“Absolutely not.”
“Then on your head be it.” I opened the door, my parents wandering straight in and not blinking an eye at a semi-naked Carter.
“We thought we’d drop in on the way back from Eliza’s,” my mum said, dropping a kiss on my cheek. “You look like you had an – interesting – sleep.”
I shook my head at her, hoping she’d get the hint and not say anything else that would make my face represent my name.
Carter leaned against the wall, amused and not afraid to show it. I hadn’t told them yet about him, not quite ready for the interrogation that would follow, or at least the gentle questioning. It was on my to do list for this week, only it seemed it had been brought forward.
I watched my mum’s eyebrow’s raise as she took in Carter and his bare chest. She’d made a comment once or twice about how handsome he was, which had always been a bit cringey. I couldn’t cope with any right now.
“Good morning, Carter. I see you’ve been keeping Rose company now Harriet’s moved away.” She gave him a smile, looked at his chest again. “Maybe find a T-shirt. There’s nothing quite as painful as bacon grease burning skin.”
“Bacon? I thought I could smell bacon.” My dad headed towards the kitchen. “Have you got any spare.”
I made eye contact with Carter, who was trying to contain his laughter.
“Probably. We bought two packs yesterday.” I followed him into the kitchen, thankful we were using an air fryer and not a frying pan.
“So this was a planned sleepover?” My mother was not going to let this go.
“It was.” One thing I’d learned from growing up in a family full of lawyers was never to argue. Never try and cover something up because they’d dig it out like a dog with a dead body and then use your lies to incriminate you and turn something bigger than it was. “Why were you at Eliza’s?” I couldn’t think of a single reason why my parents would be at my cousin's. Eliza was a magnet for trouble, but her dad, my Uncle Killian, had a security firm, and he used his resources to keep her out of trouble – or at least try to.
“There’s a court hearing tomorrow and she’s prepping, so I said I’d go through some elements of it. I’m surprised you haven’t remembered – or maybe you’ve been pre-occupied.” Georgia, single parent extraordinaire for the first few years of my life, cast her eyes back over to Carter, who was now wearing more clothes.
“I’ve been pre-occupied.” I could apologise to Eliza after her court case, not that she’d be bothered, she’d just demand details of what Carter was like in bed and not have any shame about it.
“I can understand why.” At least she kept her voice low, but I was pretty sure that Carter heard anyway.
“Mother. Don’t. I wasn’t expecting you.”
“We weren’t going to call in, but we were walking straight past the apartment block and I was worried you’d be lonely on your own without Harriet. I can see I shouldn’t have been.” Another glance at Carter. “How are you, Carter? How’s my daughter treating you?”
I had no idea how he was going to answer that given less than an hour ago I’d been impaled on his cock and clutching the headboard.
“Good. Doing really well. How’s the empty nest?” He grinned, demonstrating the dimple he’d had since I’d known him.
“It’s amazing. No mess, no kids, no one demanding an item of clothing that they expected to be washed even though it’s under their bed. Wait till you have kids and you’ll long for the day when they’ve all moved out.”
She gave him a wink and I wanted to curl up in the wardrobe and hide.
“I think you’ve been spending too much time with Marie.” I referred to my grandmother.
“I’ve learned a lot from her over the years, including how not to kill Joseph.” She looked at my dad who was busying himself with frying the eggs. “He’s thinking what to say about you and Carter.”
He turned round at this point, spatula in hand. “I’m unsurprised.” There was no evidence of any surprise on his face. “It’s Georgia who’s surprised, although I’ve no idea why. This has been in the cards for about the last thirteen years, if not longer.”
My mum walked over to him. “What’s made you say that?”
He shrugged. “I just knew. I was surprised it took this long.”
“So why didn’t you say anything?” My mum took over buttering the baps. “We’d have avoided coming here.
Seph grinned. “Revenge. It’s fun being on the other side of being uncomfortable when you’re sprung by your in laws, although credit, Carter. I thought you’d have hidden somewhere.”
“No hiding needed.” He was next to me now, his arm around my shoulders. I leaned into him a little. “I hope you don’t mind.”
Seph shook his head. “Not at all. I’ve already threatened you, so I know we’re clear. Her uncle knows some big people who have experience in hiding bodies. That’s all I need to remind you.”
