I perked up, watching my mom’s expression.
“Oh, yeah? Where?” She gave me a chastising look but smiled.
“A week from now. Here.” He sighed, and I could just imagine him adjusting his tie, straightening his cufflinks.
Out of all my dads, Antoine was the most uptight. It was no wonder that he and my mom got along well. Darren once told me that they used to drive each other nuts, back when she was the maid, before they finally gave in to their feelings for each other. Thankfully, Darren was there to be a buffer between the two of them.
“Should we be worried?” my mom asked, suspicion and worry filling her voice.
“No, not quite yet.” He paused. “Have you finished with Jaquelynn?”
“Ehh, for the most part. Just passing on some motherly advice.” She grinned and winked at me.
“I’m sure that went over well.” He let out a heavy sigh. “If you’re done, Marcus is waiting for you downstairs in the courtyard. Meet up with him, and we can return home together.”
“Yes, sir.” Her voice was teasing. “Right away, sir.”
“Behave,” Antoine growled on the line.
“Ew, gag me.” I mocked throwing up as she hung up the phone.
“Just wait, you’ll be madly in love and making your own child gag soon enough.”
“That’s not likely to happen,” I snorted. “Even if I wanted one, which I don’t. I can’t even keep my love life straight let alone long enough to have a kid.”
My mom pouted. “Fine. I guess I’ll have to get my grandmother kicks in with the new recruits at the guild.” She paused and then looked at me like she always did before she was going to give me unsolicited advice.
“What?” I drew out with a groan.
“It’s okay to love all of them, you know.” She gave me a small shy smile, something my mom was not. “I did.”
“Yeah, I know.” I leaned forward on my elbows, staring at the floor. “But my dads were all brothers, blood brothers,” I said softly, “but still, half of them can’t stand the other. So, even if I could figure my own guys out, they’d likely kill each other first.”
My mom chuckled. “Sometimes that kind of tension makes for the best sex.”
“Ugh, please. Stop.” I stood and ushered her out the door. “Go, dad is waiting. Be lovey dovey with them.”
“Alright, alright.” She cupped my cheeks and smiled, her eyes softening. “I love you, Jackie. No matter what, you’ll always have us.”
“Yeah, I know,” I grunted.
She smacked a kiss on my cheek before giving me a pointed look and starting down the hallway.
If there was one thing I could count on, it was my family to always have my back. Even if I didn’t want them to, which reminded me...
“Hey,” I called after her. “Tell dad to stop sending crows to watch me.”
My mom turned to walk backward, frowning. “He’s not. Antoine’s been too busy with this crap with the other councils.” She shrugged. “Maybe they just like you?”
My dad had been watching me with his crows all my life. It would make sense that they’d grown an attachment to me.
Except I didn’t feel as if they were watching me because they liked me. Maybe mom was right, and they were just another group of fans who couldn’t get enough of the Durands.
Chapter 21
Jack
After my mom left, I crawled out of my bedroom. My stomach complained loud enough that I made going to the cafeteria my first priority.
