Matt was happy to stay home and have something delivered, and he wasn’t all that surprised that Theo wanted to stay in. His brother hated when they went out together and fans approached him, which seemed to happen more often than not when Matt and Theo were together.
“Liv?” Matt asked, although he already knew the answer.
“Takeout works for me.”
Liv couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen siblings look so similar. While Theo’s hair color was a shade or two lighter, he and Matt could’ve passed for twins. Even their voices were identical. In fact, if Liv closed her eyes and listened, she’d have had a hard time determining who was speaking. She wondered if Theo had a great singing voice too. However, unlike Matt, she could picture Theo wearing a suit and sitting behind a desk all day. Even if she didn’t know Matt was an actor and popular musician, she couldn’t see him working in an office setting.
“When we had dinner with Mom last week, she asked me to remind you that you haven’t visited in six months,” Theo said when he rejoined them from walking Brianna out to their rental car.
“Sometime in the fall, when Liv can take some time off, we’ll visit her and Dad.”
They’d talked in general terms about her meeting his family, but this was the first she’d heard about them visiting his parents in California.
“You might want to try to make it sooner. Otherwise, she might pay you a surprise visit here.”
Matt didn’t talk about his parents much, but based on this conversation, it sounded as if his mom had at least one thing in common with hers. If more than a month passed without a visit from Owen or Faith, Mom started to complain. Thankfully, for Mom’s sake, that didn’t happen often, especially since Owen and his wife purchased the vacation home in town.
“At least she’ll see you next weekend at Adam’s wedding. Maybe that will buy you a little more time.”
“Mom and Dad won’t be there. Adam didn’t invite them.”
Theo’s eyebrows inched toward his hairline. “He didn’t invite them?”
Based on Theo’s expression, he was just as surprised by Matt’s answer as she was. While they hadn’t discussed the guest list for his cousin’s wedding, she’d assumed his parents would be there since they were Adam’s aunt and uncle. If and when she got married, all her aunts and uncles would attend, just like they had attended her brother’s and sister’s weddings.
“He didn’t want to put anyone in an awkward position since Aunt Shannon and Uncle Benjamin won’t be there. So they just invited Adam’s cousins, a few close friends, and Evie’s family.”
“Nice try. You almost had me,” Theo said.
“I’m not joking. Adam isn’t speaking to his parents. You can ask him for the full details, but long story short, they don’t want him to marry Evie.”
It wasn’t any of her business, but she had to know why. “Why not?”
If the woman were a serial killer or a convicted drug dealer, she could understand not wanting your son to marry her. However, disapproving of one’s son or daughter’s choice of spouse was antiquated.
The fingertips brushing back and forth against her arm stilled. “My aunt and uncle can be….” Matt paused, as if searching for the correct word.
“Snobs,” Theo supplied for him when Matt didn’t continue.
“That’s one way to put it. They have a warped idea of who their children should and shouldn’t be with. They expected our cousin Tory to marry the son of a close family friend. They still haven’t completely forgiven her for ending that relationship. And Aunt Shannon wants Adam to be with someone more like her.”
Liv had never met Matt’s aunt, but she had a good idea of what type of woman she found acceptable. She knew without a doubt that Theo’s girlfriend fit the bill.
Did Matt’s parents share the same view as his aunt and uncle? Matt’s uncle and his dad were brothers. They had grown up in the same house. Often, that meant siblings held similar beliefs.
If his parents did have the same view, how would they react when they found out he was dating a caterer who worked as a waitress when needed?
I’m not sure I want to know.
“Adam really didn’t invite Aunt Shannon and Uncle Benjamin?” Clearly, Theo was struggling to process the news. “I know Jake didn’t invite his parents, but that was different. He wanted to avoid the media attention and the presence of the Secret Service.”
“Nope, and according to Adam, Tory’s thinking about doing the same when she and Duncan get married. I know Tory isn’t getting along with Aunt Shannon and Uncle Benjamin either.”
Matt’s aunt and uncle sounded like they deserved the “Worst Parents of the Year” award.
“Where are you guys staying for the wedding?” Theo asked.
“I’m staying at the Viking. Unfortunately, Liv’s working that weekend.”
