Page 92 of Mother Parker
Was it because he was a white boy and I wasn’t?
Story of my fucking life.
I knew we hadn’t discussed being exclusive, but I didn’t think he would find another boyfriend so quickly and parade him in front of me on Thanksgiving.
He’d invited me, damn it. Was it all so he could break my heart?
Not that he would. In order to break my heart, I first had to give it to him, and I hadn’t.
I haven’t, I haven’t, I haven’t.
“Hwan, this is my brother, Camden,” Parker said, and my stomach sank. “And this is his boyfriend, Linc.”
I blinked and let the blond guy shake my hand, noticing the tall black guy behind him for the first time.
Overreact much, Hwanchan?
“Nice to meet you guys,” I said. “I have to admit, you guys look nothing alike.”
Camden laughed and ran a hand through his hair.
“Yeah, we still haven’t figured out how I turned out blond. Either an errant gene or Mom had an affair,” he replied, and Parker laughed.
“You wish,” he told his brother.
They were cute together. There was a touch of awkwardness in how they looked at each other—which I guessed contributed to my overreaction—but it was nice seeing them interact as if they hadn’t been put through hell by their parents.
Someone coughed behind me, and I turned to find Halmeoni staring at all the new people with a sassy glare.
“Sorry, Halmeoni. This is Parker, the guy who’s helping me out, and his brother, Camden. And I’m sorry, was it Linc?”
Camden’s boyfriend nodded and offered his hand to Halmeoni, then Camden, and last, Parker, who suddenly brandished the biggest smile and covered her hand with both of his.
“I’m not just helping. I work there now,” he said to her, but I knew he was really talking to me.
Halmeoni dipped her head with a mannered smile.
“Of course. You godsend,” she told him.
The motherfucker had the cheek to blush at that. To blush!
“I don’t know about that, but I’m doing my best,” he told her.
“No, you godsend. Before you, Hwanchan-ah do everything on his own,” she said.
“I had Elliot,” I defended myself.
“He don’t know everything. He young. He can’t even talk to customers,” Halmeoni said.
“He’s just shy,” I muttered, but Halmeoni patted Parker's hand and turned to look at the kitchen door where Wyatt emerged with a big platter of turkey.
As soon as he saw him, Biscuit chased after him, trying to get his paws on the juicy poultry, and Camden laughed.
“Food’s ready,” he sang and placed it in the middle of the table. “What’s the score?”
Ash and Maddox turned around and updated Wyatt as everyone started to gather around the long table.
“Are we all here? What about Dare?” Maddox asked and picked up Biscuit’s lead, pulling him away from temptation.
