Page 92 of Stealing Home

Scarlett shrugs one shoulder. “You can’t help that you were born straight, Scott.”

Jeremy nods. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. We accept you for who you are.”

“You’re both a little nuts.” Every time they get together they do this, and I pretend to be annoyed. It’s kind of our thing.

I look at Harlow and see her struggling not to laugh, but she quickly loses the battle and starts giggling. “You’re awesome.”

Jeremy drops his arm around her. “I like this one, Scott. Go ahead and bitch out your dad, I’ll keep your hot girlfriend company.”

I point at Jeremy. “Don’t let her take off. I came with her, I expect to leave with her.”

The party has pretty much died down since I stormed off earlier. I haven’t even gotten a chance to say hi to my Aunt Toni, or Aunt Kate. I hug both of them really quick. “Sorry there’s not more time to visit. I’m about to yell at my dad and then leave. Come visit sometime.”

“You know how much Trent and I love a good road trip. We’ll make it down there soon,” Toni assures me.

“I have a feeling I’ll be going down with your mom soon,” Kate says. She’s always been the most intuitive one. I think she knows I won’t be speaking to my dad for a while after today.

“Scott? I thought you left,” my mom says.

“Yeah, I started to, then Scarlett showed up,” I begin.

My mom’s face lights up, and I hate that I’m going to wipe the happiness off her face in a minute.

“Both of my babies are home at the same time? Where is she?” She’s almost bouncing with joy. During the baseball and softball seasons, Scarlett and I don’t get to come home as much, and rarely at the same time since she’s on the University of Washington’s softball team.

“Yeah, she’s out front talking to Jer and Harlow,” I tell her.

My dad’s jaw clenches. “Surprised to hear that Harlow is still here, dad? Did you think she’d have taken off when she saw Mara?”

Mom looks back and forth between the two of us. “Aiden, what is he talking about?”

He does manage to look a little guilty, but I’m too pissed off to care. When he doesn’t offer either of us an explanation, I fill my mom in. “Apparently, dad told Scar that I missed Mara, and she should bring her home with her today.”

She turns around so fast, her dark red hair whips around her. “Tell me you didn’t,” she begs.

Still, he says nothing.

“For twenty-two years you’ve never let me down. I accepted when I found out you were engaged, that you had a child that was given up for adoption. Hell, I stood by you when your mother and psycho ex plotted to kill me. This is too much though. You promised me you’d keep an open mind, and you lied to me.”

“Red, wait,” he calls after my mom as she storms off toward the house.

“I don’t want to talk to you right now, Aiden,” she seethes. “You’ll be lucky if Scott ever talks to you again. You fucked up. I’m going to stay somewhere else for a few days.”

She looks over and Kate who only nods.

There’s nothing more I want to say to him. I’m not sure if I’ll ever have anything to say to him again. I promised Harlow she wouldn’t come between me and my dad, but it wasn’t her I needed to worry about.

32

Harlow

The tripback to Centralia is somber. We originally planned on coming back on Monday, but after the bullshit his dad pulled, Scott changed our tickets to leave early Sunday morning. Now we’re sitting silently during the long drive back from the airport. I know he is disappointed about how horribly the visit went, and I’m feeling guilty for being the reason he’s not talking to his dad. Neither of us speak up to make the tension less awkward.

It occurs to me halfway back to Centralia that we still don’t have anywhere to stay tonight. Well, I don’t. Scott still technically has a house he’s renting with a few teammates. I hate putting Wren and Griffin out again, but I know I can’t go back to my apartment if the security system isn’t fixed. Putting myself at the mercy of Nando would be idiotic. He was awful during our sham of a marriage, and he’s only gotten worse since I left. There’s nothing to do except face the situation though, so I grab my phone to text Wren.

The visit was a disaster. We’re actually on our way back to town now.

Ugh, in-laws are the worst.

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