“Just installed it last night.” Dad wrapped an arm around Mom and handed her a paper towel.
“Sorry, kids.” She blew her nose. “I just—it’s happening, this is really happening.” She leaned in and whispered, “It’s just like old times, and we’re so excited.”
“Us too!” Avery said in a strangled voice. I shot her a pleading look while she quickly hugged my mom and then linked arms with her, abandoning me to my father and a very angry-looking Grandpa Lewis.
“Lewis.” I nodded toward him and then held out my hand.
He stared down at it and grimaced. “We killed traitors back in Nam.”
Interesting, please tell me more about how you killed people for less than what I did four years ago. “And we’re all so thankful for your service.”
He grunted, then pointed at his good eye and back at me. “Don’t think I won’t be watching you like a hawk.”
Thank God he was half-blind.
“I’ve got my eye on you, son.” He let out something that sounded a hell of a lot like a growl, then left me and Dad in blissful silence.
“Is he wearing a pink shirt?” I asked once the man was out of earshot.
“Can’t tell pink from blue, poor bastard.” Dad sighed. “Besides, bright colors are easier to see; last week Tess lost him in the grocery store and only located him because he was wearing yellow and telling anyone who would listen about Agent Orange.”
“How . . . nice for him.” This. This was why I rarely came home. Everyone in both our families was certifiable.
Which is also why it was so sad when they stopped spending time together.
One thing was for sure—our families belonged together. Both dads slightly crazy, the moms loud, and the one living grandparent who talked about the good ol’ days when everything cost a nickel.
Gas? A nickel.
Shoes? A nickel.
Meat? A nickel.
According to Lewis, everything was a nickel.
Which also meant that, to him, everything in this day and age was too damn expensive.
I sighed and weaved through the halls toward the loud chatter in the kitchen and braced myself for the impact of seeing the rest of the Black family for the first time in four years.
I noticed Tess first. She was wearing a short black dress with white pearls and had a white apron with a dog on it wrapped around her petite body. Her reading glasses were perched on the top of her head, and she had a glass of white wine in her hand.
“Lucas Thorn.” One penciled eyebrow arched, then the other; her red lips pressed together, and then she was walking toward me. The kitchen fell silent.
“I’m so happy to see you.” Her smile was tense. That made sense. The last time I’d seen her she was sobbing her eyes out and holding Kayla after Brooke confessed I’d kissed her. And that was before I’d called off the wedding.
I hugged her as tightly as I could, hoping to at least convey in that hug that I was sorry, so damn sorry.
She relaxed in my arms and kissed me on the cheek. “I can’t say I’m surprised—I know how close you and Avery were.” No accusation tinted her voice, but I couldn’t be sure if she was being honest and kind or passive-aggressive. “I wasn’t surprised at all to hear the good news.”
Please let the good news be the marriage and not some other random made-up story that I had to lie about.
Avery saved me by snaking an arm around my waist and shrugging. “Thanks, Mom. We’re really excited we were able to reconnect.”
“Yeah.” A familiar voice echoed through the kitchen. “And we’re all dying to know how that happened.” Brooke threw back her glass of wine and zeroed in on Avery and me with an intensity that had me wanting to both strangle her and run in the opposite direction. Her hair was dyed a fake red that made her face look harsh, and her dark eye makeup didn’t help, nor did the slutty white dress that showed enough boob and ass to make her look like a prostitute.
“I think”—Avery glanced up at me—“that’s a secret we’d like to keep between us.”
I could have kissed her for that save.
So I did.
Hard.
She gasped against my mouth as I mauled her in my parents’ kitchen and shoved all the doubt anyone may have had about us out the window. Take that, nasty witch.
When we broke apart, Avery’s chest was heaving. God, I wanted to devour her right next to the cheese plate.
Her cheeks bloomed with a pretty pink before she laid her head against my chest and laughed. “Sorry, got a bit carried away.”
Tess sighed happily, then poured more wine. “This really is wonderful—we’ve always wanted Lucas to be a part of our family, and now he will be.”
“Yay,” Brooke said sarcastically from her spot near the bar.
I was about to tell her to shut the hell up when Kayla appeared from around the corner, wearing a dress that was even more scandalous than her sister’s. Red, with a plunging neckline, plus high heels and dark makeup to complete the look.
What the hell was wrong with Avery’s sisters?
“Wow, this is so familiar.” Brooke tapped her chin. “But wait, we just need to switch out the sister.” She sighed. “Maybe next time I’ll get my shot. God knows our kiss was briefer than the one you guys just shared.”
Avery lunged toward her as gasps ricocheted around the room. God, Brooke was such a bitch.
I held her back even as her nails dug into my arm, most likely deflecting her anger toward me to keep from ripping her sister’s head off.
“Brooke,” Avery’s father said, shaking his head. “That’s enough out of you.”
“What did I do?” she asked innocently. “I’m just kidding.”
“The hell you are.” I curled my lip.
Brooke’s eyes widened. I’d had to put up with her shit all through high school when she bullied both Avery and Kayla.
“Apologize,” I demanded, crossing my arms.
The kitchen was silent again.
Avery groaned.
“Now.”
With a sigh and a fake smile, Brooke winked at her sister and said, “I was just kidding, Avery Bug. You’re so lucky to have Lucas Thorn in your bed. Just make sure he stumbles into the right one—we don’t want a repeat of last time.”
She sauntered off, leaving me burning with rage and a heavy, heavy dose of guilt. Because she was right. I did go into the wrong bedroom, and I did pursue the sister of my fiancée. It was my mistake. And now I was paying for it all over again—and so was Avery. Which just made me all the more enraged because I wanted to protect her.
I wanted to love her.
And Avery’s eyes filled with tears.
“Come here.” I tugged her into my arms. “Don’t listen to her, okay?” I knew we had an audience, but my only goal was to make sure Avery didn’t take what her sister had said to heart, because Brooke had no idea just how her comments had hit home.
Because I was a cheater.
I knew it.
Avery knew it.