Page 55 of Eat You Alive (Court Legacy 4)

“Anyway, I thought I’d visit my son and my daughter. Sloane and I had breakfast this morning. Knew you were busy with your appointment.”

Both she and Dad were the first I messaged to let them know about it. I’d been casual about it, brought it up in the group text between my sister, Bru, myself, and our parents. It was my way of letting them all know I was handling my business. It also kept them all off my back.

Mom threaded her arm around mine. “So how about lunch? You wanna take your mama out? I’m buying.”

Like I could ever push my mother away. She was worse than me when it came to getting what she wanted.

I mean, that was who I’d learned from.

I took my mother out to lunch and refused her money when I brought her to my favorite spot on campus. For the most part, Pembroke had decent food, but the food trucks on the quad ran supreme.

Mom and I took our chili dogs on some benches under a tree, watching people play Frisbee and just hang out. I didn’t see my mom a lot between school and her busy schedule, but it was always nice when we could hang. She pushed more than Dad, not as laid-back as him, but I got it because we were really alike. My sister may be her mini-me as far as looks, but when it came to the insides, I was all Brielle Mallick. I had her fight too, which meant I was always butting heads with my parents on the regular growing up. I hadn’t always been the easiest kid to get along with.

Mom scarfed some of her chili dog. “So how did your appointment go?”

I grinned, wiping my mouth. “Just wanted to come out to lunch, huh?”

“Well, I wouldn’t be your mom if I didn’t ask.” She waggled her dark eyebrows. “Anyway, it go well? You’re doing well?”

I considered how to answer that. “Yeah. He said I was good.”

Doc had said that, the truth, but I didn’t miss the tightness that returned to my stomach.

My mom’s smile triggered it.

It made me focus on my hot dog, easier than other things. Mom shook my leg. “I’m so glad you got that taken care of. Lots of worry off my and your dad’s backs.”

My parents did worry a lot. I’d given them so many reasons to over the years, too many. I’d grown up as an only child, and that fact had put my entire family through the wringer. My parents had dealt with Sloane’s absence in our lives far better than me.

And I hadn’t even met her back then.

I put my hot dog down. “Well, you don’t have to worry. I told you I’d get it done.”

She wouldn’t worry. She couldn’t, and I refused to let her or Dad.

I swallowed as her lips lifted.

“You did, but still, I know how busy school can get, and now that you’ve got a girlfriend, I’m sure your time is very divided.”

I’d been taking a bite of my hot dog and nearly choked. I coughed it down. “Girlfriend?”

“Sorry. Cat’s out of the bag. Your sister told me all about it.”

But I hadn’t even told her that, made Fawn and I official-official. I mean, I’d told that bitch at the party that, but… “I never told Sloane I had a girlfriend.”

“No, but you moved in with her, so…”

My eyes flashed. I was sure wide as fuck. “She told you that too?”

Goddammit, little.

“I think we all know how serious that makes this,” Mom continued. She nudged me. “Sloane said you were just helping this girl out for a term, but come on, Ares. We know you. You don’t bring around girls.”

I didn’t, which meant my parents knew I was just as much of a ho as anyone else.

“This is obviously very serious, and it’s okay to admit that.” My mother beamed, and she didn’t beam. It wasn’t like she wasn’t a happy person, but emotions certainly came easier to my father. At least, expressing them.

And so, I was my mother’s child.

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