The boys continued to speak over one another as they continued talking about their favorite activities, including video games. They got louder with each thing they listed. Normally, Austin would have reminded them not to interrupt each other, but today, he didn’t particularly care about manners. They couldn’t get much worse than their mother.
Before long, Tucker looked like he regretted engaging with the boys and fell silent.
No matter what topic came up in conversation, Cheyenne had something to say, always bringing the discussion back to herself, finding new ways to brag about the lifestyle she lived.
Austin tuned her out until she said his name, and he realized she was talking to him.
“Excuse me?”
“I said what are you going to do after you and Debbie get married?”
“What do you mean?” Was this a test? Did she know he didn’t intend to actually marry Debbie?
“I know how important it is to you to ‘support your family.’” She made air quotes. “But it’s not like the measly income you make working construction can support Debbie and all of this.” She waved her hands in the air to indicate their surroundings. “So, are you planning on getting a real job or something?”
Tucker grimaced as he wrapped an arm around Cheyenne’s shoulders. “That’s none of our—”
Cheyenne waved him away and looked at Austin expectantly.
A real job?
Austin doubled his fists under the table. She sounded like her father.“When are you going to get a real job so you can take care of my daughter like she deserves?”No matter how hard he worked or how much money he made, it had never been good enough for Cheyenne and her parents.
Would Debbie think he was good enough?
Debbie leaned forward in her seat. “You do realize this house was built by construction workers, don’t you?” She shook her head. “Not that it’s any of your business, but what makes you think I expect Austin to support me? Marriage is a two-way street. It’s each person giving one hundred percent.” Debbie grabbed his hand and squeezed.
He bit his tongue. Letting a woman defend him wasn’t in his nature, but he and Debbie needed to present a united front.
“Plenty of women work to help support their families. Just because I’m independently wealthy and don’t need to work in order to contribute, doesn’t mean that Austin’s additions to our family’s finances won’t be welcome and sufficient.”
Debbie’s words made Austin feel ten feet tall but also filled him with doubt. Compared to her wealth, his income was truly insignificant despite the raise he’d received when he’d made the move to project manager last fall.
Debbie’s voice took on a hard edge as she continued. “Tell me, Cheyenne, what do you do to contribute to your marriage?”
Cheyenne’s mouth dropped open, and she sat back in her seat. “I—I support my husband fully in our marriage despite his frequent need to travel.”
“Yes, by travelingwithhim,” Debbie supplied. “But when was the last time you fixed him dinner or did his laundry?”
Cheyenne’s face turned red, and she looked to Tucker for help. The other man’s lips curved slightly before pressing into a thin line as though he held back a smile.
“Can we be done?” Dallas asked while Cody’s cheeks still bulged with his last bite.
Relief filled Cheyenne’s face at the interruption.
“Yes!” Austin and Debbie said in unison.
She must be as eager to get rid of our guests as I am.
“Leave your plates for now,” Debbie said. “Bring your trucks out here to the patio to drive them, so we can keep an eye on you guys.”
“Ahh,” Cody said. “But the driveway is bigger and funner.”
“I know, but you need to spend time with your mom while she’s here.”
Lunch couldn’t wrap up fast enough for Austin. When the noise level surrounding them climbed with the buzz and whine of the remote control trucks, he did nothing to quiet the boys. He simply focused on his food, knowing he’d be miserable later for eating so much.
When Savannah pulled her phone out and started texting at the table, he didn’t correct her either. Her table manners couldn’t possibly get worse than her mom’s.
