“So, when exactly are they coming?”
I checked the clock on the oven. “Half an hour, give or take.”
I was wrong. Mom arrived ten minutes later, with Dad, Knox, and Finn—who’d apparently picked everyone up—in tow.
“Darling, I also baked some cookies and—” She stopped midsentence, noticing Phoebe.
Her eyes darted to me. Dad cleared his throat. Knox had a shit-eating grin, but Finn looked absolutely perplexed.
“Griffin, darling, you didn’t tell us you had company,” Mom said.
“Mom, Dad, everyone, this is Phoebe.”
Mom jerked her head back but was polite enough to extend her hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Susan, and that’s Bruce,” she said, pointing at Dad.
“And you,” Phoebe said, shaking hands with everyone as they introduced themselves.
Knox was still grinning. “You’ve been holding out on us.”
“Clearly,” Finn said. He evensoundedstunned. “Could we have an update? Phoebe, is he blackmailing you somehow to help his sorry ass?”
Phoebe’s eyes bulged. I was used to my brother’s antics and his direct ways, but she wasn’t.
“Finn, behave,” I warned.
“Hey, don’t talk to me like I’m a dog.”
Knox kept looking from me to Phoebe. My parents had the good grace to not say anything.
Then the rest of the family arrived. Chase and Hannah came first, followed by Wyatt. At least Jeremy wasn’t here yet. I preferred to get this explanation out of the way before he arrived. I didn’t want him to get wind of my charade with Phoebe, however brief it was. I wanted to be a good example for him.
“Everyone, I want to introduce you to Phoebe.”
Hannah looked at Chase in confusion.
Wyatt cocked a brow. “Is this the next stage in whatever you two are planning? You need feedback from us?”
“Feedback?” I parroted.
“Yeah. Someone to tell you if you have any real chemistry or that you look like puppets in a show or something?” He looked straight at Phoebe. “And no offense to Griffin, but this is something we never thought him capable of. Sounds more like something I’d do, or these two.” He pointed at Knox and Finn.
“Yeah,” Finn said lazily. “We’re the ones with crazy ideas.”
“What has gotten into all of you?” I asked.
“Son.” That came from Dad. He sounded very serious. “We’re surprised, that’s all. Phoebe, forgive my boys.”
“They’re a bit much,” Mom supplied.
“And when we’re surprised, we’re a lot much,” Finn finished for her. “Quite frankly, I feel like Knox and I are always on that level. Larger than life.”
I realized that Phoebe had been completely silent since introducing herself. I wanted to explain this as succinctly as possible.
And then a light went on in my head.Wait a fucking second. I don’t have to explain myself. Not even to my family.Things were different, and that’s all they needed to know.
So, I put an arm around Phoebe’s shoulders. “We’re not pretending anymore.”
Mom stared at us intently. Hannah frowned. Chase looked at Wyatt with a questioning glance, clearly feeling like he’d missed something.
