Page 46 of The Confidentiality Clause
“Yeah, but Brock cares about Ariel. I think he’d do it.”
I try to keep my expression neutral. There is so much they don’t know. So much I wish I could say, but I can’t. This past weekend, Brock started to open up to me. I can’t give up yet, no matter how much he drives me crazy.
“I don’t think I want any kind of fake date,” I squeak. “But thanks for the suggestion.”
Shaw shrugs. “Suit yourself.”
We pile into my car. Sutton gets in the passenger seat, and I try not to think about how just yesterday her brother was sitting in the same spot.
Chapter twenty-one
Brock Jones
A peal of thunder sounds out as I pull into my parents’ driveway behind Ariel’s car. Fitting, since I feel as though this night is going to be a nightmare. I love my family more than anything, but the more time I spend on work, the more pushy they become. After a long, grueling day, the last thing I want is to be lectured about how I don’t come home enough. No one bats an eye at Shaw and Sutton while they jet-set around the country during hockey season. But everyone throws a fit about me being gone too much.
I grab the roses I got for my mom in hopes they’ll keep her from scolding me too much, and get out of my car. I walk through the door without knocking. Maybe I can stay under the radar…
“The prodigal son returns!” my dad bellows from his recliner. He’s turned it to face the door instead of the TV. Clever.
“Hello to you too, Dad.”
My mom rushes into the living room and throws her arms around my neck. She smells like her signature perfume and a little like garlic–she must be cooking.
“It’s been way too long,” she says as she pulls back. Her hands frame my face. “You look tired.”
I force a smile. “Thanks, Mom. Here, I brought you these.” I hold the flowers up between us.
She gasps. “These are gorgeous. I’ll go put them in a vase.” She turns to my dad. “Come help me get a vase off the top shelf.”
Dad pushes out of his recliner with an exaggerated groan, then lumbers off after my mom.
“If you think a bouquet of flowers is going to keep Mom from lecturing you, you’re wrong,” Sutton says as she stands up off the couch where she was sitting between Ariel and Shaw.
“Would a diamond necklace do it? Because I can run to the store really quick,” I say with a smile.
She rolls her eyes and wraps her arms around me. I hug her back. My throat tightens with emotion unexpectedly. I catch Ariel’s gaze over Sutton’s shoulder. She’s smiling, but I can see the concern lining her expression.
“I missed you, idiot,” Sutton says.
I squeeze her back. “I missed you too.”
“Yeah, well you have a funny way of showing it.” She steps back and shoves my chest. “If you don’t start answering my calls more often, I’m going to resort to drastic measures.”
“I’m tempted to ignore you just to see what those are.”
“I wouldn’t if I were you,” Shaw says as he walks up to join us. “She’s told me them. They’re colorful in the violent sort of way.”
Sutton smiles. “He gave me points for my creative use of a hammer.”
I take it all back. I don’t wanna know.
“Has anyone ever told you you’re a little scary?” I ask.
“Yes,” Shaw and Ariel say in unison, making our whole group break out in laughter.
“Aww,” my mom says as she enters the room. “All of my babies laughing together. My heart is so full.” She places a hand over her chest.
“It’s good to be here, Mama Jones,” Shaw says as he throws an arm around me. “We’ll try to make it more of a habit.”
