Page 113 of Strictly the Worst

“I’d want to meet him.”

“That’s your prerogative,” I say, keeping my head high. “Anything else you want to talk about? Or can I get back to cleaning up my floors now?”

“You know it won’t last, right? Zoe said he has no kids. That he’s younger than you. He’s just using you, that’s all. Any single guy worth anything isn’t gonna saddle himself with a single mom. Especially not one approaching forty.”

I let out a long breath. “Fuck off, Jared.”

He blinks as though I’ve just struck him. But seriously, who does he think he is?

“Who I see is my business,” I say again. “Now don’t you want to go and spend some time with our child?”

“Fine.” He turns on his heel and walks out of the door. A moment later, Angela walks back in carrying two cups of coffee.

“Where’s assface?” she asks.

“He’s gone.”

“Good riddance.”

My phone lights up again with another message from Linc. This time Angela doesn’t do anything to hide the fact that she’s reading it over my shoulder.

I’ve organized for a car to pick you and Angela up at seven. Dinner will be served to you both at my place. If I can’t have you in my bed at least I can have you safely in my apartment for the night. – Linc x.

“Ooh,” Angela says. “That man is one smooth talker. Does he have any brothers?” she asks.

“You have no idea.”

But this one is mine. And he’s giving me all the sweet feels.

LINC

“Darling, come dance with me.” My mom holds her hand out to me as the band strikes up another song. The rest of the family are on the dance floor already. Holden and Blair are in the center, the two of them swaying softly, as Holden whispers something in her ear. Blair smiles and I’m almost certain whatever he said to her was dirty.

Truth is, I don’t feel much like dancing. Which is weird, because I’ve always loved to dance. But I’m feeling stupidly moody and I’m missing Tessa.

I stand and take my mom’s hand and lead her over to the rest of the family. Myles and Ava are dancing and laughing. Liam and Sophie are staring into each other’s eyes. Eli and Mackenzie are clinging to each other like they never want to let go.

Even Brooks is dancing with some pretty woman he was sitting next to at dinner.

It doesn’t escape my attention that I’m the only brother who is alone tonight.

“You’re very quiet tonight,” Mom says. “Is everything okay?”

Immediately, my gut tightens.

“Everything is fine,” I say, pasting on a smile. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

She says nothing for a moment. From the corner of my eye I see my father and Julia, his wife, dancing. She’s actually his fourth wife, though no one ever talks about his first wife. But the others are here. Linda was his second wife – she’s the mother of Myles, Liam, Eli, and Holden and she’s currently dancing with Francie, my little sister.

I used to hate how complicated our family was. I blamed my mom’s attempt at leaving the world on that.

Now that I’m grown up I’ve realized that everybody’s life is complicated. Just in different ways.

“I heard through the grapevine that you’ve been seeing somebody,” she says as the band segues into another song. It’s a little faster, but nothing we can’t handle.

“Yep.”

She takes a deep breath. “And she’s a single mother?”

---