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She returns the sentiment but her eyes are trained on me.
I look anywhere but at her.
Clearing her throat, Mrs Jacobs paints on a smile and ushers us all into the dining room before the tension suffocates us all. Jackson doesn't let go of me once, not even when he pulls out my chair for me and we sit down, not even when food starts being passed around.
“So,” Mrs Jacobs starts, a delicious smell wafting towards me as she hands over a platter of whatever meat she's prepared tonight. “You go to UCSV too?”
Jackson takes the platter with a grateful smile, serving himself and me as he nods. “Yes, ma'am. I'll be graduating this year.”
“Exciting.” Mrs Jacobs smiles. “Do you have any plans after graduation?”
“Not yet.”
Professor Jacobs snorts, earning daggers from his wife, his mistress, and both his daughters.
Jackson doesn't falter for a second. “I was thinking of moving back home for a while. My sister's having a baby and I wanna be there to help out.”
“That's very admirable of you,” Mrs Jacobs coos. Ma nods in agreement while Pen shoots me an 'aw' look, pouting and fluttering her lashes dramatically.
The only one not impressed? Professor Jacobs. “And home is where?”
“Up north. My family has a ranch near Sequoia National Park.”
“A ranch.” Professor Jacobs kisses his teeth. “That's... quaint.”
Quaint. A compliment, under any other circumstances, but from his mouth, it’s like a curse. I glare at him. “It's beautiful. And very successful.”
“I never said it wasn't, Luna,” Jacobs replies in that tone I fucking hate. The one that makes me feel like a silly little kid, like I'm about two feet tall. He uses the same one on Jackson, and I hate it even more for that. “What do you do on this ranch?”
“Lots of things.” I see the slightest tick in Jackson's jaw. “Weddings, corporate retreats, things like that.”
“And your parents run all this?”
And there it is.
The Achilles heel that has Jackson stiffening.
“No, sir,” he coughs out after a moment too long. “My sisters and I do.”
“Your sisters?” A noise of utter condescension leaves Jacobs as he shakes his head. “Well, how nice.”
“Robert.”
“What?” Jacobs flashes innocent eyes at his wife. “I'm just making conversation.”
“You're being rude,” Mrs Jacobs says carefully, quietly.
Her husband scoffs loudly. “Am I not allowed to get to know my daughter's boyfriend?”
No.
No, he is absolutely not.
Before I can say as much, he continues, “I'm just confused, Luna. I was under the impression you two broke up.”
“I was under the impression you were a faithful husband but hey, look, here I am.”
The words come out before I can stop them, and I regret them as soon as they leave my mouth. Not because of how Jacobs’ face flames—God knows I revel in that—but because of how Mrs Jacobs deflates. Pen rests a hand on her mom’s shoulder, mouthingwhat the fuck?at me, and I’m going to apologize. I swear, I’m going to.Sorryis on the tip of my tongue, ready to be said.
