Read Online The Super: A Bad Boy Romance by Anne Connor - Free Book Online

summer with bittersweet excitement - I would be leaving all my school friends behind, but I would have adventures in the city. When I was in high school, I would leave behind whatever girl I was dating at the time, and meet new ones in the city. It was like leaving for summer camp. And while mom had to rule the house during the school year and make sure we did our vocabulary flashcards and times tables, our dad let us do pretty much whatever we wanted during the summer while he was busy building up his empire.
    The house is the same as it was about ten years ago when I left for college. There’s still the tapestry showing New York State hanging on the wall over the old floppy couch. My mom still even has her old TV, a tube-style, and definitely not high definition. I think she got it back when I was in junior high.
    It feels like Clarissa re-decorates her apartment twice a year. Out with the old, in with the new.
    Mom sets down two cups and saucers for our tea.
    “So? How is the planning going? I know you must be pretty stressed out with all the wedding preparations.”
    “Clarissa did most of it. And anyway…”
    I don’t want to tell my mom about Clarissa breaking off the engagement, and I don’t want to tell her about the legal troubles Eric and I are having, either. But she has to know. I have to tell her eventually.
    It’s not like I can stage a fake wedding with Clarissa just so I never have to tell my parents that this so-called perfect woman of New York society dumped me.
    “What? Don’t tell me you haven’t helped her at all. Not even with the cake tasting?”
    “Mom, I have to tell you something.” I suck all the air I can manage to fit into my lungs and blow it out in one big, exasperated breath.
    “Clarissa called off the engagement.”
    Mom’s face drops with disappointment, and she puts her tea spoon gently into her cup.
    “I can’t believe it. I’m so sorry, Drew.”
    “It’s fine. It wasn’t meant to be, I guess.”
    Not with her ex in the picture. I’m getting angry again, and I don’t want to be.
    I’ve had enough anger in my life. I want to focus on the silver lining of the situation. Like the fact that I’ll be able to go out and slay as many young things as I want. Like the fact that I don’t want to be with someone who would cheat on me. Like the fact that I’m glad it ended when it did, instead of twenty years from now, like my mom and dad’s marriage had.
    Of course, I know mom wanted me to settle down and marry. Leave my old bad habits and trail of women behind.
    Mom puts her hand on mine.
    “Anything you need, I’m here for you. That’s what moms are here for. To take care of their kids.”
    “But I’m not a kid anymore. I should be able to take care of myself.”
    The tea kettle whistles and mom gets up.
    “Nonsense,” she says, pouring hot water into each of our cups. “Even when you’re grown up, you’re always someone’s son or daughter.”
    “I got the package you sent me.”
    “Ah, yes. I love it, but when I found it, I knew you had to have it. I wanted to remind you how small you started. Building that little box for me. I kept your Honor Society medal in it for so long. But you should have it.”
    “I really appreciate it. I brought it with me, actually. It was in my office, but I feel like I should carry it with me.”
    “I’m glad, Drew.”
    She still has a little bit of the accent she had when she was young. Even after traveling all over the world with my dad and having a life outside the small town she was from, she always went back to her roots.
    I get up and walk over to the front door. The condition of the house is bothering me.
    “When are you going to get this fixed? The creaking on the joints of this screen door sounds like a dying cat.”
    When my dad left, she really let the place go to shit. It was already starting to fall apart when he was still around. When he left the city, I think he gave up on everything around him. He turned