Page 56 of Wedlocked

Then, around a sip of coffee, I said, “It’s bad enough our parents made themselves non grata around here.”

Prism leaned forward. “Your parents really aren’t coming?”

“What am I missing?” Arsen asked.

“Ben’s parents aren’t the most supportive of his relationship with Jess,” P told him. Then glancing back to me, he said, “I thought they’d come around.”

To Arsen, I explained further. “Point blank, my parents are snooty snobs, and they don’t think Jess is good enough because her parents are addicts and she grew up in the ghetto.”

Arsen’s eyebrows flew up. “Her parents are addicts?”

I looked at Prism. “You didn’t tell him?”

“I told him they weren’t around and she didn’t come from money.” Prism defended himself. Then to Arsen, he said, “I didn’t want to just blurt that out. It’s not my sister’s fault her mom is…”

Arsen hooked his hand around the back of Prism’s neck and pulled him in. “It’s okay, baby. I get it. Talking about deadbeat parents isn’t your favorite.”

“Besides, she doesn’t see her mom anymore.” Prism defended himself further.

Arsen leaned in, pressing his forehead against Prism’s. “You’re okay,” he said softly.

“You got a problem with my wife’s background?” I questioned Arsen.

Prism jolted, serving up a hella dirty look.

“Drink your sugar,” I told him.

“No.” Arsen was sure. “But I do have a problem with you trying to boss Matthew.”

“Anyway,” I said, dramatically moving away from all that. We’d had enough drama already. “I called my parents and told them about the wedding, extended an invite on a silver platter. But I also told them not to come if they couldn’t be one hundred percent supportive and mean it. They aren’t welcome here if they upset Jess in any way on her wedding day.”

“And they really said they wouldn’t come?” Prism pressed.

“Mom said she’d let me know,” I answered, sitting back to swipe my palm over my face. “Haven’t heard shit since.”

Prism abandoned his fancy coffee and turned his back on the man who made it to produce his phone from somewhere in that stolen sweater and hold it up. Scowling, he said. “I’m gonna text them.”

“Whoa, whoa,” I said, leaning over the wooden tabletop to put my hand over his phone and push it down. “Cease fire on the mean face emojis, bro.”

“Fuck those emojis. I’m going straight to words. Bad ones.”

Arsen and I exchanged a look. Arsen frowned.

“How about we put a hold on that?” I said, slipping the phone from his hands to lay it facedown on the table. “They aren’t worth all that.”

“You are,” Prism said.

My face snapped up. My heart got a little warm. “Bro.”

“I’m sorry, Ben,” Prism said, leaning over the corner of the table to hug me. “You deserve better and so does Jess. Someday,they’re going to regret this. They’re stupid for not wanting you in their life.”

There was a lump in my throat. It burned. And my eyes? They burned too. “You think maybe the wood in the fireplace is putting out too much smoke, A?” I asked over P’s shoulder. “Seems a little hazy in here.”

Arsen was silent a beat, watching his boyfriend hug me. “I’ll go check.” Then, “It will only take a second.” He said that last part for me. Letting me know he wasn’t leaving Prism alone for long because he was worried.

Arsen headed into the great room, and Prism pulled back. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Honestly. The people that mean the most to me are already here.”

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