Page 218 of Pucking Sweet

“Oh,I’mthe embarrassment? Come on, Popcorn, what did you expect? Did you really think we’d welcome these guys with open arms? That we’d just look the other way when you show up pregnant with no ring on your finger? These guys are obviously trash. No real man would treat you this way—”

“I willnotlet you speak to them like that,” I all but shout. Colton and Lukas each have a hand on my arm now, holding me back.

Tina steps forward, arms crossed. “The only trash here isyou, Rowan. Your sister is fucking amazing. She’s a girl-bossing queen that is so all-powerful, she deservestwokings. You couldn’t hold a candle to these guys, and you fucking know it. So just go crawl back over to King Daddy and suck your own tiny dick.”

“Goodness, I do hope nothing’s the matter over here.”

I squeeze both my guys’ hands in warning as I slowly turn.

Mom comes gliding up in a silver dress, her hair perfectly styled, thick black pearls around her neck. She’s clutching her usual glass of pinot grigio with a practiced hand. She peers around at all of us, looking the longest at Colton and Lukas, before her gaze settles on Tina.

“Mom, you remember Tina,” I say, still keeping myself between Lukas and Rowan.

Of course she remembers. Tina only lived over our garage for years. She swam in our pool and rode our horses. She used to climb our fence and trip the alarms to go hang out with her stoner friends at the park.

“Christina,” Mom says. “Did I know you were coming, dear?”

“Violet invited me, ma’am.”

Oh, she just called my mom “ma’am.” I am so teasing her about that later. As if she can read my mind, she shoots daggers at me with her eyes.

“Hmm.” Mom takes in all Tina’s piercings and tattoos. “What is it with you young people feeling the need to desecrate your bodies with all this ink and metal?”

“It’s called body modification,” Tina replies. “And it’s actually a practice as old as humanity. They’ve found tattoos on human remains that are over three-thousand years old.”

Mom grimaces. “Well…isn’t that a fun little anecdote for a wedding.”

“I think it’s cool,” Lukas says with a shrug. When all eyes turn to him, he tenses. “Oh—Lukas Novikov, ma’am. I’m your daughter’s—”

She raises a warning brow at him.

“I’m…Lukas,” he finishes lamely, holding out his hand.

She shakes it as if his hand were a wet fish, and angry tears sting the corners of my eyes. She’s not even trying. In fact, she’s deliberatelynottrying.

“And which one are you?” she says at Colton.

“That’s Colton, Mom,” I say. “If Lukas has already introduced himself, you know he must be Colton. You know their names.”

“Do not raise your voice to me, Miss Poppy.”

I take a deep breath, turning to Tina with a pleading look.

“You know, Annmarie, that is such a pretty dress,” she says, trying to buy me an out.

“Thank you, Christina.” She smooths her hand over the sparkles of her silver dress. “If only my sweet girl thought to dress for a wedding, instead of a funeral. She brings down the entire mood, sulking over here in the corner.”

“Okay, look—” I spin around, but Lukas pulls on my arm, tucking me in at his side with a muttered, “Rule number one.”

Wait, nowIhave to be polite to my family? Fat freaking chance. Not if they’re all gonna act like this. I can’t bear it.

“Why don’t we find our seats for dinner?” Colton says, his hand on my back as he tries to lead me away. “Mrs. St. James, it was a real pleasure meeting you—”

“Poppy, honey, you’re up at the top table with the rest of the bridal party,” Mom says over him. With one last look, she turns and walks away.

I let out a shaky breath as they both groan.

“Fuck, I think my feet are sweating,” Colton mutters.

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