“Of course, Mr. Frank,” the manager nods, brushing her gray hair from her face. “He’s been a bit of a problem in general.” She glares at Wes. “Go work the patio, Wes.”
His eyes widen, but he shuts up, glaring at the four of us, before disappearing, his manager following him. I take my seat again and then turn to Maddy.
“I can’t have him making a hard night any harder,” I chuckle.
Maddy lets out a little giggle. “Well, honestly, I was kind of enjoying it.”
I open my mouth to say something about it, but then I stop.
My mother is heading for our table, her mouth set in a thin line, but her eyes are bright and eager, maybe even kind. She’s dressed in a white turtleneck, pearls, navy slacks, and her hair pulled back with the same relentless discipline she once tried to apply to me. Behind her, my father looms, taller than memory, his eyebrows preemptively furrowed, but otherwise unreadable.
Perfect fucking timing.
“Adrian!” My mother waltzes around the table and wraps me in an awkward hug. “You look wonderful.”
“Hi, Mom,” I manage. She turns immediately to the others.
She holds out her hand to Maddy. “You must be Madeline,” she says.
“Just Maddy will do,” she squeaks, taking my mom’s hand and shaking it.
“Well, I can’t wait to get to know you. I’m sure all these boys have been good to you, right?”
Maddy’s shoulders suddenly relax. “Yes, they have.”
“You can call me Nora,” she pats Maddy’s hand, and then takes her seat at the table.
My father gives Maddy a nod. “Nice to meet you, Maddy.”
She gives him a smile, and we all let them settle in at the table, ordering their drinks from the new waiter assigned to our table. My heart pounds uncomfortably in my chest, but I force myself to breathe through it.
Everything is going to be okay. They already kind of know what’s going on.
“So,” my father says, as soon as the server scurries off. “I have to admit, I was a little confused by your last text, Adrian. The wording was unusual.”
Here it comes.
Maddy squeezes my knee. I set my glass of wine down.
“Well, I wanted to explain the fact that while Maddy and I are together, she’s also with Beck and Caleb as well,” I force the words out. “We’re kind of polyamorous, I guess.”
My mother’s arm stops midair, the water sloshing in the glass. My father’s jaw doesn’t move, but his eyes fix on mine, drilling for truth.
There’s a three-second eternity where no one at the table moves or speaks.
Beck breaks the silence. “It’s obviously a little unconventional, but the heart wants what it wants, right, sir?” He flashes a smile.
And I wait, watching my parents carefully.
Mom recovers first. She sets her glass down, laces her fingers on the table, and looks directly at me. “And are you happy with this arrangement?”
“Um…” The question stuns me. “Yes, I am.”
She nods and then gives me a tight-lipped smile. “Well, then that’s what matters. I would have liked a little warning thatthisis what you meant by it being ‘different,’ but I suppose you always did prefer to keep us on our toes.” She lets out a laugh, and a huge rush of relief floods my body.
Beck and Caleb’s shoulders drop as well. Maddy remains poised with a sweet little smile on her face. She’s just that fucking amazing in tense situations.
I turn to my father, gaining some courage now. “What do you think, Dad?”
