“Sorry to keep you. Did you want to get some dinner?” My mother said as she stepped into her office. “I still have work to do tonight, but maybe you can tell me what is going on with Peter? He keeps texting me, asking me to ask you to get in touch with him.”

I rolled my eyes as I peeled them away from a picture of my mother and the Director of the FBI shaking hands as she received an award.

“Of course, he texted you.”

“He wouldn’t have to if you bothered to answer his calls,” my mother scolded as she sat down at her desk.

My jaw began to hurt as I clenched my teeth together to keep from swearing. Having a complete meltdown in her office was not a good idea. Did she even realize how controlling she was or how insulting she was about everything?

“It’s only been a day. I just saw him yesterday, and I had school today, and now here I am. Not that it should be any of your business. I don’t get why he’s always running to you anyway.” I put my hands on my hips. “I didn’t realize that there were three people in my relationship.” I conveniently left out the part where I told him we were done. That would’ve ended up in a massive argument, and I could only handle one fight with my mother at a time.

“Kirby, why do you always have to make everything so dramatic? He reached out because he was concerned and couldn’t get in touch with you. It’s called being a good boyfriend,” she said as she picked up her pen and flipped open a folder. So much for going to dinner.

“Trust me, Peter plays the part well, but he’s not as great as he seems.”

She cocked a perfectly manicured brow at me, and I waved my hand in the air, trying to stop the crazy train that was this conversation before we ended up in an argument.

“Whatever. Talk to him, don’t talk to him. I don’t care.”

“Well, now that is mighty big of you, Kirby,” she said sarcastically and then looked up at me. “Considering we’re all adults, and I know Peter is hoping to marry you, that would mean we’d see and speak on a regular basis.”

She laid her hands on the desk as if questioning someone in an interrogation. It was a major pet peeve of mine when she did this to me. It was like no emotion was allowed to exist between us unless it was the emotion she thought was appropriate. She was the ultimate Ice Queen, and I was the spawn she got pregnant with by accident. I’d never lived up to her expectations since.