Page 68 of The Sweet Spot

“Will you come with me to take the test?’ I ask him, petrified of his answer.

“There’s nothing that would keep me away from you, red. We were always real.”

I press my lips to his. “We were always real.”

My door opens, and Killian stands there with Winnie in his hands. “Uh... does this mean I don’t need to take your dog?”

“Any chance you feel like coming to Mom and Dad’s with us?” I ask my brother while I squeeze my husband’s hand.

“Like tonight?” Killian laughs like a little douche. “Dude, more like there’s no way I’m missing this.” The shit kicks Deacon’s foot. “You might not know me, brother, but I might be the only reason you don’t die tonight.”

“Killian—” I shout as inappropriate laughter catches in my throat, the sweeping emotions of the day already taking their toll.

“What?” He looks at me with a smug smirk. “Too soon?”

“Yeah.” I push up to my feet then and take Winnie from my brother. “Maybe just a little.”

Deacon stands up and looks between me and Killian. “I guess we didn’t actually meet.” He offers him his hand. “Deacon.”

Kill smiles. “Oh, I know who you are. I’m just wondering who’s gonna go for the throat first, Mom or Dad. Hope you’ve got good reflexes.”

Deacon looks at me, and I smile. “He’s not wrong.”

“You sure you don’t want to call them first, Brynn?” Deacon asks as we turn onto my parents’ street, following behind Killian’s Jeep. “Maybe give them some kind of a heads-up?”

I think about it again and visualize just how that conversation would go over the phone, and my imagination is probably worse than reality could ever be. “Honestly, no. I don’t want to lose my nerve. Not just because I’m about to tell my parents I got married but because of everything else that’s going on. This way is better, trust me.”

I have no idea how this is going to go.

And when we pull into their circular driveway, and my brother jumps down from his massive Jeep and bounces on his toes, I decide maybe bringing him wasn’t the best idea. “You’re way to excited about this, Kill.”

I let Winnie out of the car, and she runs to Killian.

The little traitor.

I walk over to Deacon, and he rests his palm on the small of my back. “Lead the way, Brynn.”

I brush my lips over his before I move. “Just remember, you can’t divorce me if my parents are assholes.”

“One day, some cocksucker is going to want to marry Kennedy, and we’re probably going to hate him. If he were to show up at our house and tell us they got married without even meeting us, we’d be pretty pissed. Try to remember that when your parents get mad, and everything will be fine.” He presses me forward, and I stare at him in shock.

“Why are you so calm?” I ask, jealous of his ability to compartmentalize like that.

“Because you’re worth it,” he tells me. Then he leans down and whispers in my ear, “Now let’s get this over with. I’m thinking makeup sex is going to be the perfect way to end the day.”

“Umm... I think you may have broken me last night, husband,” I tease.

“Then I’ll just have to be gentle tonight, wife. Now quit stalling.”

By the time we make it to the front door, it’s open, and Killian is nowhere to be found.

Noted. Winnie and he are both traitors.

“Hello—” I call out as Deacon and I walk in the foyer of my parents’ house, receiving no answer. I take his hand in mine, trying to absorb some of his calm. “We moved here when I was little. Right after Mom had Livvy.”

I guide Deacon through the enormous house Mom always made sure felt like a home, not a museum. She wanted us to be kids at home. She didn’t care if we got handprints on the walls or peanut butter on the counters. There were no prying cameras or reporters here. It was our sanctuary, and I try to keep that in mind now as I search for her and Dad.

Deacon pulls me to a stop in front of an old family portrait. “Look at you.” He points. “Jesus, your family is big.”

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