Page 37 of Give My Everything
My mother’s eyebrows pinch together.
“As long as you’re staying in this house, you’ll be treated right by a gentleman. You,mija, will be treated with respect, and he can come to the door and greet your family. You won’t besummonedout to a car like a lady of the night.”
Dominic’s laughter is a quiet rumble that he cuts off quickly when he catches my glare, but I can’t help the tiny smile that creeps onto my face.
My brother doesn’t laugh often. The product of being around my parents so much, in my opinion.
“Lady of the night, mom?” he says. “I was on your team until you went there.”
“Oh come on,” she replies. “We can’t expect—” But whatever she wasn’t expecting gets cut off by a knock at the door. She lifts her eyebrow. “See? I knew he’d figure out what to do eventually.”
I heave a sigh and wait as she opens the door, her body poised as if she’s royalty about to greet an honored guest.
If I’m completely honest, she probably sees herself that way. I giggle at the image of my mother in a crown.
But the giggle cuts off when I hear Ben’s voice in the doorway.
“Good evening, Mariana. Always a pleasure.”
I roll my eyes. Such a charmer.
“Benjamin, lovely to see you. What can I help you with?”
There’s a pause, and I shake my head as my brother gives me a small grin.
They’re evil. Both of them.
“I’m picking Remmy up for our date this evening. I apologize. Did she not tell you?”
“Oh yes, she told us about your date. But I’m just feeling a little…confused, perhaps? Yes, that’s the right word. I’m confused as to why you would beckon my daughter out to the car like—”
“Don’t say it!” I shriek, eliminating my mother’s chance to uselady of the nightagain.
She puts a hand to her chest and looks over at me, shock covering her face.
“Remington!”
Dominic laughs again, and I shoot him another irritated glare as I stride toward the door.
“This whole thing is a farcical mess. You made me wait in here until he walked to the door because of some old-school belief about dating and parental respect and whatever, butguess what—I don’t care about it, and what I think is the only thing that matters.”
My mother still stands at the doorway with wide eyes, clearly taken aback at my attitude. It’s rare for me to get irritable with her, so I bet she has no idea how to respond.
“You already know and like Ben. We’re going to dinner. I’ll be back when I want,ifI want, though I might spend the night at his place.Bye.”
And then I take Ben by the hand and drag him behind me as I walk down the pathway and out toward where his car is waiting in the circle drive.
When we get to his car, a sleek black Lexus that looks brand spankin’ new, he opens the door and helps me inside.
Then he bends down and leans toward me, a smile spread wide on his face. “That was amazing.”
I don’t smile, but I know my eyes are sparkling. “Itfeltamazing.”
He chuckles and closes the door, rounding the back and hopping in next to me.
“I thought your primary issue was that you didn’t know how to stand up to your parents,” he says as he pulls away. “Clearly, that’s not entirely true.”
I glance in the side view mirror at our massive house as we exit the drive and turn onto the street.
