After 2

Chapter 118.

"Mum, let's give her a little space. She is shy." Hardin lies to his mother as she hugs me for the fourth time.

"You're right, I am sorry. I am just so happy to finally meet you. Hardin has told me so much about you." She gushes and nods in agreement. I feel my cheeks flame as she steps back. I am surprised she even knows that I exist, I had figured he would have kept me a secret like usual.

"It's okay." I manage to say through my horror.

"Can..I uhm.. talk to you in the bedroom for a moment?" Hardin stammers.

I nod and give Hardin's mother a small smile before following him into the bedroom that we once shared.

"What the hell?" I say quietly as I close the door.

"I know.. I am sorry. I couldn't tell her what happened. I couldn't tell her what I did." He says and sits on the bed.

"Are you here .. you know to stay?" His voice holds more hope than I can bear.

"No.."

"Oh."

I sigh and run my fingers through my hair, a habit I picked up from Hardin I suspect.

"Well what am I supposed to do?" I ask him.

"I don't know.. I don't expect you to go along it or anything.. I just need a little time to tell her." He says with a long sigh.

"I didn't know you would be here." He tells me with pain in his eyes.

"I didn't know you would be here either, I thought you were going to London."

"I changed my mind, I didn't want to go without.." He trials off.

"Is there a reason why you didn't tell her that we aren't together?" I ask him. I don't know if I want to hear his answer.

"She was just so happy that I found someone, I don't want to ruin that for her."

I recall when Ken had told me that he never thought Hardin would be capable of being in a relationship, he was right. However, I do not want to ruin Hardin's mother's time here with her son. I'm not doing this for Hardin necessarily, but for his mother.

"Okay. You can tell her whenever you are ready. Don't tell her about the bet." I tell him. Knowing the details of how her son ruined his first and only relationship would surely hurt her.

"Really? You're okay with her thinking we are together?" He sounds more surprised than he should be. I nod.

"Thank you. I thought for sure you would call me out right in front of her." He lets out a deep breath.

"I wouldn't do that." I say and mean it. No matter how angry I have ever been at Hardin I never told any of his secrets.

"I just need to finish my laundry then I will go. I thought you weren't going to be here so I figured I would stay here instead of that hotel." I shrug uncomfortably. We have been in here a little too long.

"You don't have anywhere to go do you?" He asks.

"I could go to my mother's if I want. I just really don't want to." I admit. "But the hotel isn't bad, just a little expensive." This is the most civil conversation Hardin and I have had in the past week.

"I know you won't agree to stay here but I could give you some money?" I can tell he is afraid of my reaction to his offer.

"I don't need your money."

"I know, I just thought I would offer." He stares at floor.

"We better go back out there." I sigh and open the door.