To Die For - Davidson King Page 0,53
someone with an obvious dye job what their real hair color is.” He winked at me when I rolled my eyes at my sisters’ antics.
“Leave the guy alone,” Ma said as she came into the dining room with a plate of toast.
“Are you sure I can’t help you?” Sparkles asked, and my mom smiled softly.
“You’re a darling.” She brushed his cheek with her hand. “You’re a guest in our home. I only make family work here. Now, if you and Max were a couple, well, yes that would make you family, and I’d ask you to get the coffeepot from the kitchen for me.” Oh, she was good. “So, tell me, Sparkles, are you getting the coffeepot, or am I going to retrieve it?”
It was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Marie had her glass of orange juice halfway to her mouth. Frances was in mid-scoop of her eggs. I watched Sparkles carefully. I didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable. He looked over at me and smirked. When he stood and walked out of the room, I wasn’t sure if he was leaving or not.
“Ma,” I whisper-shouted, but she waved me off, unmoving.
A second later Sparkles walked in with the coffeepot. “Who wants more?” He beamed at me, and I’d be lying if my heart didn’t feel like it was about to beat out of my chest. He wanted to be my boyfriend.
“I’d love some,” Ma said as she kissed Sparkles’s cheek.
When he sat down I turned to him. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “If you want me, I’d love to give us a try, Max.”
My sisters and Ma were talking loudly, and I knew it was to give Sparkles and me a moment.
“I do want you, Sparkles, and I very much would like to give us a try.”
When we kissed, my sisters and Ma clapped and cheered, making our kiss turn into laughter.
“I’m telling Teresa!” Frances shouted as she ran out of the room, Maria was hot on her trail, shouting, “Not fair!”
“You’d think they were little kids, the way they act,” my ma said as she winked at us.
I felt lighter than I had in a long time, even if Dorian Birch was lurking in the shadows, hell-bent on destroying our happiness.
We ate in peace, Maria and Frances returning and announcing Teresa would be calling me later. That was met with chuckles from Sparkles, but I didn’t care. I’d happily tell Teresa all the wonderful things about him.
After breakfast, Sparkles called Nolan, and with Ma’s blessing, asked him to bring Tank to our house. Neither of us was comfortable with Sparkles returning to his place just yet, and when he told my family about his dog, they insisted on meeting him. Nolan said he’d come by and bring Tank’s food in case he’d need it.
We spent the morning and early afternoon with my family and when Tank arrived, Sparkles and my new relationship wasn’t the hot topic anymore, just how unbelievably adorable Tank was. I sat back and watched my family make Sparkles smile, and I hoped he wasn’t thinking about any of the daunting things ahead.
Chapter Thirty
Lane
Never in a million years did I think I’d spend an entire day with Max’s family. I helped his mom bake cookies while Max worked outside, cleaning the gutters and other yard work his mom needed done. I offered to help him, but he told me to relax. It was sweet, and I silently scolded myself for ever being mean to him. I knew if Max heard me berating myself, he’d tell me to knock it off, but I had a feeling I’d be kicking myself for a while.
Max spoke with Atlas and Shane and arranged to switch nights with Shane, so he had the day off. I was out of sorts and throughout the day found myself remembering how Dorian told me to spray my hair to get rid of the godawful pink, when he told me to wear the outfit, and the gleam in his eye when he clicked the leash to the collar he forced me to wear. I had to breathe and remember why I did that. For my mom. My head spun with everything Dorian said about my mother, and I knew I had to get to work on finding out if what he said was true. Max wanted me to take time and clear my head and promised we’d figure it all out. Anytime he saw me getting a little upset he would change the subject.
Alexandra