Perfectly Misunderstood (The Perfect Series Book 4) Read online

  “There’s no way I was going to miss this. I told you I was loyal,” he said, winking and handing me the flowers.

  “They’re beautiful,” I said. “You didn’t have to do this.”

  “Yes, I did.” He gave me a look that said to shut up and let him be nice. Then he leaned in for a hug and whispered in my ear, “That was the most incredible thing I’ve ever heard. You were amazing. And you look beautiful.” His closeness sent chills all over my body, but too much of my skin was exposed, so there was no way to hide it. He pulled away and smirked at the blush heating my face and neck.

  “Thanks,” I said softly, because I didn’t know how else to react.

  My mom cleared her throat. “Jayden, honey. Are you going to introduce us to your friend?” I looked back at my parents. My mom was suppressing a gigantic grin, and she wasn’t doing a very good job. My dad was suppressing a giant scowl, and he wasn’t hiding it very well, either. I could tell he was already sizing Mike up, and they hadn’t even spoken yet.

  “Mom and Dad, this is Mike, the Spanish tutor I’ve been working with. Mike, these are my parents, Federico and Julie Valdez.” I’d introduced Mike as my tutor because I thought Dad would like that better than me introducing him as the guy I wanted to make out with. But I felt guilty because he was much more than my tutor, so I placed my hand on his shoulder as I quickly added, “Obviously, he’s my friend, too.”

  “Obviously,” my mother murmured with a hint of sarcasm as she looked at the flowers in my hand, then back to Mike.

  “It’s nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Valdez, Mr. Valdez.” Mike was charming and polite as he held out his hand to shake.

  My mom reached out with a warm smile. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Mike.”

  My dad was less friendly, but at least he shook Mike’s hand. “Thank you for helping Jayden bring that Spanish grade up. I was worried she’d ruin her GPA.”

  I glanced toward Mike and saw that his jaw was tense, his smile a little forced. “You’re welcome, sir. But Jayden deserves most of the credit. You have a brilliant daughter.”

  Dad grunted. “I should hope so. We’ve invested a lot in her, so we expect a lot in return.” Another glance at Mike found that his eyes were stormy, the way they got when he was upset. Yep, he’d heard the violin critique, too. My dad noticed Mike’s mood shift and asked, “Tell me Mike, what did you think of Jayden’s…unusual musical selection?” He said the word unusual with disdain, his disapproval of my choice obvious.

  “Rico,” my mother scolded softly.

  Oh no. This was totally a test. My dad would be waiting to see how Mike responded. Which was code for whether Mike kissed his butt or not. I was starting to worry, because even though Mike had been a complete gentleman thus far, he was certainly no butt kisser.

  I knew Mike hadn’t believed me when I described my father the other day. He thought I was exaggerating. This brief interaction had proved me right, and it was clearly upsetting him. I silently prayed that Mike would keep his cool, because if he didn’t, I’d be forbidden from seeing him again. And I couldn’t live with that.

  Mike reached up and protectively placed his hand on the small of my back, stepping closer to me. I held my breath as I listened to his response. “Mr. Valdez, the piece Jayden selected is inconsequential. What’s important is that the song showcased her superior skill and talent. I thought it was a courageous selection, since she knew there might be people, such as yourself, who wouldn’t approve.”

  My dad’s eyes shot open when Mike called him out. I knew Dad wanted to interject, but Mike pushed on, not giving him the chance. “Furthermore, your daughter is one of the most driven, focused, and intelligent people I know. And I mean no disrespect when I say this, sir, but if you can’t see that, then you must be blind. I’m a better person for having Jayden in my life, and she deserves more recognition and admiration than you give her.”

  I was stunned, my mom looked like she might faint, and my father was speechless—for maybe the first time in his life. Mike gave me a squeeze, then stepped back. “I realize I might have given a bad first impression just now, but your daughter is important to me. Important enough to risk your approval in her defense. I sincerely hope this won’t be the last time we see each other.” With that, he leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, which was ballsy considering what he’d just said. “Good night, Jayden. Mrs. Valdez, sir.” He smiled at my mom, nodded politely at my father, and walked away, exuding confidence.

  The only thing running through my head was holy crap…did that just happen? I wasn’t sure if I should be mad at Mike for potentially making the situation worse, or running after him right now to thank him for his chivalry—with a great, big smacker on the lips. I couldn’t believe he did that. My heart was melting into a puddle of goo at my feet. If I liked him before, I was over the moon for him now.

  “How dare he!” Dad stuttered in a stunned outrage. He looked like he might go DEFCON 1 at any second.

  “Rico.” My mom placed her hand on his arm, much firmer this time. Her timbre said she meant business, and that never happened. He glared at her but shut his mouth. Then she turned to me. “Jay, can you go wait in the car, please?”

  I bit my lip and nodded my head. “Yes, ma’am.” She didn’t need to ask twice. I was itching to get out of there. I had a feeling that things were about to get ugly. Mom handed me the car keys, and I left as quickly as I could.

  Once outside, I looked around, hoping that Mike had stayed, but he was nowhere to be found. Honestly, I didn’t blame him. I had no clue if tonight would be the last time I saw him outside of school. But if our friendship was forbidden, at least it ended on the most romantic note ever. The doubts I had about his feelings for me vanished. Standing up to my dad had proven how much he liked me. I’d been waiting in the car for about ten minutes, when Mike texted me.

  Mike: I’m so sorry.

  Jayden: I’m not sorry.

  Mike: I don’t know what came over me. I couldn’t handle him treating you that way.

  Mike: I hope I didn’t make things worse for you.

  Jayden: IDK. Mom and Dad are fighting in the auditorium. They sent me to the car to wait.

  Mike: Please don’t hate me.

  Jayden: Hate is the last thing I’m feeling right now.

  Mike: What are you feeling?

  Adoration, infatuation, and a slew of other -ation words came to mind, but I answered with one single word: gratitude.

  Jayden: That was one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me. Thank you.

  Mike: I meant what I said.

  I sighed when I read his last text. I stared at my phone screen, trying to figure out an equivalent response, when the front door opened.

  Jayden: Parents are here. Gotta go. See you tomorrow.

  I sent the text, then shoved the phone in my purse. Mom and Dad slipped into their seats, and we drove home. The ride was eerily silent. Once we pulled into the garage, my Dad killed the engine and went inside. My mother and I stepped out of the car, and she looked at me with sad eyes.

  “How much does he hate me?” I asked.

  “Sweetheart, he doesn’t hate you,” she replied as she pulled me into a hug. I started to cry for the millionth time this week.

  “How much does he hate Mike?” I asked as I rested my head on her shoulder, sniffling.

  Mom chuckled and ran her hand down my hair in a soothing gesture. “Believe it or not, our little chat wasn’t about Mike. It was about you and the way your father treats you. I don’t think he blames Mike for me scolding him. He doesn’t hate Mike, either.”

  “He doesn’t?” My head snapped up so I could make eye contact.

  “Well, he wasn’t happy about being spoken to that way, but he recognizes that it took a lot of guts for Mike to do what he did, and I think your father respects him for that.”

  “Did he actually say he respected Mike?” I questioned her suspiciously.

  “No. But he didn’t need to. He’s too
prideful and stubborn to say it out loud.”

  “Then how do you know?”

  Mom laughed. “Honey, I’ve been married to the man for twenty years. Trust me, I know.” Her smile turned conspiratorial, and she looked sided to side, like there was someone to hide from. “He did say, and this is a direct quote, At least the kid was articulate. He’s obviously got a good head on his shoulders.” She used her dad voice, which made me snort.

  “Only Dad would appreciate that.”

  “He also said that you could do a lot worse.” Huh. Coming from my father, that was about as much approval as I was likely to get.

  “Does that mean I’m still allowed to hang out with him?”

  “I think you’ll be safe. But you should give your father the rest of the night to cool off before you bring it up.”

  I nodded. “I will,” I agreed as I headed for the door.

  “Jayden?” Mom stopped me as I put my hand on the knob. She hadn’t moved yet.

  “Yeah?”

  “You haven’t asked me what I think about all this.”

  “What do you think?”

  She grinned from ear to ear. “I think your father needed to hear every word Mike said. Any boy who’s brave enough to stand up to Rico Valdez is a keeper, in my book.” She giggled like a high schooler before adding, “Also, he’s hot and extremely romantic.”

  “Mom!” I hissed. “You aren’t allowed to say he’s hot. You’re old and married, and that’s creepy.”

  She rolled her eyes at me. “Geez, Jayden. It’s not like I’d tell him that. Can’t I be excited if my baby found a sweet, hot boyfriend?” I gave her a flat look, and she sighed. “Fine. How about cute? Can I at least say he’s cute?”

  I thought about it and decided that cute sounded a lot more like a mom word. “That’s much better. I’ll allow it. And for the record, we’re just friends.”

  “Are you sure? Didn’t seem like just friends behavior to me.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “Well…” she started as she walked past me and plucked the roses from my hands, “I hope that changes. I’ll put these in some water for you.”

  I made it to my room and into my pajamas before throwing myself on my bed. I wanted to call Becca and tell her what had happened. But if she knew, she’d say he was in love with me and refuse to go to homecoming with him. As much as I wanted to ditch Logan and go with Mike, I couldn’t do that to Logan or to Becca. No, I couldn’t tell her anything until Sunday. And nothing could happen between Mike and me until after the dance. Which pretty much sucked, because I also wanted to call him right now. But if I did, I’d just confess my undying love for him, and that would make everything worse. I settled for daydreaming about him instead.

  An hour later, there was a knock on my bedroom door. “Jayden? Can I come in?”

  I wasn’t ready to do this with my dad. I was scared about what he’d say, but I needed to get it over with. “Sure,” I called back.

  He walked in, carrying my roses in a vase. “I thought you might want these in here.”

  Okay, not what I expected. “I do. Thanks.”

  He set them on my desk, then sat at the foot of my bed. “Jayden, I’m sorry.”

  Now it was just getting weird. “I’m sorry, too. I didn’t know he would say all that.”

  “I know.” He hesitated, then continued. “I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t thrilled with how he spoke to me. But I can appreciate that he did it. That took a lot of guts. And considering what he said…well, at least he did it respectfully.”

  “So, you aren’t going to forbid me from seeing him again?”

  “No. Though, I’m tempted to. I don’t want you seeing anyone who likes you that much.” His face was serious, but I knew he was teasing. At least, I hoped he was teasing. He was quiet for a moment, then asked, “Do you really think that I don’t appreciate you?”

  Wow, that was a loaded question. But if I didn’t answer honestly right now, I might never get another chance. The fact that he was in here for a heart-to-heart was nothing short of a miracle. “Sometimes,” I admitted.

  “Why? I’m your father. Of course I appreciate you.”

  I fumbled with how to phrase what I was thinking. “I feel like every time I do something good, you only see the parts I messed up. Like tonight, I was so proud of how I played, but you didn’t tell me good job, or that you were proud of me. Instead, you pointed out how bad my form was.”

  Dad frowned. “I didn’t do that because I thought you played poorly. I only want you to be the best you can be. I didn’t love the fiddle piece, because I’m not fond of that type of music. But even I can’t argue that you fiddled the hell out of it.” He smiled.

  I laughed. “Thanks.”

  “Jayden, don’t misinterpret my pushing as not being proud of you. I’m incredibly proud of you. You’re an amazing young woman. Your boyfriend was right about that.”

  “What is it with you and Mom? I already told you, we’re just friends.”

  I was surprised that Dad hadn’t locked me in my bedroom at even the thought of me dating. Instead, he smirked as he grumbled, “That boy is definitely not just friends with you. It might not be official yet, but it will be soon.”

  My eyes widened in shock. Somehow, I must have stepped into another dimension. “And you’re okay with that?”

  “No. I’m your dad. I don’t want you dating until you’re forty. But I know that’s not practical. Eventually you’re going to have boyfriends, and there’s not much I can do to stop it. It’s part of growing up. Mike’s proven that he has your best interest at heart and that he’ll respect you. As a father, I couldn’t ask for much better than that.”

  I reached down and pinched my arm, in case I was dreaming. But nothing changed, so this conversation must really be happening. Dad started getting antsy. He had to be so uncomfortable. We’d never talked like this before. He stood and motioned for me to do the same. Then he pulled me into a tight hug. “I love you, Jayden. Never doubt that.”

  “I won’t.”

  Then he kissed me on the top of the head and left my room, closing the door quietly behind him. I lay back on my bed and cried…again. But this time, they were happy tears.

  MIKE

  I never got to see Jayden before lunch, because our schedules didn’t line up. I really wanted to eat with her today, but I knew she still felt uncomfortable around my friends. So, I’d decided to sit with her and Becca, for a change. Except when I got into the cafeteria, they weren’t there. I took my seat next to Brady, keeping a watchful eye on the girls’ table and wondering where they were.

  “Looking for someone?” Brady asked with a grin.

  “Shut it, dude,” I replied, knowing where the conversation was headed.

  “You’ve been spending a lot of time with Jayden lately.” Brady raised his eyebrows, like he was on to me.

  “Yep.”

  “Any particular reason for that?”

  “Yep.”

  “Is it because you liiiike her?” he taunted me, as if he were eight years old.

  Oh, for the love… Why did normally mature people act like children when it came to crushes? Did it ever stop? Or would we be thirty and Brady would still tease me whenever I liiiiked someone? He thought I’d deny it, but I wasn’t in the mood for games.

  “Yep,” I answered.

  “Wait, you do?”

  “Yep.”

  “Are you actually going to do something about it?”

  “Yep.”

  Brady glared at me impatiently. “Will you please use a word other than yep?”

  I smirked. “Nope.”

  “Stop being an ass,” Brady complained.

  “Fine.”

  “So, what’s up with you guys? I thought you might have a thing for her, but you never said anything. Not cool, bro.”

  “Sorry I failed to gossip about my love life like a freaking girl. I didn’t say anything because I knew you’d make a big deal about it.”

&n
bsp; “Make a big deal about what?” Beth asked, sitting down next to Brady.

  He leaned over to kiss her before answering. “Mike likes Jayden.”

  “I knew it!” Beth bounced excitedly in her chair.

  “Knew what?” Cam asked, as he unlocked his lips from Bianca’s and pushed his way into the conversation.

  “Mike likes Jayden,” Beth announced, practically loud enough for the entire table to hear. Luckily, the only people paying attention were Cam and Bianca.

  “What the heck, Beth? Are you trying to throw me under the gossip train? I don’t need the whole school knowing before I have a chance to tell her myself.”

  “Sorry.” She pouted, reining in her giddiness. “I’m just so happy for you.” She pulled her bottom lip back in, but her eyes started twinkling. They did that a lot.

  “You mean you like Becca,” Bianca corrected me.

  “No, I mean I like Jayden.”

  “Aren’t you taking Becca to homecoming?” Cam asked in confusion.

  “Yep.” I went back to monosyllabic grunting.

  “But you don’t like her?” Bianca reiterated.

  “As a friend, but that’s it.”

  “Then why are you taking her to homecoming, and not Jayden?”

  “Because Jayden already has a date. And I didn’t know I liked her when I asked Becca.” I don’t know what was so difficult to understand. It made perfect sense to me.

  “Does Becca like you?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “You don’t know for sure, though?”

  I shrugged. “I guess not. What is this, anyway, twenty questions? I don’t have to explain myself to you.” Bianca raised an eyebrow at my sudden burst of confidence. I’d already failed to use any of my customary slang, which along with my uncharacteristic challenge was probably throwing her for a loop. She could be pushy, but I usually addressed it through Cam and not directly to her. Unfortunately, my bravado didn’t stop her from prying.

  “Does Becca know you like Jayden?”

  “I don’t know.”