Page 33 of Nothing to Tell

Oh, Carolyn was a wily one.These twists and turns kept her guessing.Did Carolyn know her son wasn’t really in a relationship?Was she being called out?Perhaps this was a matchmaking exercise.Either that or Carolyn really thought she was getting to know her potential future daughter-in-law.

Revealing the whole truth was out of her reach, that didn’t mean all honesty was off the table.

“He’s a good man,” Harper said.

There, that was fair.True.And shouldn’t bolster expectations.Bastian couldn’t get mad at her for that statement.Diplomacy: a balancing act.

“Yes.”This time Carolyn’s smile was all pride, nothing puzzling about that.“He is.”

“You raised him well,” Harper said, on a roll.“He’s grateful and proud of how he grew up.”

“As I am of him,” Carolyn said, raising her teacup to her lips.

“He’s proud of Keely too,” Harper said, tasting her own tea.This was easy.Just say true stuff.She had this.“He pretends she’s an inconvenience but it’s teasing, he loves her very much.”

“I actually am an inconvenience to my brother,” Roxie said, licking her spoon before placing it in the saucer under the cup.“Have been since the day I was born.”

Servers came over with their food and a fresh pot of tea.Tea was a big deal there, apparently, or it was a special request.Maybe Roxie was really into tea.

Would they move on from talking about Bastian now?Even if they did, that didn’t save her thoughts straying back to him.

When in bed, with Bastian, his veiled pride in his little sister wasn’t well disguised.So far, everyone she’d met kind of exuded a rambunctious pride in the youngest Hunt.Keely must be a joy in all their lives.

“Bastian has always looked after his sister,” Carolyn said.“You’ll see how close they are when you meet her this weekend.”

Wait…?Ease evaporated, went the same way as her smile.What…?

“I… I will?”

“Yes, you’ll be coming to the charity ball with Bastian.”

What…?A…

Had she talked herself into an invitation?Was his mom setting them up on a date?Wily didn’t cover it, she’d have to watch herself around this matriarch.

“Oh no,” Harper said.“I won’t be—we’re friends, good friends, but—”

“Things are so different now,” Carolyn said, putting her delicate cup in its saucer.“My parents were strict.That taught me I didn’t want to be an autocratic parent.I showed, or tried to show, Bastian and Keely the overt love I didn’t understand from my own parents.”

“It shows.Bastian loves you.”

Carolyn sighed.“Children these days.They have all these words for relationships that aren’t relationships.”

“Friends with benefits,” Roxie said after swallowing.“Situationships.Hook-ups.Fuck buddies.”

Oh God.

“I can’t keep track of it all.Flings and affairs were complicated enough.”

“You found your guy young though, Carolyn.And guys were much more stand up then.”

Carolyn laughed.“Yes, a long, long time ago.”

Harper stated another truth.“Bastian’s a stand-up guy.”

“Roxie didn’t think so when they first met.”

“I did… I warmed up to him.”