Page 87 of His Ruin
We fall into easy conversation, discussing our plans for dinner as I offer to make glazed chicken and yams. Dad agrees before anyone can protest, putting me in charge of the kitchen for the night.
“It’s hot,” I warn Dylan as he lifts a fresh cookie to his mouth.
He stops mid-bite, pulling back as he blows on the dessert. “Good save, baby.”
My face falls as a memory strikes me like a punch to the gut.
“I said it was hot!”
“Fuck, I think I like it when you’re mad at me.”
I clear my throat, banishing the moment to the deepest recesses of my mind where anything Kaden-related has been left to rot. After all these years, that pain is still fresh sometimes.
Distraction.
I need a distraction.
“I bought us a rosé,” I say as I retrieve my bag and pull out the pink bottle.
Mom grabs two glasses from the cabinet above the stove and slides them towards me. “A few glasses and I’ll definitely be feeling the Christmas spirit.”
“Do you want a beer, Dyl?” Dad asks as he opens the fridge.
“You know it, Dad,” my fiancée smirks.
Mom takes a long sip of her wine, playfully observing the two men. “If you get as drunk as you did last year, I’m leaving your asses on the terrace this time.”
“Oh, come on!” Dylan protests loudly.
“We weren’t eventhatdrunk,“ Dad backs him up.
I take a sip from my glass, humming. “Mhm. And that’s not the reason Dylan almost got frostbite on his toes. Not at all.”
My fiancé shakes his head with amusement. “What happened toin sickness and in health?”
“Once we actually get married, I’ll take those vows seriously,” I lift my brows over the rim of my glass.
He gives me a secretive wink. “Then be prepared for long nights of stomach bugs and food poisoning,Mrs. Callahan.”
Mom chokes on her drink, holding a hand up to her mouth as her eyes widen. “Have you picked a date?”
“Four months from now,” Dylan tips his beer. “April eighteenth.”
“That’s wonderful!” Dad says, slapping a hand between Dylan’s shoulders and shaking him. “Can’t wait to have you as part of the Wilder family, my boy.”
“Dress shopping,” Mom spreads her hands, making me giggle. “Does Kodi know yet? Oh, you have to invite her. This weekend. There’s a bridal boutique near my Queens store that has the best dresses.”
Everything is perfect this evening. Not a single thing could ruin this moment as my parents’ joy spills over and infects me.
I’m so caught up in being whisked away by my mother’s rambling that I don’t even notice the deep rumble and purr of a motorcycle outside until it’s too late. Dad reacts first, his words dying a quick death as he listens to whoever is driving down the stone path.
“We aren’t expecting anyone else…” he trails.
The air becomes too thick as everyone falls into a still silence. My pulse rushes past my ears, muting the sound of the bike.
I’m imagining it.
I have to be…
