They look shell-shocked but slowly nod.
“Good.” I collapse back into my chair, exhausted from last night and this entire conversation. I forget about my back and wince as soon as my spine meets the hard patio furniture.
“You hurt?” Gigi asks, missing nothing.
“I’m fine.”
“They did it against the wall,” Luna says, to my absolute horror. “You know how that feels.” She winks at Gigi, giggling.
“Oh lord,” Pike mutters.
“I really don’t want to hear this,” my cousin Nick mumbles into his palm.
“I knew you slept with him, but girl, I need more details,” Jo, Nick’s wife, says with a smile.
“Not now.” I slide my sunglasses back over my eyes.
“Dinner’s ready,” Mom yells from the sliding glass doors.
“Not a word of this to anyone,” I warn them.
“Lips are sealed,” Lily promises. “No one will say anything. Your love life isn’t anyone’s business.”
“It’s not love,” I say a little too quickly. “My sex life isn’t anyone’s business. That’s a hard limit for me.”
“Got it,” Rebel, my cousin Rocco’s wife, adds. “You know your secret is safe with us.”
Luna pops up from her chair, and I grab her by the wrist. “That includes you too.”
“Sissy,” she says with a sugary bullshit smile. “I won’t say anything in front of the old folks.”
“In front of anyone. If I want people to know I got banged against a wall, I’ll be the one to tell them.”
“I’d be shouting that shit from the rooftops.” She winks.
“That’s the difference between us. Promise me, Luna,” I say, waiting with her wrist in my hand and tapping my foot.
“I promise,” she replies, sounding sad that she can’t torture me for the next few hours in front of the entire family, and pulls away from me.
“Don’t trust her,” my cousin Trace says, standing behind me. “I know she’s your sister, but she’s trouble, Ro.”
I turn to face Trace. “I’ve known her my entire life, honey. If she keeps her promise, I’ll be shocked, but it’ll keep a lid on her mouth for a little while.”
He throws his arm around my shoulder, moving me toward the house. “Siblings are a pain in the ass, but you’ll get her back someday.”
“Hopefully,” I mumble as we step inside.
The house is abuzz with life. Everybody’s here like they are every Sunday for dinner. The kitchen has bowls of food covering every inch of counter space. As the family gets bigger, the amount of food it takes to feed the army grows too.
There’s no longer enough room around one table or even two. People are scattered everywhere with plates in their hands, wolfing down the food my grandmother and aunts spent all afternoon preparing.
I get in line before filling my plate with a little bit of everything. My stomach rumbles, hunger suddenly taking over my every thought.
I’m about to walk outside when my father catches my eye and ticks his head the way he always does when he wants us to go to him.
I blow out a breath and quickly smile, trying to cover any vibe he may pick up. He’s pretty clued-in on his kids, and it’s never been easy to get anything by him. He always catches Luna in her bullshit, but then, he expects it from her.
“Hi, Daddy,” I say, folding my legs and sitting on the floor by the couch he’s currently using as his dinner space.
“Hey, sweetie. How’s your weekend been?” he asks between bites of his lasagna.
I stuff my mouth full of pasta and make a humming noise along with giving a thumbs-up as I chew slowly.
“Do anything fun last night?” he asks, staring down at me, but his face is unreadable.
I almost choke, but somehow, I keep chewing without stopping.
Fuck.
I’m an idiot.
He knows.
I know he knows.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
Of course, he knows.
I’m sure it was the talk of the afternoon how Dylan and I came here last night and had dinner with my grandparents.
Why would I think that would stay a secret? My family works one way, and secrets aren’t part of the special sauce.
I swallow what feels like a softball before I answer him. “No,” I lie, something I rarely do to my father unless it’s for Luna’s sake.
He raises an eyebrow. “No?”
“No.”
“No?”
“Dad,” I warn, losing patience.
“Did you do anything boring yet?”
I glance upward, meeting his questioning gaze. “Daddy, you want to just come out and ask whatever you want to ask? You clearly have a specific question. You always used to say, ‘I never ask a question unless I know the answer to it.’”
He gives me a small smile. “You always did listen to every word I said.”
“I may not have always followed your advice, but I paid close attention. So, be straight with me.”
He sets his plate down on the table next to the couch. Luckily, the rest of the family is busy eating and talking, not paying us any mind. “Did you bring Dylan here last night?”
“Well, you obviously know the answer.”
I hate when he’s like this. I already know he’s going to lay into me much like he did at my apartment about how Dylan’s trash because his father was an abusive jerk.
Dad sighs and leans forward, placing his elbows on his knees. He moves his face closer to me in case anyone else is listening. “I’m not happy.”
“Shocking,” I whisper. “Grandma and Grandpa liked him and were happy he was here.”
“I heard. I heard way too much about how great he is. I’m still not happy.”
I set my plate down next to his and turn my body around so I’m facing him dead on. “I don’t think you’ll ever find happiness when it involves Dylan Walsh.”
“I’m fine with him, just not when he’s around my family.”
My brows furrow, and I grind my teeth, thinking of the right words to say. I’m not a little girl, and although my father’s approval would be nice, it’s not required. “Did every parent love you when they met you?”
“No,” he growls.
“Did you get into some trouble when you were young?”
“Yes.” His upper lip curls because he knows where I’m going, and he hates every minute of it.
“Are you the same man you used to be?”
“No,” he grumbles.
“Are you the same as Grandpa?”
“You know I’m not.”
“What did Dylan ever personally do to you?”
“Nothing. But his father…”
I raise an eyebrow, twisting my lips.
“Fuck.”
“He’s a good man. He saved me when I could’ve very well gotten more than a bruise on my face. That other man had no issue hitting me once, and he could’ve done worse. And when Grandma and Grandpa needed help and we were supposed to go on a date, Dylan didn’t hesitate coming here to help them instead of going out.”
“You deserve better.”
“I’m sure a lot of people told Mom that too.”