Page 113 of On My Side
I force myself to meet my dad’s eye. “Did you know about what Mom told her?”
My dad is taken aback, but averts his eyes. My heart sinks.
“It was a mutual decision,” he admits. “A wrong one. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not who you should be apologizing to.”
“No, I owe you an apology, too. I always wanted to be someone I’d be proud to see my sons be like, and I wasn’t. I let you and your siblings down. I will apologize to Audrey, too, because she deserves it. I can tell she’s really important to you.”
“No one’s ever mattered to me as much as she and Piper do,” I admit.
He clasps my shoulder. “I’m glad you have them, and I’m glad they have you. You’re a good man, and even though I made mistakes along the way, I can’t help but be proud of my kids and the people they are.”
As we return downstairs, I see Will arrived during our absence and Millie excitedly fills him in on the drama. Next to her, Poppy is the only person in the room not chattering, staring in silence at her wine glass.
When I sit, I realize the chair to my left is empty, as is my mom’s. My stomach sinks, and I’m back on my feet and heading to the kitchen, where Mom and Audrey are facing each other, because ofcourseMom had to corner Audrey while I wasn’t here.
Mom notices me first, and instead of looking like she fears me, which sheshould, she breaks out into a joyful smile.
“Hey,” I say through clenched teeth. I place a protective hand on Audrey’s lower back and she immediately leans into me. “What are you talking about?”
Audrey tilts her head up and presses her lips to my chin. I hate myself, because I’m immediately melting into a pile of Ren goo, absolutely smitten with this sweet woman. “Mom stuff. We’re okay, baby.”
I no longer can try to intimidate my mom, because now my insides are doing a complex cheerleading routine. She called mebaby.
God, I can’t even be protective for fifteen seconds before this woman has me giggling and kicking my feet.
“You’re okay?” I repeat, lightheaded from the euphoria that her calling mebabyelicited.
“Mmhmm. I wanted to talk to her,” Audrey says, leaning her head against my shoulder.
I meet Mom’s gaze. Her arms are crossed across her chest and she’s smiling smugly.
It’s the same face she made when Josh came over for the first time after he and Nic were official. When Hunter and Jo came to their first espresso morning as a couple, and Mom happened to wake up and catch us. When Stella and Leo snuggle on the couch, heads together as they laugh at a video on one of their phones.
Shelikesthis. Likesus.
“I don’t know, Lorenzo,” Mom says teasingly as she walks to the fridge and grabs a single bottle of salad dressing that’s probably been in there for as long as I’ve been alive. “She might be too good for you.”
I meet Audrey’s gaze. Her eyes are watery, but shimmering, a soft smile turning the corners of her lips upward, like she has a secret that only the two of us know.
“Yeah,” I say absentmindedly as I cup her cheek. “She certainly is.”
Chapter 36
Ren
Playlist: Smiling All the Way Back Home | Tom Odell
“So,” I say, tapping my thumb on the steering wheel. “How do you feel about watchingA New Hopetonight? We can stop and get Leia on our way to the cottage.” I’m trying to keep my cool, but my insides are bursting at the idea of introducing my favorite film franchise to my favorite girls.
“Actually,” Piper says from the backseat. “Mom, can I stay at Annika’s tonight? You can drop me off on the way home.”
“Pipe, tomorrow’s a school day.” Audrey turns her neck to look at her daughter. “Should you really stay over tonight?”
“Annika goes to school too, Mom.” Piper’s tone shows how silly she thinks this conversation is, and how confused she is that the answer wasn’t an immediate and emphatic ‘yes.’
“Did you finish your homework?” Audrey asks.
