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Elena says nothing to this. I sense Layla wants her to. Layla wants a few words that show her mom still loves her and always will. Instead, Elena folds her arms and stares at the garden at nothing as though collapsing into her thoughts.
Layla sits across from me. I keep my hands under the table, curled into fists, to stop them from reaching across to my woman and offering her some comfort. She said we’rein a relationship, but it’s so much more than that.
“Elena’s right,” Noah says after a pause, the darkness in my baby brother’s tone hurting me. “Where did this come from? How? And for howlong?”
“I kissed her at your wedding,” I say.
“Look at me, bro.”
He deserves this. I turn from the table, taking in my little brother’s wide eyes and half-open mouth. It’s the same stunned expression he’d often get after my old man exercised his fists on my face. Noah would wrap his arms around me, and we’d stay like that, safe from the bastard for now.
“At the wedding?” Noah says.
“I didn’t mean to—”
Elena cuts in. “You didn’tmeanto kiss her? How does that work? Did you trip, and your lips just happened to land on hers, or were you hypnotized?”
“Were you drunk?” Noah asks.
“No,” I say fiercely, remembering when Layla thought the same. “I was stone-cold sober. What I mean is I tried to resist, but after a while, it felt impossible. It felt like kissing her was the only option.”
“How romantic,” Elena mutters.
Noah glances at her.
“What?” Elena says, sitting up. “Are you saying you’re on his side?”
“No, but we should let them talk, at least.”
“She’s yourniece, Miles.”
“Step-niece,” Layla says.
Elena looks at her sharply. “And that makes all the difference, does it?”
“Yes, it does,” Layla replies. “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t want to lie to you. I feel terrible, but I won’t pretend there’s no difference between ablooduncle and astep-uncle. We all know there’s a major difference. Miles didn’t even raise me and—”
“So, we’re going to begin with the excuses right away?”
Layla sighs. “No, I didn’t mean that.”
“Elena,” Noah says, “let’s at least hearexactlywhat’s happened.”
I feel paralyzed, not sure how I can fix this. At least Noah isn’t looking at me with hate, but Elenaislooking at Layla with disgust apparent in her features.
“Fine.” Elena unfolds her arms. “Explain.”
“After that first kiss,” Layla says, “we didn’t talk for a year until Miles came to stay with us.”
“A week ago,” Elena mutters.
“Yeah.”
“But you said you’re in a relationship.”
“We are.”
“After aweek?”
