But everyone looked at me, and I realized they wanted a word. I considered it and then said, “Smegma.”
“Ugh.” Beth made a vomiting sound.
Joss grinned. “Nice.”
“What does it mean?” Elle inquired, brows drawn together.
“We’ll tell you after we’ve eaten,” her dad replied.
“Or not.” Elodie glowered at him. “Maybe she doesn’t need to know.”
Elle shrugged. “I’ll google it.”
It was a silly conversation, but I couldn’t help but smile as the banter continued. When we were kids, I’d been so sure Beth’s family would be pretentious and uptight with all their money and privilege. Aye, they were definitely privileged, but what I liked about them was that they were aware of it. Beth had come to this dinner from her shift at the food bank, and I couldn’t say I’d ever volunteered a day in my life anywhere.
And Beth’s family werenotpretentious.
I liked them.
A lot.
But it made sense someone as amazing as my girlfriend would come from a nice family.
Maybe that’s why what happened next hurt so fucking much.
It was Braden dropping his fork onto his plate and stiffening in his seat that made me pause mid chew. The table went quiet as all gazes moved to something behind me and Beth.
I glanced over my shoulder, my heart dropping into my stomach at the sight of Gavin standing at my back.
He was a scruffy mess.
He looked like he hadn’t shaved or washed in days, and his clothes were wrinkled like he’d been sleeping in them. He was also close enough for me to smell the beer and stench of body odor on him.
Fuck.
Beth’s hand landed on my thigh and she squeezed in reassurance.
Blood rushing in my ears, I turned a little more toward him. “What are you doing here?”
“Interrupting, am I?” He grinned, showing off teeth that had once been perfect and white, now stained and yellow. His gaze flickered to Joss. “Long time, no see.”
Beth’s mum didn’t reply.
“Go home, Gavin,” I told him calmly.
“Nah, nah.” He moved forward, leaning his elbow on my chair. I reared back from him. “Since I’ve been banned from the fucking grounds, I had to find another way to get to you.”
“You followed me?”
He straightened, shrugging. “Imagine havin’ to follow your son to get his attention. You ungrateful wee fuckin’ bastard for banning me. Who the fuck do you think you are? You’re scum. You’re a talentless wee pissant.”
Horror thrummed through me. Not only that he was here embarrassing me in front of Beth’s family, infiltrating their lives in a way Braden had warned me couldn’t happen, but because they were witnessing how he treated me.
And if your father thought you were scum …
“I need money.” He wiped a hand under his nose. “Give me a couple thousand or I go to the tabloids and tell them what an ungrateful wee fucker you are.”
I froze. Unable to speak. Think. Mortified. Bleeding inside.
