“I know.” For the first time ever, I’d forgotten to check the menu ahead of time. “I guess I just forgot. It probably has something to do with you distracting me with your penis two hours before we were supposed to leave.”
He choked and darted an apologetic look toward the driver, who didn’t react. “I can’t believe you just said that,” he hissed.
I shrugged. “I’m not ashamed.”
He met my gaze. “There’s nothing to be ashamed about.”
“I am glad we have time for dinner, just the two of us, before the event tonight.”
“I’m always glad for that.”
IT TURNED OUT IT WASN’T JUST THEtwo of us for dinner. Hayley and Nathan were already there and seated when we walked into the restaurant. The event would be held in the private dining room, but our meal was right out in the open for everybody to watch.
“Why am I not surprised that you guys are here?” I asked as I approached, not bothering to release Brody’s hand. I’d been embarrassed about public displays of affection when we first started. Now not only was I used to it, but I also enjoyed it.
“We weren’t trying to surprise you,” Hayley replied as I sat between her and Nathan at the round table. “We just figured this was the best way to have a conversation with you guys.”
I was instantly on alert. “What sort of conversation? What’s wrong? Is somebody sick?”
Hayley shot me a quelling look. “Why do you always take it to the worst possible place?”
“Because that’s where it always ended up when I was growing up,” I answered.
Hayley clearly hadn’t expected me to be brutally honest. She worked her jaw before answering. “Your mother sucks,” was all she managed.
“Yup. Don’t worry. She’s coming to the end of her cycle. She’ll be gone soon.”
“Where do you think she’ll go?”
“Wherever her next victim takes her.” I shrugged. “It’s always impossible to know. She won’t even say goodbye when she goes. She’ll leave a note, and then I won’t hear from her for at leastthree months. She’ll want to make sure I’m calm before calling again.”
“Well, no offense, but I won’t be sorry when she goes.” Hayley clucked her tongue and shook her head. “This visit has been better than the last one, but I don’t think that’s because she suddenly became a better person. It’s simply because you’ve been distracted.” Her gaze moved to Brody.
He smiled. He’d grown used to her.
“That’s why we’ve called you here,” Nathan said, taking over the conversation.
“You didn’t call us here,” Brody argued. “We came for dinner and you were already here.”
“Yes, because if we’d called you here, you would have found a way to avoid dinner with us because all the two of you care about right now is each other,” Nathan said amiably.
I was caught off guard. “What?”
Hayley laughed at my befuddlement. “We’re not mad. But you guys have been so wrapped up in each other for the past two months that you’ve had no time for us.”
“Yes, we’ve been spending far too much time together,” Nathan agreed. “It’s been painful. She publicly lambasts me for swearing.”
“I just said there’s no reason to swear in public when there are children around,” Hayley countered. “You’re the one who took it personally.”
I was confused. “You guys have been spending time together?” That made zero sense to me.
“We have. Not romantically or anything,” Hayley added hastily. “But not for lack of trying, on his part.”
“She’s a lesbian,” I said to Nathan. “I told you that the first night when you asked if she was single.”
“I was just checking to see how committed she was to lesbianism,” Nathan replied. “Turns out she’s very committed. That’s not what we’re here to talk about, though.”
“So, what do you want to talk about?” Brody asked.
