Connor
I leftDare to get dressed and descended the stairs as quickly as I could. I walked through the main foyer, down the hall and into the kitchen, where my mom was busy putting away groceries.
“Morning, Connor.” She smiled at me, although it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She seemed sad and, given everything that had transpired in the last few days, it was understandable she wasn’t her usual upbeat self. “I did some shopping, got you all of your favourites and all of the staples.”
“Thanks, Mom. I appreciate it…but you didn’t have to.”
“I wanted to,” she assured me, and I knew she meant it. She’d stocked Calum’s refrigerator when he’d moved into his new house too, and he was a rock star who could certainly afford his own groceries. But to her, it was a welcome home gift of sorts, a way for her to feel like she was still taking care of us.
“Well, thank you, Mom.”
Something behind me caught her attention, and her eyes widened slightly. “Oh, hello, Dare. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Morning, Maeve,” Dare said, running a hand through his hair and looking at me for guidance.
“Dare is the…slightly older guy I’ve been dating,” I finally said, breaking the short silence that had befallen us.
A look of relief passed over my mother’s delicate features. “Oh, well, that’s good for you two,” Mom said, turning and putting the last of the groceries away in the freezer. “I’m thankful it wasn’t a professor.”
“Mom! I told you it wasn’t.” I laughed awkwardly, tucking my hair behind my ear.
Mom sent me a warm smile. “You were so forlorn about it! Dare is a dear friend of the family. I’m happy for you both. Why didn’t you tell us sooner?”
“Dad doesn’t exactly approve of the rock star lifestyle,” I pointed out diplomatically.
“Your father is learning, give him time. He just wants his children to be healthy and happy. If he resists the idea of you two, it isn’t because of Dare or his profession, it’s because he resists the idea of you growing up.”
As her words sank in, the ball of tension in the pit of my stomach loosened. I’d never brought home a boyfriend because I always worried about introducing them to my father. The one time I had a boy pick me up at the house, it’d been for prom and Dad was so far from chill I thought he’d blow a gasket when the boy put his arms around me for a photograph out front. He proceeded to intimidate the hell out of my date, so he didn’t so much as put his hands on my waist at the dance.
“I’m not staying long. I didn’t realize you had company. I just wanted to check in on you. I know last night was…” she trailed off, searching for a word.
“Intense? Yeah. A little.” I glanced at Dare. “But the truth’s out now, right? We can move forward.”
Well, most of the truth was out. I still had a few small secrets tucked up my sleeve, but I didn’t feel like revealing them now, not when our family life was so chaotic and unstable.
Baby steps and whatnot.
Mom nodded, smiling—although it didn’t quite reach her eyes this time. “I hope so. I’m off to see Calum, I wanted to talk to him, one-on-one…I know he’s angry, but he’s putting all the blame on your father when a lot of it lays with me.” Her voice broke at the end. “I was just so broken when I lost our baby, and when he showed up on our doorstep…I thought it was a chance for me to fill that void.”
“Aww, Mom.” I hugged her again, sending a helpless look over her shoulder at Dare. Mom followed my gaze, turning her head.
“I apologize, Dare, I don’t mean to be a blubbering mess,” Mom told him, wiping the moisture from her eyes. She released me and gave us both a watery smile.
“It’s all right, Mrs. J,” Dare said gently, smiling softly at her.
“I’ll get out of your hair now,” Mom said, looking between Dare and me. She reached out and gave my hand a gentle squeeze. She started walking toward the door, then turned. “I’m still hoping to host a brunch tomorrow, for those who want to come. Dare, you’re welcome to join us.”
“Thank you, we’ll be there,” Dare replied.
* * *
The next morning,Dare and I drove to my parents’ house in Lunenburg. I was nervous, staring out the window as we made the short drive, worrying about how my father was going to react to my guest.
Even if he’s not happy about it, it won’t change anything, I thought determinedly, trying to calm myself.
There was no sign of my brother yet, and I couldn’t help but wonder how Mom’s conversation with him had gone. Calum was great at holding grudges, and I worried this secret reveal would just push him farther away.
Dare parked against the curb out front, and just as we were climbing out of the vehicle, Calum pulled up in his Jeep, parking behind Mom’s SUV. The fear in my heart loosened some, and although he didn’t look particularly happy about being here, at least he was.
