Page 46 of Shiny Things

“Hell yeah. No one walks away from Helena Dean Davenport like that. You’ve got some balls on you, girl. I love it. Anyone else would have just sat there and awkwardly taken it. And I guarantee she’s in there pacing the floor trying to figure out how to make things right with you. Insider’s tip: my mother hates to think anyone thinks poorly of her. She’s big on images.”

“Really?” I feigned surprise.

“Smartass. So what’s it going to be? Are we going to hang out here or go inside?”

I huffed. “I’m going to murder Gia for this.”

“Spoken like a true sister.”

“You’ve got to stop that.”

“Fine. Come on.”

He helped me from the car and begrudgingly, I let him lead me back inside.

Inside, Helena gave me a forced smile.

“Kim,” she started, but then saw Ryan walk in with me.

Her face lit up with a genuine smile as she saw her son.

“Honey, what are you doing here? I wasn’t expecting you today.”

“I heard you weren’t being very nice this morning.”

Her jaw dropped and she scowled at him before turning to me.

“Don’t look at me, I didn’t say a word to him.”

“Mom,” he said sternly, like he was talking to an impressionable child.

Her shoulders drooped in defeat.

“I’m sorry, Kim. I genuinely forgot you were a Grimes, and I had no idea about your father. Trust me, I’ve already heard about it from my daughter and from my mate. Now you too?”

“Pretty sure Elias will have plenty to say on it too.”

“Elias? Why?”

My cheeks started to turn an awkward shade of red.

“Oh, didn’t Dad tell you? The addition of the other Flocks was all his idea.”

Ryan winked at me when I dared to look his way.

“Well, damn. I’m sorry.” She dramatically waved her hands in the air. “Kim, you’ve been such a support and good friend to Gia and David, I never intentionally meant to hurt you. Please accept my apology. My children will gladly remind me that I am an outdated dinosaur who needs to get with the times. It’s hard, but I do promise I’ll try.” She looked at Ryan suspiciously. “Satisfied?”

“Yes, but I’ve promised not to leave Kim alone with you, so you’re stuck with me until one of my siblings arrive.”

I felt my face blanche this time. Elias wouldn’t dare come by while I was here, would he?

Helena snorted in the most unladylike manner.

“You make me sound like a monster.”

“Well, if the shoe fits. And maybe not a monster, more like an outdated dinosaur,” Ryan told her.

She laughed and smacked his arm good-naturedly.

---