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“I just felt so out of the loop. I had no idea what was going on,” she says when the waitress leaves the room.
“But you’ve chosen to be out of the loop, Mom. You call me once a month, and yeah, the phone works both ways but there was a long stretch of time when I used to call you and you either wouldn’t answer or couldn’t talk or I would get you on the phone and I could tell you were distracted and not listening to a thing I was saying.” Her eyes well up with tears and Wes’ hand immediately moves to rest on her thigh. “No, you weren’t my first call when things got serious with Wes because, frankly, I didn’t think you’d care.” She shrugs. “I wasn’t going to get married without telling you. That’s moreyourspeed.”
I wince thinking about how Lucas and Avery weren’t even at Rebecca’s second wedding because it was spur of the moment and ‘just the two of us on a beach!’
“That’s not fair!”
“Oh? You flew across the country because you heard that hemighthave a ring. Lucas and I found out you got married in a two-line text message with a picture of you two in all white.”
“Honey—”
“I’m over it,” Raegan interrupts. “But please don’t give me a hard time just because you haven’t been around to get to know the man I love.”
“Love? Oh, honey…”
“Yes, Mother. Love. I love him.” She pulls her eyes away from her mother to look next to her at Wes and a smile tugs at my lips at how she looks at him.
Fuck, it’s how I look at Theo when we’re alone.
Nope, absolutely not the time.
Rebecca’s eyes flit to Theo’s and then Lucas’ who’s still staring at his drink before turning back to her. “You hardly know him.”
“No, Mom,youhardly know him and you hardly knowmefor that matter.”
The table is silent before Wes speaks up. “To answer your earlier question, Rebecca, I am very much in love with Raegan and I do intend to marry her.” His eyes pan to Theo’s. “I had all the intentions to talk to you about it before things escalated to this. Raegan stressed the importance of it and I value what’s important to her.” I realize now that they’re holding hands because when he moves his into view, it’s clasped with hers and he brings it to his mouth. “I understand the apprehension around all of this. Our age difference and maybe the speed in which things moved, but as I believe Raegan told you and Lucas,” he says, still talking to Theo, “we’ve been together for about a year now.”
“Why wait so long to tell us?” Rebecca asks.
“Because of all of this,” Raegan says. “This production over what? I’m twenty-three.”
“And he’s not.”She responds.
“So?”Raegan snaps, her blue eyes narrowed and annoyed.
“Honey, he’s too old for you.”
I wince, hearing those words because even if Lucas wasn’t a factor, is that what people would think about me and Theo?
Yes.My mind thinks instantly.
“I think that’s my decision.”
Rebecca sighs just as the waitress sets down her drink. “Thank you, dear,” she says as she pulls the dirty martini to her lips. “Oh!” She cringes. “No no no. This isn’t right.” She hands her back the drink. “Can you have them try again? I think they forgot the vermouth or something.”
“Of course, my apologies,” The waitress says before leaving the room.
Lucas chuckles and drains his glass. “Some things never change.”
Her eyes snap to his and she glares at him. “Sorry, I like my drink made correctly?”
No one says anything before Rebecca turns to look at Theo. “You’re certainly quiet.”
Theo, who’s been staring at his glass, meets her gaze, but not before floating past my eyes quickly. “What did you want me to say? I don’t even know why I’m here. I’ve talked to Raegan about it. We’re good.”
“Of course, always had to be the good guy so I had to be the bad one.”
“Rebecca, the kids are grown. There is no good guy or bad guy anymore. Part of having grown children is you parent them differently. What, do you think we have the power to forbid her from marrying him? Ground her?”
