“All the more reason.”
“Mama.”
Her eyes narrow slightly.
“You’re already walking a thin line, Dexter Hawthorne,” she says firmly. “Do not test my patience.”
Yep. Full name.
No coming back from that.
A breath leaves slow. “Fine.”
Mama’s expression softens instantly, like a storm passing. “That’s my boy.”
She walks around the bar, cups my face for a second, and kisses my cheek like she used to when I was ten.
“Be nice to that girl,” she adds quietly. “Life’s hard enough without men making it harder.”
Then she grabs her purse and heads for the door like she didn’t just bulldoze through my entire day.
The bell jingles again as she leaves, and the bar falls silent.
My gaze drops to the tote bag sitting on the counter. Clothes, food, shoes…
Jesus Christ.
Five minutes later my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out.
A new group chat notification pops up.
Ethan created a group chat: “Delulu Fam.”
A breath huffs out.
As I scroll over the names, a slow shake of my head follows.
Yep. Every single Hawthorne sibling and their spouse is in here.
I roll my eyes.
Ethan:About time I found a way to bother my favorite humans.
Cas: @SummerI told you not to leave him alone with a phone.
Summer:Oh Lord…
Penny:Oh! A group chat. Fun!!!
Grace:Why are y’all bothering me? I moved away to avoid talking to you lot!
Jace:Dude, these stupid messages woke me up! It’s fucking ten thirty a.m.! I do not wake up before noon!
Dex:Ethan… no. Just… no.
Penny:Why not? Scared we’ll use the chat to gossip about the woman you have living in your apartment?
Grace:Woman? What? Who?
