“That gold digger is more loaded than I will ever be.” I don’t think I could shock her more. “Yeah.” I look to my father. “I’m sorry this is how it has to be. But it is what it is. I will be cordial to you in front of the kids, because I was brought up with respect, but that is as much as I will give you both.” I look to my mother. “And if I find out that you speak one word against Kylie to my children, I can guarantee you I will stop you from seeing them.”
“You wouldn’t,” she hisses.
“I would,” I retort. “One fucking word, Mother, and you will never see them again.”
“We won’t say anything,” my father assures me for both of them. “We would like to meet her again.”
“We will do no such thing,” my mother snaps, putting her shoulders back.
“You are willing to lose your son, for what?” he asks her. “For who?” He doesn’t wait for her to answer. “For Jeremy?” She doesn’t say anything. “For Josephine? Good fucking Lord, woman, they broke up this family and you are defending the wrong person. In all of this, he did nothing wrong.” He points to me.
“I have a right to my opinion,” she spits, fighting her fight.
“And you have a right to keep your opinion to yourself,” I say.
“I will—” my mother starts to defy me, and my father roars out again.
“For fuck’s sake.” He throws his hands up. “Listen to yourself.”
She turns and storms out of the room. “I didn’t want to come here for this,” I tell my father, “but it had to be said.”
“Your sister and you are the best things I’ve ever done in my life, and we raised you guys to have each other’s back.”
“Dad,” I say, and he holds up his hand.
“I get it,” he tells me, “I get it.” His voice goes lower. “I just wish it was different.”
“I do too,” I admit to him. “I really do. I just can’t do it.” I take a second and then turn to walk out of the house. “I’ll call you soon.”
“I would like that. I would like that very much.”
I walk out of the house, shutting the door behind me, and head to my SUV, smiling despite everything, because I know Kylie is waiting for me at home.
forty-two
Knox
“Kylie,” I shout her name at the bottom of the steps, “let’s go or we’re going to be late!” I look up and listen for movement from my bedroom but then hear nothing. “Kylie!” I shout louder.
“Oh my goodness,” she says, walking out of my bedroom, “what is all this yelling about?”
I see her still wearing the lounge set she wears around the house. “Why aren’t you dressed?” I ask her as she stands at the railing, looking down at me, her hands outstretched beside her holding it. “Fuck, you’re beautiful,” I smile at her, “but we are going to be late.”
“I cancelled lunch.”
“What? Why?” I ask her.
“Knox,” she says my name, “you were going to have a meeting with your parents.” I cross my arms over my chest, and she moves to come down the steps. “I didn’t know how that meeting would go, and the last thing I wanted you to do was feel was like you had to pretend you were okay for lunch.” She stops on the step above me, putting her hands on my shoulders. “So I told them I didn’t feel good, and then Lexi went all ‘Oh my God, are you pregnant?’ and I was like ‘Are you insane?’”
I smile and put my hands on her hips. “The baby comes after we get married,” I inform her and she gasps.
“What?” I see her scared face.
“Well, I want to be married before we have a baby together.” I wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her to me. “But if you want to have one before, I guess we can do that.”
“Knox,” she says my name in a whisper.
“Told my parents I’m going to marry you,” I say with a smile.
