Page 111 of Defend Her Heart

This conversation is getting out of control, as always, so I type out one more text just to pour a little gasoline on the fire before I disappear.

We all know you’re obsessed with Sloane. Pretty sure she knows, too.

I put my phone on silent and set it on the nightstand. When I look up, I see Avery’s thumb hovering over her mom’s contact.

“You got this, baby. I’m right here if you need me.”

My words appear to do the trick because the next thing I know, her mom and dad’s faces fill her phone screen, and her mom is the first one to speak.

“Why, hello, Mrs. Smith.”

Connor snorts next to me at the name, and I glare at him quickly, silently telling him to keep quiet.

“Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad. How’s it going?”

My mom scowls, but I see the slight tip of my dad’s lips as he tries to hide a smile at my failed attempt of acting clueless. The camera moves from a shot of both of them to just my mom’s face, and I can tell by the crease in her brow, I’m in for it.

“How’s it going? Well, we were out enjoying our morning walk when Mrs. Traegar came sprinting out of her house in her robe, waving her phone in the air like a madwoman. And wouldn’t you know it? Right there on the screen was an article aboutmy daughterclaiming that not only is she married, but she’s with child! You can imagine how surprised your father and I were.”

I was wondering how they found out. My parents are not ones for technology. Neither of them have social media, and I spent the first week of college staring at their foreheads while they tried to figure out how to video call me. After they didn’t catch wind of the first article, I guess it didn’t even cross mymind to think they’d find out about this one. Not that I’ve even had much time to process it myself.

Unsure where to start, I choose to address the lies first.

“Well, I’m not pregnant, so you don’t need to worry about that.”

The phone screen jostles for a few seconds, and I see my dad slide behind my mom, attempting to get his face into view.

“We weren’t worried, honey. We’re just a bit confused.”

My mom looks at him and I see his eyebrow raise. She huffs and turns back to the screen.

“He’s right. I mean, I was a little worried, but definitely more confused than anything else.”

I glance at Connor quickly, and he gives me a nod. Knowing he’s here gives me the confidence I need to let them know what’s been going on with me.

“Let me start at the beginning.”

I proceed to tell them about everything. And I meaneverything. When Bryan and I got divorced, they didn’t question me too much, probably because they never really liked him to begin with. So, when I tell them about the way he treated me throughout everything, and the prenup that left me with barely anything, my dad nearly breaks the table with how hard he smashes his fist into it.

“I will fucking kill him.”

Connor mutters next to me. “Get in line.”

I whip my head toward him and narrow my eyes.

“Who are you looking at, sweetheart?”

My mom’s question causes me to look back at the phone screen. Both of my parents are peering around as if they could actually see any other part of the room I’m in.

“And where are you? Is that Tamara’s bed?”

Well, I guess that’s one way to bring up my marriage. Here goes nothing.

“Actually, I’m at Connor’s.”

My mom’s eyes widen to saucers and my dad’s face breaks out into the biggest shit-eating grin I’ve ever seen.

I wave Connor over and he scoots next to me on the bed.