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“Hon, forgive me,” Dad said, obviously treading carefully. “But I don’t think it’s your choice.”
“You agreed with me last night though, didn’t you?” Oh God, I knew that tone, and so did my dad because he gave me the “there she goes” look. “At least you were nodding to what I was saying, and if I’m not mistaken, that would be considered agreement.”
“After thirty years together, my dear, I know better than to disagree with you, and yet if you’re going to put me on the spot like you’re doing at this moment, I’m going to tell you what I really think. Our daughter can make up her own mind. Like I said, I like Brax. He’s a good kid who has an excellent head on his shoulders. How many young men at twenty-two own their own business? True, he might be a bit unruly at times, but what do you expect when you have a father like his?”
“That’s right,” Mom replied, like she’d just remembered something important. “They’ve partied one too many times together, and there was that rumor going around that they had shared a woman or two.”
Just what I wanted to hear. I sat up straighter in my chair and took a sip of the lukewarm coffee that had too much sugar in it. “He’s working on my house,” I said. “It’s not like I can fire him.”
“You can still be friends, honey,” Mom said, patting my hand. “It’s not like you have to cut him off at the knees. Tell me it’s not that serious.”
I mean, Brax was my boyfriend, right? Granted, we hadn’t been out much in public, aside from the bike rides and picking out construction materials, but that hadn’t been intentional. We just preferred staying in. She stared at me, and I didn’t know how honest I needed to be.
Looking flustered, Mom stood and walked into the hallway. “Toby, will you come in here, please?”
“Oh my God.” I ran a hand down my face.
“Brax is your brother’s best friend. If it doesn’t bother Toby, then I guess we’re fine with it.”
Toby, wearing a pair of track pants and a nearly threadbare concert t-shirt, walked into the kitchen. His hair was wet and slicked back, and he had tiny bits of toilet paper stuck to his face where he’d cut himself shaving. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Your father and I were talking to Mandy about Brax.”
Toby’s gaze settled on me and I felt my cheeks grow hot, yet I maintained eye contact.
“What are your thoughts about Brax and Mandy seeing each other?” Mom said off-handedly. “I mean, he’s your friend, and we all know his reputation with women…”
Toby’s head snapped to our mom. “Are you fucking serious?”
My mother gasped. “Tobias Glen Hathaway, do you want me to wash your mouth out with soap?”
“Apologize to your mother for your language,” Dad said in a firm voice. In my lifetime, I’d heard my dad cuss maybe ten times.
Dad has always been a pushover, but the one thing he didn’t stand for was disrespecting our mother.
“I’m sorry for my language, Mom.” Toby came up behind her and gave her a hug. “Brax is my friend. He’s a good guy who would give anyone the shirt off his back. You should know that better than anyone.”
Mom pressed her lips together.
“And if Amanda wants to date him, then she should,” Toby said, giving me a nudge. “Yeah, he’s not known for committing to women. Amanda knows that, so she’s going in with her eyes wide open, right?”
There was that constant reminder about not wanting to trust him. I smiled, more relieved than I had thought I would be. His blessing meant everything. The last thing I wanted was to come in between the two of them.
“If that’s all, I’m going to get dressed.” Toby glanced at Mom, who shook her head.
I had every intention of leaving with him.
“I think this conversation is finished,” my dad said, “so I’ll be out back in the workshop.” He walked over and gave me a hug. “See you Sunday night for dinner, right?”
“Right. See you then.”
Mom shook her head once Dad and Toby had left the room. “They are men, so what do they know?” She put her hands on my shoulders. “Honey, I’ve heard from the lady who does my hair that Heather might be pregnant with Brax’s baby.”
