Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 138287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
Thankfully, Joe changed the subject before the situation could become any more awkward than it already was. “We’re curious, Connor. Life as a rock star. Your wife is the manager of the Ultra Violet Vixens. Surrounded by celebrities. Your life must be pretty out of control.” Joe lifted a single brow. “It must be something.”
“Oh yeah. Every night’s a party,” Connor replied. “It’s wild.”
“Look at this one,” Connor said into the darkness, shoving his phone into my face as we lay in bed.
The kitten on the screen had his bottom in the air. He gave a little booty shake before pouncing on his mother.
“Aww,” My nose squished at the cuteness. “He’s so liddle.”
Connor’s voice rose three octaves. “I know, right?”
Yeah.
Our nights were wild alright, all right.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Family Affair.
Emmy
The question that shot out of my mouth was something I’d been meaning to ask for a while now.
“When do I meet your parents?”
It was dinnertime at Casa de Clash and although I wasn’t the best cook, I was getting better. Actually, it was Ricky who was teaching me. On tonight’s menu was chicken marsala served with couscous and steamed greens. And I didn’t like to toot my own horn, but… drool. It looked great.
Connor took the seat opposite me on the island and picked up a fork, his reply immediate and abruptly stern, “You don’t.”
Confusion settled deep within my gut, causing it to twist. Suddenly, I was back in high school and the unworthiness I’d been made to feel by every single beautiful person came flooding back.
He’s embarrassed of you. That’s why.
Oh, shut up, brain.
Clearly, I still had some issues that I wasn’t sure I’d ever overcome.
“Oh.” I recoiled as if I’d been hit. “Okay.”
That sucked. I would’ve liked to have met the people who had given me the greatest gift I never knew I wanted but, oh well.
Silence passed between us and as I pretended to be uber interested in the quality of the broccolini on my plate, I felt Connor’s eyes on me.
My husband was not a silly man. As always, he sensed a disturbance in the force.
“Look, Emmy,” it took him a moment but Connor explained almost reluctantly, “It’s not that I don’t want you to meet them but they’re…” he struggled to find the word. “They’re assholes, okay? I haven’t seen them in two years and I don’t plan on seeing them in the near future. If the chance comes up, you’ll meet them but—trust me on this —you’ll wish you hadn’t.”
Uh oh. Family drama alert.
My brow furrowed in puzzlement. “What happened?”
“Nothing happened,” Connor shrugged before stabbing his fork into a piece of chicken harder than he needed to, “It’s just who they are. They can’t help it.”
It was evidently a touchy subject so I dropped it. For now. With a single nod, I uttered, “Okay.”
A few moments of quiet went by before Connor burst out with, “They put us through some bullshit, baby. Things no kid should have to worry about. Things that scared us. And no child should be afraid of their parents. Not like that. They were hard, cold, and cruel…” The familiar sound of his foot bouncing began, “What kind of parent tells their kid they hate him?” His expression icy, he sneered, “Mine would.”
Oh, wow. My heart.
“Sweetie, I’m so sorry.” How could anyone hate Connor, let alone his parents? My attempt to make him smile was small and weak, “If it makes any difference, I love you more than carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.”
When his sad eyes met mine, he shook his head in exasperation. “Not me, baby. Ricky.”
“Ricky?” I was baffled. Ricky was so cool. “How could anyone hate Ricky?”
I had a special place in my heart for my brother-in-law. Up until a few weeks ago, Ricky had still been living with us. We spent most nights hanging out in front of the TV after cooking a meal together. He was a great listener and seemed to have a solution for just about any problem. He told the most amazing stories, straight out of the E.R. He could be an absolute smartass but Ricky was about the most kind-hearted person I’d ever met.
It hadn’t occurred to me that it might be awkward living with a couple who had just rekindled their physical relationship until after one rather long—and loud—bout of sex that Ricky burst into our bedroom and screamed, “I can’t take this anymore!” With the sheets up to my neck, I blinked at him as he yelled, “All you guys do is fuck.” He threw up a hand, “Fuck here.” The other hand joined the first, “Fuck there.” When he cradled his head in his hands and let out a muffled, “Fuck everywhere!” I almost laughed.
I would’ve if he weren’t so distressed.
“You’re so inconsiderate,” Ricky dug the heels of his palms into his eye sockets. When his hands dropped to his sides and he bellowed, “I’m horny too, you know?” I lost it.