“Oh, fun,” Grandma says. “I used to go dancing all the time when I was a girl.” She drops her fork and leans closer to the table.
I hold my breath. Grandma Rose has no filter, and she says it’s due to dementia, but she doesn’t have dementia. She uses that as an excuse to say whatever the hell she wants. My dad tenses while he waits for his mother to speak.
“Until I met your grandfather.” She turns to Rip. “He was a mortician. And boring. I dated a real bad boy before him. You kind of remind me of him.”
“Mother,” Dad admonishes.
“Randall never wants to do anything or go anywhere. I wanted him to stay in the military and travel the world, but he wanted to come back. Sylvie takes after him.”
Sylvie blanches at the table and hangs her head.
“Mother, that’s enough,” Dad says.
“Anyway,” Grandma waves her hand, dismissing my dad’s warning, “my husband was a good man. Good provider, just boring. I married for stability. I regret that.”
Dad slams his fork down and leaves the table. My mother goes after him.
“But I like you.” She points at Rip. “I don’t like Sylvie’s husband.”
Cori and Selene snicker. Levar’s nostrils flare, but he doesn’t respond.
“Bad boys are misunderstood, but if you can find the right one, they make better partners than the so-called good men. Those are the ones you have to watch out for. Any man who makes it a point to show the world how good he is, isn’t. Remember that, girls.” Grandma points at me and my two friends while Sylvie’s shakes her head in either disbelief or disgust.
Dad and my mom return, and they sit down without a word. I swipe a cucumber from Rip’s plate. He winks at me and feeds me more pasta salad. Sylvie glares at me from a few feet away.
“Remember when Eden got dumped right before prom?” she says. “It was the morning of, and she cried like a baby for hours. She was the fifth wheel with Selene, Cori, and their dates. And Selene’s date was her cousin because Reverend Wilde wouldn’t let her date.” She chuckles as if any of that is funny.
“Why am I catching strays?” Selenes raises her hands in confusion.
“What is your point, Sylvie ?” my mom asks with an eyeroll.
“That was ten years ago,” Cori says. “And? We still had fun. Now, Eden lets us tag along with her and Rip. That’s real friendship. You should try it sometime.” Cori huffs and looks away, and Sylvie shuts up.
“She’s not allowed,” I say with a snort. Sylvie glares at me, and I glare back, daring her to say something.
“I would have taken you,” Rip says, and I beam. “On my bike.”
“You would have taken me to prom?” I ask, shocked by his declaration.
“Hell no. That’s not what I said. What would I look like going to some fucking prom? I said I would havetakenyou.”
Stunned by his words, all I can do is stare into his dark eyes and blush.
He leans in and whispers, “My everything,” and kisses my cheek.
My mom makes a noise, but I don’t care. Rip throws an arm across my shoulders and pulls me closer.
“Like hell,” my dad whispers under his breath.
“Oh, I bet you had fun,” Sylvie continues. “Remember how you got drunk, made out with some other girl’s date, and got into a fight with her? She pushed you into a fountain and ruined the dress that Mom spent two hundred dollars on.” She lifts her glass and sips it. “You were always so inconsiderate.”
“You forgot about the part where Eden dog-walked that girl, Sylvie.” Selene rolls her eyes at my sister. “Nearly drowned her in that fountain.”
“What do you care what my mom spent on a dress for me ten years ago? Oh, I get it. Counting money is your default. You have to account for every penny, right?”
Her nostrils flare, but she doesn’t respond. She looks down.
“Why don’t you shut up?” Levar shouts while looking right at me.
