“Oh, hey, honey!” Mom says breathlessly.
“What the fuck?” Ryder asks, gesturing between them.
“You’re early,” Rocco says in answer.
“We’re actually late,” Les giggles, then seals her lips together when Ryder glares at her.
Ryder’s dad and my mom? No. Fucking. Way.
Mom wipes her hands on her dress nervously. “I think maybe we should sit down for dinner.”
I hear Gage snort behind me; knowing he’s trying to hold in a laugh, I turn around to face him. His face is blood red, and he has a hand clamped over his mouth.
“I think that’s a good idea,” Rocco says, agreeing with Mom. He levels a look at Ryder in warning. “Dining room. Now.”
Ryder jerks a nod, pulling Les to the dining room. Her face is red like Gage’s, trying to stifle her laughter.
We get seated around the table with my mom and Rocco toward the head of the table. Ryder is sitting immediately to Rocco’s left, with Les between him and Dex. Me, Gage, and Holden take up the other side. One of the staff starts bringing food to the table, dishing it out onto our plates. My head is reeling from what we saw in the kitchen. How long has that been going on? Rocco seems awfully fucking familiar with my mom with how he was touching her. What hasn’t she told me? I don’t know what to say; all I know is that it’s awkward as hell right now.
Halfway through the meal, Les starts giggling, ignoring the glare from Ryder and me. She snorts, causing Gage to laugh out loud.
“Spit it out,Bellissima,” Rocco says, turning amused eyes to Les.
She falls into all-out laughter. “You’re going to be stepbrothers!” she crows, tears running down her face.
Ryder growls under his breath. Mom looks mortified, as she should. She was just making out withRyder’sdad. The guy who hated my guts up until a couple of months ago.
“You’re getting ahead of yourself,” Rocco says dryly. “I think maybe we should get this out in the open.” He grabs Mom’s hand, pulling it into his. “Ask your questions.”
“When?” I demand. I thought Mom and I were closer than this, but apparently not if she couldn’t tell me. I can’t stop the hurt that it causes.
Mom clears her throat. “A few weeks ago.”
Gage snickers under his breath. “This is how every romance novel starts.”
“Forced proximity,” Les agrees, laughing again.
“How is this funny?” Ryder asks, exploding from his chair. He looks seconds away from throwing a punch; I just don’t know whoit’s aimed at. Everyone’s laughter dries up at the look on his face. Les reaches up to grab his arm, and he jerks it away. “Fuck this,” Ryder says, storming from the room.
“Leave him,” Rocco says when Les goes to stand up. “I didn’t want anyone to find out like this.”
“So, why the hell didn’t you tell us?” I ask, aiming that at either one of them. They’ve had ample opportunity to warn us; instead, Ryder and I are blindsided by our parents making out.
“I don’t like your tone, Leo,” Mom says, leveling me with that mom look.
“Are you serious right now?” I demand, standing up. “I just walked into a man with his tongue down your throat. Not just any man. Ryder’s dad.” I rake my hand through my hair. “I can’t do this right now.”
I stride from the dining room in the same direction as Ryder, trying to curb my temper. I’m not even sure why I’m pissed, except that she doesn’t respect me enough to tell me.
I find Ryder out beside the pool, staring into the distance. When I drop into the chair beside him, he doesn’t even look up. We sit there for the longest time, neither of us knowing what to say.
“I haven’t seen my dad with anyone since Mom died,” Ryder says finally, and my heart sinks. I never even thought about that; I was worried about my hurt feelings. “Seeing him with your mom just now,” he rakes a hand down his face, “I wanted to fucking throttle him.” I squeeze his arm in silent support, waiting for him to gather his thoughts. “I never thought he would move on.”
“I get it,” I say softly. “I can’t even begin to understand how hard this is.”
He sits up in the chair, bracing his arms on his legs, and hangs his head. “I don’t know what the fuck to feel. I feel like he’s disgracing Mom’s memory.”
I squeeze his shoulder. “I’m sure he’ll always love your mom, Ryder.” I swallow my own resentment. “My mom will treat him right if that makes you feel better.”
