Page 112 of Prickly Pair
‘They have been,” I agreed. “I don’t know exactly what to say, other than they’ve made me happy. And I’m trying to be better because of that. I want to be there for them, you know?”
“I do.” She chopped up some leftover fried chicken and put a bowl in front of me. She’d made a giant salad with ranch, and my stomach growled in response. “Your dad always told me he thought you and Nick should just kiss each other, you know.”
“What?” I hissed right after taking a bite. I almost choked, gripping the side of the counter. “Fuck,” I coughed. “Why would we kiss?”
She waved her hand at me. “What do you mean why?” She grabbed her own salad and settled in across from me. “I remember there was one summer where all you did was talk about him. How else do you think I remember his name? Do you really think I remember all the people the three of you went to high school with? I remember that one girl who broke Dallas’s heart, that one bitch that made Avery cry whose mother I gotinto it with, and Nick—the boy you always got into trouble with but couldn’t shut up about.He was wearing blue today, Mom, andIwas wearing blue.Always silly little things.”
I stared at her. “Okay, I don’t remember it that way. I mean, yeah, I talked about him because he drove me crazy.”
“I bet he did,” she laughed.
My cheeks turned red. “Let’s talk about something else.”
“Well, since Evie is going to be my daughter-in-law too, do you think I could plan that wedding? We both know June won’t let me touch their ceremony. I think she's gonna wear a black dress.”
“God,Mom.Leave that alone,” I groaned. “Seriously.”
“No, I like that she’s going to do something different. Besides, I’ll be on fighting-her-mother duty.”
“When did you suddenly get so violent?” I asked.
“Menopause, babe. Menopause. And June’s mother is awful.”
“Their wedding isn’t even until next year,” I said. “Next spring. Ages away. As for Evie, don’t start getting ahead of yourself.”
“You know what we should do? We should go on a family cruise?—”
A knock at the door interrupted her. We both looked up as it opened.
“Mom? Austin?”
It was Avery. “We’re in the kitchen,” I called.
She rounded the corner, and I wasn’t surprised to see Mateo and Levi with her. But, all of their expressions made me frown.
“Hi,” Mom said, immediately giving her a hug. “What’s going on? Everything okay?”
“Yes,” Avery said immediately, but then her lips quivered. “Um, Dallas should be here in a second. I saw Austin was here, so I texted him.”
My phone started buzzing with texts in my pocket, but I ignored it, focusing on my sister. I raised a brow at Mateo and Levi, who both looked like they were two seconds from fainting.
“Seriously,” I said. “Are you guys okay? You don’t look good.”
Mateo opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.
“Yes,” Avery said more adamantly.
She came over to my side, giving me a big hug. I frowned, now completely confused. But then we heard Dallas’s voice, and he rounded the corner, his expression pinched with worry.
“Hey,” he exhaled. “What’s wrong? I got here fast.”
“Nothing is wrong,” Levi rasped, dragging out chairs.
Dallas scowled then looked at me. I shrugged, Avery’s arm around my shoulder.
“Okay,” she said excitedly. “Okay. Don’t freak out.”
She looked over at Mateo and Levi, but they were bothcrying.
