Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84913 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84913 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
"When did you get back?" my dad demanded, the first words he'd said directly to me.
"Five days ago," I admitted, watching his brow arch up as his gaze moved over toward West.
"Don't look at me, Daddy Reign. Vance was the mastermind here."
"Gee, thanks, asshole," Vance shot back, shaking his head.
"We didn't want to ruin your vacation," I cut in. "If they told you, you would have spent the rest of the time wanting to get home instead of making memories. It was just a couple days.
"That was very considerate," my mother told us, giving me a watery smile.
My father, though, still sent a stern look in West and Vance's directions. There would be a talk later, I was sure. But I think my father was going to go light on them given the circumstances.
"Where have you been staying?" my mom asked. "Since you came back," she clarified, like a parts of her knew it was too soon to start talking about where I had been, what I had been up to.
Thankfully, the night went much the same. We discussed the things Vance had already filled me in on, but I acted as though the information was completely new.
We ordered Chinese and Finn went out to get coffee.
Eventually, West brought out the alcohol.
"Do you want something, honey?" my mother asked, words a little awkward. "That still feels so weird," she added, grimacing. "Offering your adult children alcohol. I don't know if I will ever get used to it."
I didn't drink much.
Once in a blue moon, I would hit a bar, throw a few back when my mind was a too-ugly place. Despite things going well, I honestly did feel like I needed the edge taken off. Because there was no telling when things might get rough, might get awkward for me.
"Whiskey," I told West who was fetching drinks. "Straight," I added.
"Well, you are your father's daughter," my mom declared, wrinkling her nose.
"She still likes her coffee full of sweet crap," Vance supplied. "She's got a lot of you in her too," he added, giving her a warm smile.
I wondered a bit then if Vance had started to see my mother as a sort of foster mother to him. He'd been motherless for a long time from the sound of things. And their relationship had never been close in the first place.
I could see it so easily.
My mom was the ultimate mom. Sweet, loving, generous almost to a fault. She was the kind of mom who baked you cookies for no reason, who took you out of school early to take you to get ice cream because she thought you needed a mental health day. She let you bend rules. She let you become your own person without judgement. She was quick to hug and offer an ear or shoulder.
I could totally see why Vance might be so drawn to her, wanted to make her feel better when she maybe worried her daughter didn't have a lot of her qualities in her.
"I forgot how much I like sugary crap," I added.
"You are thin," she responded, eyes going worried.
"Don't worry. I've been eating. It has just been healthy stuff."
"I've been stuffing her full of fat and MSG for you, Summer," he told her, gaining a warm smile from her.
"Thank you for looking out for her for us. It must have been so depressing to finally come home and not have a welcoming committee."
"I, ah, no. It wasn't depressing. I was surprised is all. You guys never take a vacation."
"Were you surprised to see Vance?" she asked as Dad called Vance away.
"Well, ah, yeah. I had no idea he patched in. He, you know, he never showed interest in that before."
"We were surprised too, I think. His band had been doing so well. Then he was just out of it. When Daddy came home to tell me he asked to prospect, I was shocked."
"He seems to have settled in well."
"He has. I think he really needed the family dynamic here. Were you happy to see him here?" she asked, leaning in closer, voice dropping lower.
"Ma..." I said, shaking my head, feeling my neck get warm, an old familiar feeling when she said something I felt was inappropriate for her to say. Which was just about anything she said when I was a teenager.
"I know it has been a long time. And maybe you have a man. Or a woman..." she added at the last second, shrugging.
"No. No man."
"He still looks at you like you hung the moon."
"Still?" I asked, brow furrowing.
"He always did. Even though he barely ever looked at you. When he did, it was clear how much he cared about you. And, well, you didn't exactly hide how you felt about him."
"I made a fool of myself, huh?"
"You know... I think it is really admirable to be so open about your feelings. It says something about you to be able to do that. I always thought it was really lovely how unwavering you were with him. Even though you knew nothing could happen. Even when other guys paid you attention. It was only ever Vance for you. Have you two been... reconnecting?"