He recalled how amazing the kiss had been and how much he had wanted Mason and groaned. None of that had anything to do with the alcohol but that was the story Sky was going to tell when he apologized to Mason and Sarina. Thankfully, Mason had come to his senses before they went too farand Sky would promise that nothing like that would ever happen again.
Still suffering but resigned to his fate, Sky showered and pulled on a different black sweater and gray trousers before heading downstairs. He had slept through breakfast and lunch and there was already a houseful of visitors, offering condolences and dropping off bottles of wine and covered dishes. His parents’ housekeeper, Nadine, rotated platters and refreshed salads on the kitchen island so food was available whenever anyone had an appetite.
She pulled Sky into a cookie-scented embrace as soon as he stepped into her domain. “How are you doing, sweetheart?”
For a moment, Sky let go of the grief and his deep, existential regret and was a kid again as he soaked up the hug and Nadine’s soothing aura. Once he was feeling more stable, he leaned back and frowned when he noticed that her red hair had faded and was completely silver.
When did that happen?
“I’m sorry I don’t come home to see you enough,” he said quietly and kissed her cheek, not wanting his mother to catch them. She resented how close Sky and Nadine were but she never did anything remotely maternal or wanted his attention or affection.
Nadine shushed him and fixed the collar of his sweater. “I understand! You’re busy with school and it isn’t easy for you here.”
Sky had always felt like an alien and an outcast in Roseview, but he was all but cast out when he was caught in the back seat of Mr. Digby’s car a week after graduating from high school. Sky had never been a student of the beloved track coach and history teacher and didn’t think it wasthatbig of a deal because he was newlyof age.But unbeknownst to Sky at the time, Mr. Digby was engaged to another well-loved teacher,Ms. Hill, and she was pregnant. For some reason, Sky was blamed for the scandal and his parents had packed him off to the city well before the fall semester started.
“It’s not as bad as it used to be and isn’t easy for you either,” he pointed out.
In the months after Sky’s exile, more young men came forward and admitted to hooking up with Mr. Digby and the engagement ended with both Digby and Ms. Hill leaving Roseview.
Nadine smirked and tapped the end of his nose. “Unlike you, they pay me and I can quit whenever I want.”
Sky grimaced. “That’s true. We should get married,” he suggested and gave her another kiss on the cheek.
She gasped as she smacked his shoulder. “I’m older than your mother and I practically raised you!”
“You did raise me,” he whispered and swatted dismissively. “Not for romantic reasons. So I can take care of you and for tax reasons. Uncle Lance told me not to wait too long and made me promise to call his accountant.”
“Do not listen to that man or take any advice from that accountant,” Nadine said severely. “You have plenty of time. Wait and marry someone for romantic reasons. And for tax reasons.”
“What about you? How long are you going to put up with Mom’s bullshit?”
“For as long as you need me to, kiddo.” She gave his cheek a tender pat, bringing tears to his eyes.
“I’ll always need you, Nadine. When’s it going to be my turn to take care of you?”
His mother stormed into the kitchen in a black catsuit and heels but halted when she saw them. “Thank goodness you have each other.” She sniffed and tipped back her chin. “Your sister has asked us all to gather in the living room, now thatyou’re conscious. She’s being mysterious and I don’t like it.” She eyed them up and down before leaving in a huff.
“Eat something first!” Nadine ordered gently but Sky shook his head.
“Let’s see what this is about. I don’t want to chance it when my stomach already feels like ass.”
“I’ll come with you. This could either be a shit show or require champagne so I wanna be ready.”
“Good idea.”
Sky offered her his arm and they whispered and laughed as they turned into the hall. It felt like a blessing, being able to smile after the last few weeks. His father had lingered in the hospital after a massive stroke, fading and unresponsive before his mother was “finally” able to take him off of life support.
In the living room, Adele was wary and scowling by the window, probably afraid that Sarina’s news would alter her plans—whatever they were—or require her to do something motherly. Their Nana Sutton was seated by the fireplace, beneath a portrait of her son, and the rest of their extended family and roughly two dozen of their neighbors were squeezing their way in and taking spaces along the wall and peeking in from the hallway and foyer. Sky spotted Mason, hovering behind Sarina as she held up an empty wine glass and tapped it with a silver butter knife, causing the crystal to ring and calling everyone to attention.
“Thank you so much for giving us a moment of your time,” she began and Sky got a gross sinking feeling when Mason rested his hands on her shoulders and gave them a supportive knead, then kissed her hair. She smiled back at him, her eyes shimmering before she took a deep breath and addressed the room. “We had planned to wait for a few months to make an announcement but we goofed and I’m pregnant,” she said, her voice wavering as she pressed a hand to her stomach.
There were gasps, claps, and whistles as Mason’s hand lowered and covered hers and he grinned over her shoulder. His grin faltered when he spotted Sky but Mason recovered quickly. “I thought we should make an announcement and make it official, before anyone noticed that Sina isn’t drinking and keeps turning green. And we thought we could all use some good news.”
Adele hummed loudly, glaring at Sarina. “Inoticed that Mason was drinking your wine and babying you more than usual. It might have been better to wait, though. Making a spectacle out of yourself while we’re mourning your father is…a bit disrespectful, don’t you think?”
“A spectacle?” Mason echoed and from the way his nostrils flared, it was clear even to Sky that she had touched a rare nerve.
“I think it’s wonderful and about time!” Nana declared from her seat by the fireplace and raised her teacup to them.
