Page 60 of The Heavier the Guilt…

Me:Yeah, I’ll let Mom & Dad know

Tal:No need, I’m coming ur way in a few

While it’d be ideal for us to talk with my parents here, that also felt cowardly. I deserved to get my ass kicked, and I knew that Talon would hold back if my parents were around. Even though Dad already knew about Edie, I still felt like it was a private issue between me and Talon.

Me:Okay, no problem

I immediately left my bedroom to go find my parents. When I found them both in the kitchen, it was perfect timing.

“Hey, don’t take anything out for dinner yet.” Both my parents looked my way. “Talon and Kenzlee are in town, and they’re hoping that we can all meet up for dinner.”

Dad eyed me as Mom carried on like most mothers did. “Oh, my God,” she gushed. “Oh, I miss them so much.” She beamed at me. “What a nice surprise.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, trying not to let my dad’s glare burn me on the spot.

“Did Talon say what they were doing in town?” he finally asked.

I shook my head. “Uh…no,” I answered. “He just sent me a text that he was on his way over, and that he was hoping that we could all get together for dinner.”

“Oh, of course,” Mom readily agreed. “It’d be lovely for all of us to get together.”

“It’d be better if Hunter and Alexandria could have made it back home,” I remarked quietly.

Mom let out a heavy sigh. “I’m still trying to get used to having all you kids scattered about.”

“So, this is just a surprise visit?” Dad asked, still eyeing me.

I shrugged. “I guess.”

“Well, it’s a lovely surprise, and I can’t wait to see Kenzlee and Talon,” Mom said, her eyes still burning bright with happiness. “You kids are just growing up too damn fast.”

“Well, you still have me and Edie for another year,” I reminded her.

“Yes, I do,” she chuckled. “And I’ll take it.”

“Gee, thanks,” I drawled out.

“Oh, you know what I mean,” she teased.

“You said that Talon’s on his way over now?”

I looked over at my dad as I nodded. “Yeah.”

“Maybe you guys can spend some time together before we all go out to dinner,” Dad suggested, though it really wasn’t a suggestion. He wanted me to clear the air with Talon every bit as much as I did.

“Or afterwards,” I countered. “I wouldn’t want to ruin dinner by losing track of time or something.”

Dad gave me a terse nod, reading between the lines. “Yeah, maybe after dinner would be best.”

Twenty minutes later, Talon was walking through my front door, and I’d never felt so…wretched in all my life. This guy trusted me with his sister, and I had betrayed him in the worst way. It wasn’t enough that I had taken her virginity, but I also wanted to own her future. Edie Draven was it for me, and I had no idea how I was going to convince Talon of that.

Two hours later, all nine of us were having dinner in the Grants’ backyard, barbecue and all the fixings everywhere, and the only things missing were Hunter and Alexandria. While it felt good to all be together again, there was no denying that all of us felt their absence profoundly. Yeah, Thanksgiving would be here soon enough, but things still felt odd without them here.

As everyone started cleaning up, I walked over to Talon, my heart lodged in my throat. “Hey, you got a second?”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“I…I know you miss your mom and Edie, but do you think you got some time to…talk?” I asked. “I have a few things that I’d really like to…get with you about.”

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