Page 18 of Heartsmashed
My brothers had also apparently caught on, because the steady conversation we’d walked in on was now dead silent, but I didn’t bother glancing their way to see their reactions…yet.
I greeted my parents with a big one-armed hug, refusing to let go of Beckett’s hand because…well, I needed it. Especially if I looked past them and saw Peter hanging out, shooting the shit.
“Have a good drive up?” Mom asked, kissing my cheek.
“Not bad at all. I prefer it over the drive to the Hamptons.”
“Only because traffic actually moves.” She smiled and lifted my chin, her dark eyes, the same color as her short hair, assessing me quickly. Whatever she saw there had a line forming between her brows. “You okay, love? Tired?”
“I’m fine,” I said. “Totally fine. Great, actually.”
Beckett gave me a reassuring squeeze, and just like that, their eyes shifted to the man beside me.
And past them, Hudson straightened from where he’d been leaning against Drew’s chair, while Rome, who’d been draped across the couch like he was in a photoshoot, sat up slowly.
All eyes on us. This wasn’t awkward at all.
“Right,” I said, because there was no easing into this now. “So, um, everyone, this is—” My words got stuck in my throat. I wasn’t sure whether I was going to say his name or “my boyfriend,” and I just stood there for a second, short-circuiting until he came to my aid.
“I’m Beckett,” he said smoothly, holding out his free hand to Mom first. “It’s nice to meet you.”
And just like that, I could breathe again. Because of course he had this.
“Beckett,” Mom repeated, already smiling. “Well, we’re very happy to meet you too.”
“Yes, we are,” Mama added, though her eyes were as sharp as ever as they flicked between our joined hands and back up to his face. “Very happy.”
And that translated from mom-speak as:Explain yourself immediately.
“And Beckett is…?” Hudson asked, strolling in our direction, hands in his pants pockets and still wearing a tie even though he was hours away from the office.
As my fingers tightened slightly on Beckett’s, I tried for a calm expression like the one he wore.
“He’s my boyfriend,” I said.
Fuck.There it was, out in the open. No take-backs.
The reaction was immediate.
Over on the couch, Rome’s brows shot up and a slow grin spread across his face, like he’d just found his favorite form of entertainment for the week. Drew was looking between all of us with an “I’m not saying shit” expression on his face, though he’d need help picking his jaw up off the ground later.
And Hudson?
He was staring at me with narrowed eyes, clearly not buying it for a second.
My moms, on the other hand? Oh boy.
“Your boyfriend?” Mama repeated.
“Yes,” I said, because if I was going down, I was going down confidently, dammit. “My boyfriend, Beckett—” I snapped my mouth shut, realizing I didn’t know my fake boyfriend’s last name. It was fine. Minor details and all.
The seconds ticked by as they all processed what was happening—and probably how to respond without offending my “boyfriend.”
But Beckett turned on the charm. “Happy anniversary to you both. Thank you for letting me be a part of such a special time for you.”
“Oh.” Mom was the first to break the ice. “We like him already.”
“We do,” Mama agreed. “Very much.”
