Page 85 of Grave Misgivings
Geo
There isno escaping family dinner. Especially because Katy and my parents know exactly where Zeb lives.
He’d offered to host the dinner tonight, I think, because he knows I’m already on edge around my mother. But I’m not sure what’s worse—being around my mother and the white picket fence shit, or having my parents sit on the couch my former bandmate slash boyfriend-ish person just sucked my dick on while said boyfriend-ish person currently cooks dinner five feet away.
When my phone rings, I thank God for the intervention.
“It’s Mateo, I’m just going to... uh... yeah, I’ll be back,” I utter as Katy raises an eyebrow suspiciously.
She clutches her wine glass, standing next to Zeb as she glares at me.
It’s weird, I won’t lie. For starters, my sister is all of five foot three and one hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet, and Zeb is like a grizzly bear next to her, but the way she’s looking at me is likeshe’sthe Mama Bear out to get me.
When I get into the guest room, I shut the door.
“What’s up?”
Mateo’s smooth voice sounds in my ear.
“My sister has commandeered me and my boyfriend to join her and Richie on a trip tomorrow to the Grand Canyon.”
I don’t miss the sarcasm in his voice.
“Oh, a road trip, how cute,” I tease him.
“It’s a two hour drive from the hotel,” he bites.
“You don’t sound particularly thrilled. What’s wrong?”
“Did you hear me? I’m going to spend two hours in a car with the Wylde brothers and my sister, and you’re asking me what’s wrong?”
I laugh.
“You sound bubbly as fuck. Things going well with the new demographic, I take it?”
I can’t help the smile that forms on my face, knowing no one can see me.
“He has a name, you know.”
“Really, I wasn’t aware,” he taunts me.
I shake my head. “His name is Zeb.”
Mateo pauses dramatically. “Your former band mate?”
There is no surprise or shock. I find his lack of a reaction, refreshing.
“You should bring him.” His tone is serious, and it’s not a question.
Panic, shame, and guilt threaten to build up again. I bite my lip.
Like a... date?
“Geo?” Mateo calls, pulling my attention.
“I mean, I guess we could come, but I’ll have to run it by him first.”
Mateo purrs on the other end of the phone. “Excellent. We’re heading out around ten, so we can all meet up around noon in the parking lot. Hailee’s booked us a private tour.”
