Page 24 of Lost Kingdom

My heart thunders painfully. “What?”

“Your mom kept trying to pry, asking if Eli’s wedding had prompted me to step out of the shadows and announce our pending nuptials.”

“Goddddd.” I drop my head and groan. “She’s relentless.”

“I told her we were just friends. We’ve been friends for many years, and this isn’t romantic. I explained I was coming to dinner purely for moral support and to get to know my friend’s family. That’s it.”

Liar!Ifeelhis deception in the air and search his eyes for the truth. “She believed you?”

“I can be very convincing when I need to be. Are you done freaking out now?”

“No.”

“I’m starving. And your mother’s pot roast smells divine. I never get home-cooked meals unless I’m in New York, so I’d really like to enjoy this, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t…” Doubt trickles in to cast a shadow over what Iknowto be the truth, but then he takes my hand and reignites the fire in my blood. “Friends? And she accepted that?”

“Of course.” He opens the back door, only to stop and grin when my mother bursts through, screeching like a banshee.

“Engaged!?” She wraps me up in a hug and squeezes until the pressure in my head turns dangerous. “I knew you’d eventually bring Mr. Right home.”

Furious, I bring my eyes around. “Engaged?”

Tim takes off like a shot, clapping hands with Eli, his ally in a colorful war zone. His partner in crime, inside a home bursting with sun catchers and the smell of sage. Rosemary. Incense. “Good to see you again.” He turns to Curtis. “Nice to meet you. Thanks for including me in your big day. My brother just got married this past weekend, too. I guess December is the new May.”

“How is your sex life, Aubree?” My mother fills her glass with deep red Shiraz, pouring until the liquid touches the lip. Then she flashes a smile and meets my eyes. No doubt, my face pales almost as much as the deceased Mrs. Shoemaker. “Healthy, I hope.”

“Mother.” I burn her with a glare and pay Tim no mind at all when he brings a hand up to cover his curling lips. “This is not something I wish to discuss.”

“At the dinner table? Why not?”

“Ever! And because I said so.”

“Sex is natural!” She gestures toward Eli, completely unphased by my niece and nephew perched at the end of the table. “Eli, honey, you understand, don’t you?”

“Yes, Momma.” He wraps his arm over Curtis’ shoulders and picks his wine up to sip. “Mine is very healthy.”

“And Amelia?” My mom leans forward at the table, searching until she catches my sister’s taunting eyes. “Hormone health is in everyone’s best interests. Are you and Malcolm finding time for intimacy now that the kids are a little older?”

“Yes, Momma.” Amelia’s face burns hot. This isn’t the first time our mom has talked about sex in a public setting. But it’s the first time she’s done it in front of Timothy Malone. “We’re trying for a third baby. We’ve only had one cycle so far, but we’re hopeful it’ll happen for us soon.”

“When will you try for babies?” She’s relentless, rotating her head horror-movie style and pinning Tim with a wildly unhinged smile. “Soon after the wedding, I hope.”

“Mom!”

“We have tentative plans for a spring wedding,” Tim offerssoooofucking easily. He drapes his arm over my shoulders and pulls me in until my cheek squishes against the side of his muscular chest. Then he presses a noisy, infuriating kiss to the top of my head. “She accepted my proposal in the summer, so I thought it would be nice to chase the sun a second time.”

“That’s so sweet!” My mom chugs a little more of her wine. “Though I must say, engaged in the summer, and we find out now… in the winter?” Shetut tuts. “Disappointing, for sure.”

I push away from myfiancéand gift him a glare that sayssee! Parents and theirI’m disappointedeyes.

“We’ve been busy,” Tim offers, picking at the remnants of his dinner and placing a green bean between his teeth. “Aubree, especially. I’m so proud ofthe career she’s chosen for her life’s work. It takes someone very special to do what she does.”

“She could have been a schoolteacher. Or a florist. Or a wedding planner.” Mom’s eyes light up. “Aubree! A wedding planner?—”

“I’m not leaving my job.” But I do as the Emeris do, and chug my wine. “I’m not hiring a wedding planner either.”

“You can have ours,” Eli offers smugly. “Sandra’s been a godsend.”

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