“I thought you were just being a good protective friend when you pulled our dad into line over Easter. I was a little surprised at your outburst at the table, but now I guess it makes sense.”
“I’ll do anything to protect her,” I say easily, meaning every word.
They stare at me for a long moment, and surprisingly, Jude’s face is the first to soften.
“We miss you, man.”
A lump forms in my throat at his admission, and I have to clear it before I can respond.
“You do?”
“Yeah,” they say in unison.
“Are you going to be able to get past me and your mum?” I ask, feeling weird about calling Lily their mum.
Like I know she’s their mum, obviously, but she’s a woman to me.Mywoman.
“If you can keep the intense PDA to a minimum around us,” Ronnie says, his expression softer now too. “Then, yeah, I guess so.”
Fuck… is this really happening? Are theyreallyaccepting me and their mum?
“Can I hold her hand around you?” I ask, and they nod. “What about putting my arm around her? Hugging her?” Ronnie shrugs and Jude nods.
Fuck… this is… something.
“What about kissing her?”
“Don’t push it,” Jude mutters, and I grin.
“Just a peck,” I explain. “Not a pash.”
Ronnie cringes. “If you start snogging our mum in front of us, I’ll dick punch you.”
A laugh bursts from me, and Jude’s and Ronnie’s faces morph with big cheesy fucking smiles.
“Deal.” I let go of the coaster that I’d started tearing to shreds. “But I love her, so it’s hard not to show her.”
“Fine.” Jude rolls his eyes. “Just keep it PG.”
Fuck. FUCK!
It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my chest, and I can’t wait to tell Lily all about it. The twins have been treating her normally again, which I think has a lot to do with their uncles, but they’d been curt with me at best… until now.
“I guess you’re no longer our wingman,” Ronnie sighs, like it’s a huge inconvenience, and I chuckle.
“You sods never needed me. You have each other.”
They nod knowingly, their eyes drifting to the pack of chicks dancing around with cocktails.
“How’s your mum going?” Jude asks, and for the first time in years, my smile isn’t forced when it comes to discussing her.
“Good. We’ve just come from visiting her,” I say, loving how happy she looked. “I haven’t seen her look that healthy… ever.”
The twins’ smiles grow, and Ronnie grips my shoulder.
“That’s fucking ace, man.”
“Yeah. It really is. She’ll be there for a while, and fuck, who wouldn’t want to be. That place is an oasis.”
