of two ways. First option, they’re apologetic for how awful they’ve been, which has a chance at leading to some rebuilding of bridges. I figure that’ll be Caylee because she seems like that sort of person. She loves her big brother, and while it’ll be a shock, she’ll be over the moon to realize he is the good guy she’s always believed him to be.
Second option, they don’t believe Connor, and I’ll get to watch while he eviscerates them. Which may or may not happen with his parents. If so, I’ll probably even help because while he’ll go all grunty-angry, I’m good at slapping together some spontaneous word diarrhea that’ll make them regret every mean thing they’ve ever said to him. That one might be more fun, but it’ll have worse consequences in the long run because it’d leave Connor hurting even more later.
So, like the responsible, good-hearted person I am, I’m hoping for option one. For Connor’s sake.
“Just remember, you’re a good man, and you can live a life of honesty now.” I smooth his lapels and then pat him a bit too hard. Tough love before I lay on the compliments. “And you’re sexy AF.”
He ignores the compliment, and with an evil twist to his smirk, he clarifies, “Honesty. So I can say anything I want.”
I roll my eyes, pushing his tie knot up high and tight, choking him a little bit in warning. “No, not insults and mean shit. That’s what we’re trying to stop, remember? You can be honest, but not to a fault. No barbaric, grumpy asshole shit.”
I let go of the tie slowly, daring him to disagree, but he tilts his head and adjusts the knot back to a less constricting position before taking a deep breath. “Conan once said he preferred barbarians to polite society because a man’s a lot more respectful when he knows he might get an axe to the head.”
“Well we don’t have an axe,” I remind him, “and Gary’s at home. But how about this? If they start it, you finish it.”
The very idea of the possibility of unleashing on his family seems to help with his nerves, and more confidently, he says, “Let’s get this shit over with.”
But I see the slight hesitation before he rings the doorbell. Underneath the curmudgeonly act, he’s nervous that even the truth won’t be enough to satisfy his parents or change their long-held opinion of him. The huge bell ding-dongs with echoes, and dimly, I think that doorbell sounds like a fucking funeral dirge. Hopefully, that’s not a bad omen.
Debra opens the door, her smile a bit trembly as she steps back to let us in. “Hi, kids! Come on in!” Her tone is overly bright and chipper, falsely so. “You look so nice.”
“Thank you, Debra. You do too,” I reply, not even looking her over. I’m too busy focusing on how she’s looking at Connor. There’s a darkness in her eyes, a worry she’s carried for a long time. Hopefully, what Connor has to say will help alleviate some of that.
Caylee calls out from the living room, “We’re in here.”
We follow Debra into the living room to find Caylee and Evan sitting on the couch, their thighs pressed against one another and Evan’s arm thrown over the back of the couch surrounding Caylee protectively. They look comfortable, happy, and very much in love. And a bit tan from their honeymoon.
For his part, Robert is sitting in a leather club chair, his scotch glass looking freshly poured. And despite our being right on time, it feels like we’re interrupting something.
“You decided to get together early to gossip about me,” Connor guesses, reading the room. I can feel his weight shift as he prepares to bolt, so I squeeze his hand tighter. It’s a reminder that we’re here, we’re doing this together, and he’d better not make me run in my sexiest heels. I’d probably break an ankle, end up falling to the floor, and then Connor would have to decide if was leaving me behind to the wolves or taking the time to scoop me up and carry me to safety.
Hmm . . . wait, that would be good for the next book. Maybe Ryker could save Amber? Or hell, she could save him. I’m not trapped in gender roles. Amber can be the knight in shining armor.
“No, of course not, dear. We’re just . . .” Debra says, pausing as she searches for the right words, “uhm, excited about what news