“I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I’m not really close to that side of the family. I never have been,” I admit.
“Still. She’s your mom.”
I shrug. “Technically. But she never wanted to be. She doesn’t want to be now. It’s shitty but I really thought, these last few years, that she wanted to get to know me. That she wanted to actually be a mom. But it was all an act. A performance to look good in front of her friends, in front of Katherine. It’s part of the reason I agreed to the whole fake-dating ruse to begin with,” I say, the trauma spilling out of me. “I was afraid to know if my mother’s feelings towards me would change when she found out she wasn’t going to get the daughter-in-law she wanted. But if this week has taught me anything, it’s that those feeling didn’t exist in the first place.”
“Hudson,” Mira replies, squeezing my hand, and I’ve never been more grateful for a touch.
“It’s okay, really,” I assure her. “I have my dad and that’s enough. We’re sort of the male version ofGilmore Girlsif that show occurred in the woods instead of suburban Connecticut.”
“I’d watch that,” she laughs, slipping her arm through mine. “I’d need a field guide to understand all your nerdy nature facts, but I could see it becoming a hit.”
“I’d love for you to meet him, my dad. After dealing with all this,” I say, gesturing towards the room. “It’d be nice to show youthe other side of the family. We could even go up to his cabin in Asheville.”
“Do we have to hike to get there?”
“Nope,” I say, with a coy smile. “And there’s a hot tub.”
“Mmmm,” she coos, and I’m already imagining us snuggling up on the couch, watching the leaves fall from the window.
“Please tell me Susan’s gone,” Meredith asks, resting her head on Derrick’s shoulder, passing him a bottle of bourbon. Besides the party posse, the only people left in the room are the cleaning staff, who vacuum over the gold carpets and break down tables and chairs.
“I think you’re safe,” I say, checking my watch. “She has a strict ten o’clock bedtime on weekdays.”
“Guess the game is over,” Angie sighs.
“What game?” Mira asks, walking over to their table.
“We were taking shots every time Susan bossed around a server.”
“I’m surprised the bourbon lasted that long,” I reply, looking at the half-empty bottle.
“This is our second one,” Derrick says, before Meredith snatches it from him.
“Here,” she says, handing it to Mira. “After the way she treated you tonight, I think you deserve the rest.”
Mira smiles, taking a swig. I can’t help the way my eyes track the hollow of her throat, and I can’t wait to get back to the ranch to finish what we started.
“You ready to head out?” I ask, placing a hand at the small of her back.
“Yeah, just need to run to the restroom first,” she says, excusing herself.
“How are you guys getting back?” I ask the group, knowing the shuttle already departed.
“I volunteered as designated driver,” Jocelyn says, holding up Grant’s keys. “I knew someone was going to have to get the posse home.”
“This is why I love you,” Angie coos, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend. Following them out, I take Mira’s bag and make my way into the night air, the quiet of midnight approaching as I flag down the valet.
31 Mira
In the bathroom, I take a minute to decompress. I run cold water over my hands and try to breathe out all the frustration I’d been holding in all evening. Between Susan watching my every move, and Hudson showering me with attention, I haven’t had a moment to read the message from Phoebe, a message that has been consuming my thoughts ever since it pinged into my inbox.
Hiding in one of the stalls, I open the email. The message loads, the text filling up the screen. I try to focus my eyes on the words when I’m interrupted by the sound of footsteps over the marble floor.
Underneath the stall I see two sets of shoes, and Grant’s voice reverberates against the tile walls. “Are you sure about this?”
I hear a breathy reply. “Yes, please. God.”
“When I’m done with you, you won’t even remember why you were upset,” Grant says, his voice hungry and deep with need as I realize what’s happening.
