I blink up at her, the bridge of my nose burning from unshed tears. “I see it every time you look at me. I know I remind you of what happened to you.”
She shakes her head, and her hand grips mine a little tighter. “No, sweetie, not at all. I’m worried about you, that is all. You keep acting like everything is okay but it’s not.”
“No, it’s not,” I whisper in agreement.
“Then why won’t you let me help you?”
“Because… I don’t know.” I run my fingers through my hair and glance away. “I just didn’t want to hurt you all more.”
“The only thing hurting us is not being able to help you.”
“But you do. You always do.”
“Promise you will come to me,” Mum rasps. “I’m your mother and I want to protect you.”
“I promise.”
“Well, it’s good to see we aren’t the only ones you pushed away,” Gabby comments, setting a mug of tea in front of me.
Emily places one in front of Mum. “We’re here for you. Let us be.”
“And you can start by telling me about this Drew,” Mum softly scolds. “Honey, I think this might be too soon.”
“It’s honestly not what you think. He helped me and I want to return the favour.”
I give her a pointed look. She opened the door that night; she saw him and knew what he had done for me.
And she knew about the self-defence classes.
“I’m worried you’ll be taken advantage of, sweetie.”
“Mum, you of all people know not all men are the same,” I remind her. “He’s nice.”
“He’s very… um, a little rough around the edges.”
“So, he’s definitely hot?” Emily swoons.
I snort at the hearts in her eyes. “He’s just a… I don’t know what he is. I guess we’re friends. I’ll have to ask.”
“I bet he wants to be more than friends,” Gabby mutters. “You’re hot.”
I roll my eyes. “Mum, this is Gabby, and this is Emily. They are friends of mine from Tease.”
Mum chokes on her tea, eyes wide as she stares at the girls. “It’s so lovely to meet you.”
“Not what you expected?” Gabby teases.
Mum wipes her mouth with my dish cloth. “Sorry.”
Gabby waves her off. “It’s fine.”
When the doorbell goes again, I turn to Mum. “You expecting anyone?”
“It’s your house, sweetie. Not mine.”
I address the girls. “Am I expecting one of the others?”
“No, they are busy today.”
I get up and head down the hall, pulling open the door. Dad pushes his way inside. “You are not going on a date with that beast.”
“Dad,” I yell, barely getting the door shut before Landon storms through. I keep it open when I hear voices heading down the path and rush into the kitchen before Dad blows a fuse. “It’s not what you think.”
“Drew said that,” Landon mutters, not looking happy, but not pissed either.
“Why aren’t you pissed?” Dad snaps, glaring at Landon.
“Because he explained what happened. When I hit him—”
“You hit him?” I screech, becoming dizzy all of a sudden.
He waves me off. “It was barely a tap,” he explains, turning to my dad. “He even showed me the CCTV of his mum.”
“You watched the CCTV?” I whisper, horrified.
Oh my god. He will have seen me beating the crap out of that punching bag and losing it.
“Just the entrance,” he admits, watching me closely.
“Do you not think this is too soon?” Dad argues, before turning to the girls. “Sorry. I’m Myles, her dad.”
“Wow,” Emily whispers. “It’s like God shot you all up with beauty and forgot about the rest of us.”
Dad grins. “Thank you.”
“I’m Gabby.”
“I’m Emily.”
“They work at Tease,” Landon adds, smirking.
Dad wheezes, his eyes widening for a moment before he exhales, slumping down on the chair beside Mum. “It’s fine.”
“Fine?” Landon asks.
Dad narrows his gaze. “Yes. They seem like bright, intelligent, young women.”
“Dad,” I call out, knowing he’s never this agreeable. I thought he’d have at least said something. They aren’t judgemental people— they once owned a strip club— but I’m still his daughter.
“I’m just glad it’s not a homeless guy, another wild animal, or your receptionist.”
Mum’s eyes widen as she slowly turns to Dad. “Remember when she brought that woman home and said she needed a manicure?”
“You mean the drag queen?” Dad muses.
“No, that butch woman who didn’t stop swearing and stunk of weed.”
“Mum,” I scold.
“God, I remember her. She squeezed my balls until I thought they were gonna drop off.”
“What did you do?” Gabby asks, leaning forward.
“Told her to fuck off because she was trying to borrow my trainers for a date.”
“Stop,” I softly scold. “It wasn’t that bad.”
“No, no, no, no,” Uncle Max yells.
“No,” I whisper, my eyes widening as I turn toward the kitchen entrance.
“Who is that?” Gabby whispers, eyes wide.
Uncle Max comes barrelling inside, Aunt Lake following close behind. “I tried to stop him. I really did.”
He points at me. “No dating. I know we said we wouldn’t intervene, but, girl, just no. I’ll do anything for you, but I’m man enough to admit that I don’t think I’d reach that fucker’s head if it came down to a fight.”
“Max,” I scold, as Lake slaps him upside the head.
“Surely you aren’t all okay with this,” he yells.
“It was a misunderstanding,” Mum blurts out.
Max blows out a breath before rushing to my junk cupboard and pulling out snacks. He shoves half a muffin into his mouth.
“Thank fuck,” he mumbles around a mouthful before turning to Lake. “Cancel the step ladder order.”
“She’s just going to a wedding with him so he doesn’t have to go with someone his mum wants to set him up with,” Mum finishes, grimacing when Max begins to choke on his Snickers bar.
“I can’t do this,” he wheezes.
Gabby hands him a glass of water. “Here you go.”
“Who the fuck are you?” he chokes out, his eyes tearing as he continues to cough up a lung.
“I’m Gabby. A friend of Charlotte’s.”
“Works at Tease,” Dad adds.
Max begins to choke and Gabby wisely takes a step back when Angel Cake splatters everywhere. “I’m gonna die at a young age.”
“What are you all doing here?” I ask, as Hope and Hayden come rushing through the door.
“Who have we got to kill?” Hayden blurts out.
Hope looks up apologetically. “I tried to calm her down.”
“She gets it,” Max yells, pointing to his daughter.