Page 126 of Strictly the Worst

As soon as she leaves I let out a long breath. She barely looked at me. Is it my dress? I look down at the neckline, knowing I should have chosen something else. She so obviously doesn’t like me.

My hands shake as I lift my glass of orange juice to my lips.

“Sorry,” he says, brushing my jaw with his lips. “She’s not great with new people.”

“She was fine when she met Ava,” Myles points out, turning back to us. So he must have heard the whole embarrassingly short introduction. Great.

Ava’s eyes meet mine. She gives me the kindest of smiles. “But you’re not her son, are you?” she says to Myles. “I think she’s just protective of Linc, that’s all.”

“How many girls have you brought home to meet her anyway?” Liam asks. And then his wife – Sophie – pokes him in the ribs. “Ow.”

“He didn’t mean it like that,” Sophie says. “Did you?”

“I don’t know.” Linc frowns. “I can’t think of anybody I’ve introduced her to.”

Ava looks suddenly relieved. “That’ll explain it then.”

“What do you mean?” Linc asks.

“You’re her baby. She’s not used to having to share you.” Ava shrugs. “I hope I’m not like that when Charlie brings home girls, but who knows?”

“She’s just slow to warm up,” Myles agrees. He smiles warmly at me. “For what it’s worth, we’re pleased to meet you.”

Liam nods in agreement. “There’s just one thing I want to know?”

I force a smile onto my face. “What is it?”

“How the hell do you put up with him? Because I never could.”

LINC

“Mom?” I say, walking after her as she makes her way across the room to Linda and Julia. “Can I have a word?”

I’m annoyed with her. And with myself. Maybe this wasn’t the best time to introduce Tessa to the family, but after spending the last week fucking pining after her, I wasn’t going to come here without her. There was no reason for Mom to be so cold.

Luckily Ava and Sophie have formed a protective ring around her, along with Blair and Mackenzie – my other brothers’ wives – who are asking her about the Exuma project we were working on together.

I glance at my watch. In five minutes we’ll sit down to dinner. And in an hour I’m going to take Tessa home and make it up to her for my mom’s rudeness.

“Can’t it wait?” Mom asks. “We’re about to eat dinner.”

“No, it can’t.” I take her arm and pull her over to the side. “The way you just talked to Tessa was rude.”

Mom’s gaze meets mine. She doesn’t look sorry at all. “I’m just trying to look after you,” she tells me. “I don’t think she’s right for you.”

“You don’t even know her.” A wave of fury washes through me. “Do you know how hard I had to work to get her to come tonight? After this she’ll probably never want to meet the family again.”

“Then you have to consider if she’s the right person for you.” Mom lifts a brow. “You have a big family. We’re not all sweetness and light. If she’s going to become part of it she needs to understand that.”

“You were never like this with Ava and Sophie. Or any of the others.”

“They didn’t have children.”

I take a long breath. So here we are, at the crux of it.

“Seriously?” I ask. “You’re holding that against her? You were a single mom yourself.”

“And I didn’t date anybody,” she says, pursing her lips.

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