part of the family, but in a way, I felt like something was wrong throughout the whole lunch. When I wasn’t looking directly at her, I swore I caught her with a sad look, but once I looked up at her, she was grinning. I don’t know what that was about, and I think even Jude caught on to it. I’m not sure when I will be able to ask him about it since, with the game and the wedding, we will both be so busy and then dog-tired afterward, but I know I need to ask. I care about his mom, and I don’t want anything to upset her. If I’m doing something wrong, then I need to know.

  “I rode with my mom. Can you take me back to the house?” Jude asks me once we’re outside.

  “Sure,” I say as I pause in front of Mrs. Sinclair. “Thank you for inviting me to lunch. It was awesome.”

  She smiles as she wraps me up in a hug. “It really is a pleasure being around you, Claire,” she says in almost a whisper. “I am really glad that Jude has f