Ready For It (MacAteer Brothers #2) - M.L. Nystrom Page 0,41

and simply waited for me to decide what to do next.

“I guess I need to make sure my parents see me so I won’t get the third degree next week. We don’t have to stay long. Just enough to keep them satisfied and off my back. I really appreciate you doing this for me.”

“Always.”

A thrill zinged through me at his simple one-word answer. A wealth of meaning sat behind that word. Bevvie was right. I’d never find another man to have my back like a MacAteer man. Like Owen MacAteer.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Piper point at me and Owen and then circle a finger around her stomach. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what her gesture meant. The other ladies reacted with looks of indignant shock or disapproving frowns. One woman pressed her fingers against her mouth as if stifling a laugh. My hand crept up to cover my lower stomach. Fuck you, bitch! Say all you want about me, but say anything about my kid and it’s on.

Owen squeezed my hand. He’d seen the old biddies as well and didn’t like it.

I spotted my father and mother standing together in front of the fountain, greeting their guests. Magnus had left his spot near the pool and lurked somewhere in the crowd. I hoped to avoid running into him. That would make the day a bit more bearable.

Owen plucked another cucumber star from a passing tray as we walked over to my parents. I guessed it would take three or four of those trays to fill him up. Maybe more. My mother had dressed up to the nines today in a dusky pink floral dress that came to just above her knees. One shoulder was covered and the other bare. I wasn’t sure it was a good look for her, as it showed the thin and wrinkled skin across her collarbone. It was designer and cost at least four figures, which made it okay. My father wore a suit and tie. How the hell could he stand that in this heat? In his hand sat a crystal tumbler of amber liquid and ice cubes. No doubt it was his favorite bourbon.

“Melanie, darling, how good of you to come.” Deloris’s sugar-sweet southern came through gritted teeth. I could hear the underlying message, don’t embarrass me, in her words. I leaned over as she air-kissed me on either cheek. My height was always an issue for her, and her eyes darted to the kitten-heeled sandals I wore. Nine West instead of Jimmy Choos, but I doubted she could tell the difference. “My, what a handsome fellow you have here.”

“Mom, this is Owen MacAteer. Owen, this is Deloris Miser, my mother.”

He stuck out a hand, and Deloris looked at it in fright before gingerly taking it. “Nice to meet you, Mr. MacAteer.”

Martin kept silent as his attention wandered through the crowd, it being beneath him to acknowledge my presence. Nope, not dealing with this shit!

“Daddy, this is Owen MacAteer. Owen, this is my daddy, Dr. Martin Miser.”

I watched him cringe when I called him “daddy.” He never liked it when I was a child and liked it even less now. Owen repeated the handshake extension.

“What line of work are you in?” No greeting, no reciprocal hand. He didn’t even bother looking Owen in the eye. Just a cold question, and he couldn’t care less about the answer.

“Construction. Own a company.”

Deloris oh my-ed and how nice-ed while Martin grunted, sipped at his drink, and pointedly turned his head away. Fuck me sideways. Seriously, why did I come here today? My mother insisted on this, but it was obvious my father wanted nothing to do with me. Nothing new there. An awkward silence settled between us, and I froze. What did I do about my father’s rudeness and my mother’s nervousness? Nothing. Nada. Anyone else, I wouldn’t have hesitated to tell them off or walk away. With my parents, I’d never been able to stand up to them. An icy sick feeling crept up the back of my throat, and I flashed both hot and cold over my body. My breath shortened, and my heart raced. In my world, I had control of myself and my life. In this house, I was nothing. Less than nothing and would always remain in that position.

I think Owen sensed the panic attack battle that brewed inside me, because he took over. He jerked a nod at my parents and took my