“I know mine was. That woman would have slept with my fated mate if it got her the attention she wanted.”
I bugged my eyes out. Cindy was even blunter than my sister. “My mom never went after my boyfriends. Not unless it was to verbally harass them.”
I wish I could blame her for why they never stuck around.
“It’s not always fair, is it? Some people get to have it all, and they take it for granted. My mother had four children of her own, and she never wanted us.”
At least I wasn’t the only one trauma dumping at family dinner.
Cindy opened the photo album, flipping through a few pages of a young couple looking absolutely smitten. On the fourth page she stopped, pointing to a little boy positioned between the couple and saying, “That was when Rhett first came to us. I couldn’t get that boy to smile for a picture for almost a year. Couldn’t get him to talk for a long time either.”
I stared at the picture, my throat feeling tight. His hair was dark blonde then, his eyes the same soft brown. There were dark rings under them, and his mouth was tight.
When Rhett first came to us…
“He’s adopted?” I asked, staring across the kitchen to where his back was to us. Bubbles moved around his forearms as he washed dishes.
It felt wrong talking about his past without his permission. Especially when I knew he could probably hear the whole conversation.
Cindy chuckled. “Take a look at those boys. Do they look like brothers?”
“They act like brothers.”
“We are brothers,” Ross said as he passed us, disappearing down a dark hallway at the end of the kitchen.
“We tried for years, but Kenneth and I could never have kids of our own.” She smiled, pointing at another picture. Rhett was bigger in this one, and he was grinning from ear to ear. His armswere wrapped around a tall, skinny boy with a deadly scowl on his face.
That had to be Tyler. The dark hair and brooding expression were the same.
Cindy kept turning pages, telling a story for every photo. Their family photo expanded every few pages, another scared, small boy added to the mix. In the middle of them, Rhett was beaming, his arms wrapped securely around his new brothers—protecting them.
The last picture in the album was one I’d seen hanging on the wall in the living room. Four boys huddled together, taller and broader, but not nearly as filled in as they were now.
Tyler’s mouth was in a straight line—the closest he seemed to come to a smile. Dustin had a boyish grin. Ross had his head inclined slightly, staring up at his brothers like they hung the moon. Then there was Rhett, smile wide, eyes bright.
My chest jolted, and I felt nervous energy fluttering through me.
He was so handsome. So thoughtful. So safe.
I’d never met a man like him before, and I was suddenly stricken with the realization that this would be over in just a few days. This was the first and only time I would see his family. Watch him sit quietly and comfortably at the dinner table as he assessed everyone to see that they had everything they needed.
Cindy was watching as I fingered the corner of the page, chewing my lip. Her gaze was penetrating, and I had this feeling like she could see right through me.
“Rhett takes care of everyone else,” she told me softly. “He deserves to have someone take care of him too.”
My response came tumbling out unplanned, like my heart had already decided before my head could get on board. “I’ll take care of him. I promise.”
What the actual hell, Angie? You can’t promise that. He’s going to drop you at the airport in less than a week.
It wasn’t a lie. I would take good care of him. I just didn’t say how long.
Cindy yawned, leaning back in her chair. The lines around her eyes looked deeper, and her skin was pale. “I think it’s time for me to retire. Thanks for visiting with me, Angie. You’re a good girl.”
She opened her arms, and I didn’t hesitate to accept her hug. The strength of her surprised me. When she put her hand at the back of my head, rubbing gently, I had to squeeze my eyes against the burn of tears.
What was it like to have a mother like Cindy? Someone who would love you unconditionally, even if you weren’t family by blood? Someone who wouldfightfor you, not with you?
Cindy released me, calling for Tyler to help her to bed. I stood from the table, coming up to Rhett at the sink. When my hand settled on his back, he sighed.
