Page 29 of True Blue

The sisters share a happy smile.

“We’re just teasing. I’m Danielle, that’s Stephanie. It’s really nice to finally meet you, Indie,” Danielle says, standing to give me a quick hug, easy since she's only an inch or two shorter than me. She then murmurs right in my ear, “Have you met the barracuda yet?”

I look at her in confusion until I hear from behind me.

“Stephanie Anne, I accept what you’ve done to your body, but I don’t have to see it,” Dawn says. “Please put your sweater on.”

Danielle shoots me a look, and I understand immediately.

Her mother, the barracuda.

As I see the sharp look she’s giving her daughter, all I can think is accurate.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake, Dawn,” Ellie snaps, pouring herself a glass of white wine. The spoils of remission. “The girl has some ink on her arms, she’s not shooting up heroin in front of us!”

“Mother,” Dawn snaps, glaring at Ellie, who doesn’t pay her any mind.

“‘Ink,’” Ellie snorts, twirling around the kitchen with surprising grace for a woman in her seventies. “Don’t I sound hip?”

I grin, picturing Ellie in her prime back in the seventies, twirling to Stevie Nicks, as we once passionately debated music from the seventies and eighties. We reached a stalemate by agreeing that the sixties were amazing for music.

“The hippest, Nana,” Danielle laughs, shaking her head. Stephanie just rolls her eyes, but grabs her blue cardigan, pulling it around her shoulders.

“Happy?” she snarks to her mother, who glances at her dismissively.

“Yes, thank you,” she says as the back door opens, and in comes Teddy.

He’s dressed in his usual clothes, bits of grass clinging to his gray t-shirt that’s dark in areas because of his sweat.

Unfortunately, sweaty Teddy immediately reminds me of last Thursday—his mouth on my breasts, the growling noises he was making underneath me.

Need to splash water on my face. Immediately.

Teddy’s eyes scan the kitchen and brighten when he spots me. The smile that crosses his face is devastating. “Indie!”

I smile, and he comes hustling over like he’s on a warpath, boots stomping across the tile.

Dawn smiles and steps toward him, arms out for a hug. Teddy doesn’t even glance at her, sweeping me up in a hug and twirling me around.

“Damn, Romeo,” Stephanie laughs. “Stop manhandling your girlfriend.”

“Alright, alright—we’ll stop hogging your Indie,” Ellie laughs.

Over Teddy’s shoulder, I see Stephanie and Danielle sharing a smile before their eyes come back to us.

“Hi, honey,” he rumbles in my ear, pressing a kiss to my temple. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were here—Dad needed my help with the yard.”

“It’s okay,” I murmur. “I haven’t been here too long.”

“I’m so happy you’re here,” Teddy says, kissing my cheek.

I smile and bury my face in his neck, his scent easing the anxiety churning in my gut. This isn’t so bad. His mother will warm up to me. His sisters already seem to like me. Ellie likes me. I haven’t met the rest of his family, but I’m sure it will be okay.

How bad can it be?

“Theodore James,” Dawn huffs. “You didn’t greet your mother.”

Teddy pulls back and frowns.