Page 46 of Breakaway
“I don’t mind,” Morgan lied.
Her aunt shook her head as she sipped at her coffee. “You might be fooling your uncle, but not me. It really is okay that you want your own space. You are an adult—”
“Uncle Sam sometimes forgets that.” She was reminded of her uncle losing it when he’d found Travis sneaking out of her room.
“Look, it is easy to still see you as that little girl that I met so long ago. The little girl who liked to put on concerts in her living room. Just like Willow does now.”
“I remember.”
“And sometimes we’re guilty of still seeing you as that little girl and not the woman you’ve become. And yes, your uncle is overprotective, but that’s who he is.”
Secretly, she loved her uncle for that loyalty. But she’d had to grow up a lot over the last year. Sometimes she felt like a thirty-year-old in a twenty-one-year-old’s body. She didn’t know anyone her age who’d been through all that she had. Sometimes that made it difficult to bond, which was probably why she didn’t have many friends her age.
“How are you adjusting to the new city?” her aunt asked.
“Slowly. My co-worker, Katie, is great. I’m actually meeting up with her later.”
“Oh, that sounds fun.” She smiled. “It’ll take some time, but you will find your place here, I promise. And if you ever want to talk, I’m here.”
“Okay.” Morgan nodded.
“Sweetie, I know that I’m not your mom, and I would never try to be. I’m just offering a shoulder to lean on if you need it.”
“Thanks, Aunt Trina.” Morgan considered telling her aunt about the move, but something was holding her back. “And you’re right about the apartment search. I feel like I’m in the way here, and I know, it’s my house too, but I still feel like I’m invading your space.”
“I get it. Just one bit of unsolicited advice—don’t rush into anything.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. In the meantime, could we not tell my uncle about my apartment search just yet? No use wasting the lecture on me until I actually find a place,” she said, with amusement in her voice. Her uncle could lecture her as much as he wanted, and she would still think he hung the moon, even if it was annoying being treated like a child. After all, he was the closest thing she’d had to a dad growing up.
Aunt Trina nodded with a wink. “I think we can keep it just between us girls for now. And speaking about just between us girls, how are things with Travis?”
“They were going great until he was sent back down to Wilkes Barre.”
“Yeah, long-distance relationships can be rough. But at least he’s only a few hours away.”
“True.” She nodded. “I miss him already. We really clicked. I can’t say that I’ve ever had that with another guy before. It was just so easy with him.”
“That’s good. It’s supposed to be easy with the right person. I mean, relationships always take work. But feeling like you really fit with someone is special.”
Morgan’s mind went to Travis. She already missed his hugs and his strong arms wrapped around her.
“Is that maybe what your apartment fund is for?” Aunt Trina inquired, then quickly changed her mind. “You know what, scratch that question! That is none of my business. You are an adult, and your decisions are your own. I just want you to know that I am here for you, no matter what.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Morgan
All Morgan wanted to do was tell Travis her good news. No one knew she’d been job hunting, and no one knew she’d managed to have a video interview. And now she was bursting at the seams to tell someone.
She couldn’t believe that she had actually been offered an intern position with the Falcons. She anxiously dialed Travis’s number and silently prayed that he would answer. She wasn’t sure she could sit on this for one more minute. And she wanted him to be the first to hear.
“Hey cutie. I’m happy you called.” His voice put an even bigger smile on her face.
Trying to hold back her excitement, she coolly said, “I have some news.”
“Oh yeah? What’s up?”
“The Falcons have an opening for a journalism intern, and it’s paid. I mean, it’s not a lot, but anything is better than a non-paid position.”