‘Your mum’s the reason I knew about the hiking trip.She bought my ticket.Told me to go.Basically threatened me.’
I stared at him.‘You’re joking.’
My eyes widened.
‘I could’ve said no, but once she planted the idea in my head, it didn’t seem like the craziest idea.’ He softened his gaze.‘You know, to spend time with you.’
‘Don’t give me those puppy dog eyes, Ren.’
He hid his smile in his palm.
I shook my head.‘Of course she did.That meddling witch.I’m going to kill her.’ I jabbed a finger at him.‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
Ren let out a short, manic laugh.‘I’m terrified.Or turned on.Could be both.’
‘Ren!’
‘Lydia!’
‘Why didn’t you tell me before now?’
‘Because it’s your mum,’ he said, pouting like he was eight years old again, ‘If I’d grassed her up, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.I’d be six feet under.I’m only telling you now because, well… she was right in the end.We did make up.’ He raised an eyebrow, counting on his fingers.‘In my tent—’
‘Ren!’ I barked, half laughing.
‘—and then at that hotel in Glencoe.And then I really made it up to you at—’
I slapped a hand over his mouth, even as joy bubbled up in my chest at the sight of his triumphant grin.He pulled my hand away, pressing a kiss into my palm.
‘And I fully intend to make up again tonight.’
I blushed, heat crawling up my neck, distracting me from the fact my mother was a conniving, nosy so-and-so.But she was also right.
‘Give her a gentle telling-off if you must,’ Ren said, eyes dancing.‘But she was right.’
I groaned.‘This party is going to be so much worse than I thought.I hate it when she’s right.She’s so smug!’
Ren shrugged, and said, softly, too softly, ‘A mum’s prerogative.’
‘Hey,’ my palm covered the steering wheel.‘Where did you just go?’
‘Mum would’ve loved this.The farm.You.Us.You’re lucky that your mum gets to be there, for all of our firsts, you know?Even if she is a bit full-on sometimes.’
My throat thickened, ‘Ren, I’m sor—’
Then I saw it – the twitch at the corner of his mouth.
‘You—’ I narrowed my eyes.‘You’re playing me.’
His grin split wide.‘What?’
‘You just dropped the dead mum card to get out of trouble!’
Ren held up his hands.‘I wasn’t lying, it’s true!But you can’t blame a guy for playing the dead mum card if it gets him out of trouble.’
I glared at him, lips twitching.‘Let’s go face the music.’
‘Full-blown orchestra?’
