Chapter 56

• JACOB’S WITH HIS tutor. Ava’s studying in her room. And Connor is playing some computer game. As for me, I’m trying to make cleaning up pizza look like a hard task. Yes, I’m avoiding my mother. She takes a seat at my kitchen island, prepared to wait as long as it takes. Tossing my cleaning wipe down on the counter, I say, “Go ahead. Let’s get this over with.”
• “I like Mateo,” she says. “Good choice.”
• “I’m terrible at this,” I say. “Then add in living in different cities and the kids. It’s proving to be impossible.”