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Adam steps back and smirks and I say bluntly, “If you think I waste words discussing my life with you, Adam, then you have a higher opinion of yourself than I thought. No, Lexi knows nothing at all about any of you because I don’t consider you interesting enough.”
“Hunter!” Mom’s voice is like ice as Bea quickly steps forward and smiles at Lexi. “Please excuse our family bickering, it’s always been the same.”
Bea is probably the most normal one of the family, but she irritates me in other ways. She’s such a lapdog and bends over backward to do the right thing and lets mom push her around and now I see the latest casualty of that as I see a rather nervous male trying to blend into the roses that cling to the wall.
“Who’s he?” I’m blunt and Bea steps back a little and holds out her hand. “Willard, meet Hunter, my brother. Do you remember, I told you about him?”
Willard! For fuck’s sake. I look in disgust at a man who looks as if a stiff breeze would knock him sideways, nervously take hold of my sister’s hand. He is wearing beige slacks with a white polo shirt and a pink sweater tied loosely around his neck. His hair is combed sideways, and he wears it slightly too long and his hair is fair and his skin as red as beetroot as he says nervously, “I’m pleased to meet you, sir, ma’am.”
I almost consider ignoring him and then feel a sharp nudge in my side as Lexi says brightly, “Willard, how lovely to meet you. You must be as nervous as I am.”
“Not really dear because Willard actually bothers to spend time with Bea’s family and we have grown to love him as a son.”
Mom stares at me pointedly, and I hate how rude she is. In fact, this whole situation is toxic and spying a maid, I say loudly, “Can we get some drinks over here, I need something and fast?”
The maid looks absolutely petrified and dashes inside after almost curtseying and I see Lexi’s eyes flash and my heart sinks. Great, now she hates me. This is not going to be a good day.
We take our seats and it doesn’t take long for the maid to deliver my request and as the cool champagne hits the back of my throat, it douses the flames a little. Lexi sits on the edge of her seat and looks awkward as fuck as mom stares at her with her usual malevolent gaze.
“So, Lexi, tell us about yourself. I want to know it all. What your parents do, the schools you attended, your college and subsequent employment.”
“For fuck’s sake, mom, Lexi isn’t applying for a job. Leave her alone.”
“Correction, Hunter. Lexi is applying to be included as a member of our family and it is only fair that I understand where she came from.”
I make to leave my seat because fuck this, I’m out of here but Lexi places her hand on my arm and pulls me back, saying sweetly, “Of course you want to know who I am, where I’m from and what I do. Any mother would, so let me oblige.”
Now I’m interested because even I don’t know Lexi’s history and she looks around at the small gathering and smiles.
“I’m afraid my beginnings were nowhere near as luxurious as yours. I started life in a trailer park where I lived with my mom, dad and brother. Unfortunately, mom and dad weren’t bothered about having children and just forgot to use protection, so we looked after ourselves until we were old enough to leave. There was no college, no prom, nothing but learning how to get through life and stop ourselves from becoming victims of it.”
I’m almost enjoying this as she sighs and continues. “When we left, we joined a biker gang and, as you would expect, life was interesting. Then I moved to Canada and helped my friend open a bakery where I’ve been for a while now. Then I met your son and well, what can I say, here I am now.”
For a moment there’s a stunned silence and mom looks as if she’s just met Satan himself, then dad laughs loudly and smiles at Lexi with an interest that surprises me as he raises his glass to her and says, “Welcome, Lexi, I love your sense of humor, you’ll need it to fit in with this family.”
Mom looks surprised and then a little relieved as Lexi laughs. “I think that’s lightened the atmosphere—or not.”
She turns to me and smiles, but the expression in her eyes tears my heart in two. She looks so lost, stripped bare, as if all the life has left her, making me realize there was nothing in her story but the truth. Instinctively, I take her hand and squeeze it tightly and as she looks away, I know she is struggling to get a grip, making me even more protective over the woman who has stormed into my life and turned it upside down.
“Well, Lexi, I can see what Hunter sees in you; he needs a woman like you in his life.”
Bea looks a little more friendly, but Adam just looks thoughtful.
Mom stands before the conversation turns to anything else and says blankly, “We had better eat before its ruined, we’ve had to hold back because of the late arrival of my eldest son.”
She sweeps inside without a backward glance and as the others follow, I lean down and whisper, “Are you ok?”
Lexi nods but bites her lip, showing she is far from ok and I say huskily, “I’m sorry about my family. I did warn you they weren’t pleasant.”
“It’s fine, I’ve seen worse.”
It’s that thought that worries me because I’m guessing that every word out of Lexi’s mouth was the truth, and just thinking of her living like that makes me want to hunt her family down and ruin them forever.
