i love you so • tate mcrae

Chapter Two

I TILTED MY HEAD back, staring at the popcorn ceiling and trying to make out shapes.

"Venice, are you even listening?"

I complained, closing my eyes. "Yes, Dad, I'm listening to you."

"You've been living here for some weeks now, why is the dishwasher still broken? When was the last time you called the landlord?"

I let my head fall forward, facing down at the sink filled with soap and water. "I called him last week. It's not that big of a deal, hand washing isn't the end of the world. It's not like we have so many dishes where I need a dishwasher desperately."

"But it is a big deal, Venice. It's his property. It's his job to keep it in shape. You pay more than enough rent for it to be in good shape," he said, leaning against the counter next to me. I realized that he wasn't going to give this up, so I put the rag in my hand down and peered up.

Austin Norae was a big man, standing at 6'2" and over 200 pounds. He could be incredibly frightening when he wanted to if you didn't know him. To me, however, he was just a large teddy bear.

I winded around, wrapping my arms around his waist and giving him a hug.

"It's okay, Dad, I swear. I'll call him again tomorrow if you just calm the hell down."

"I'm just looking out for you."

"I know." I smiled, stepping back and turning back to the sink to finish washing the dishes we used for dinner. We had dinner with my parents a couple times a month, taking turns at their house and ours. Alone, Connor and I were just fine with lazy dinners, but whenever we had my parents over, I used it as an excuse to try new recipes. Whenever I had the time, I really liked to cook.

A loud cheer broke from my son's room, which made both of us chuckle. My mom was in there playing cards, and she was like me in the sense that she didn't go easy on Connor just because he was a kid. She was savage. I don't think I've ever beat her in a game.

My parents raised me in Georgia until I graduated high school, and helped me a lot with Connor. But after I graduated, my dad got a better job here in Los Angeles.

I should have moved when they did, instead of staying in Conyers. I didn't know how different my life would have been if I had just moved with them, instead of staying with him. But everybody makes stupid decisions. There was nothing I could do to change the past now.

Connor and I had lived in Los Angeles for a few years now, and even though we moved a few times, we always stuck around the same area that my parents lived in.

I didn't grow up with a lot of family, and Connor already only had my side of the family, so I wanted him to stay as close to his grandparents as possible. My sister, Marigold, lived in New York City, so we unfortunately only saw her on holidays.

"What are you thinking about?"

I blinked, realizing I was standing at the sink, frozen in place for various minutes. "Sorry, I zoned out."

"You look weary, darling." He sat down at the kitchen table.

I blew out a loud, long breath. I made my way to the chair across from him, waving my hand dismissively. "What a way to make a woman feel good."

He wasn't fazed. He knew me too well, knowing that I was trying to brush a subject. "You know what I meant. You're working too much, Venice."

"I'm fi–"

"Don't you dare say you're fine. All of us know you're doing too much when you don't have to." I got whiplash from how quickly my mother entered this conversation.