“Sounds like another field trip might be warranted to the ballet,” Mr. Reed growled, and though I didn’t understand the reference, it certainly got Wells’s attention. The tall blond shot ramrod straight.
“No, sir. That’s not necessary,” he said, and something I noticed was their dynamic. He spoke to Mr. Reed with respect, and Mr. Reed spoke to him like his kid.
They really were brothers.
There was some deep shit here, shit I clearly didn’t understand.
Mr. Reed bunched his hair. “Go get seated for dinner. After, you head home.”
Wells nodded, placing a glance my way one more time.
The parents watched him on his way out. Bow watched him.
I grabbed my purse off the counter.
It was Bow to notice that first, then Mr. and Mrs. Reed. Mrs. Reed came around the island. “Sloane—”
“I need to go,” I said, shaking my head. “I shouldn’t have come. I have my brother anyway. I mentioned he’s sick so… I, uh, I should head home.”
It took all I had not to physically cry, and I didn’t cry. I wasn’t that girl. But I was embarrassed. Angry.
Frustrated.
I visibly shook in the Reeds’ kitchen, and it took everything not to be rude and run from the room.
Mr. Reed frowned. “I don’t know what’s going on with you kids, but the boys have a habit of being chronically inept when it comes to treating others with respect as of late.”
“They do,” Mrs. Reed agreed. “Please don’t let them scare you off. You’re our guest. Bow’s guest.”
I didn’t feel like Bow’s guest either. I mean, she didn’t want me here.
She’d told me that herself.
Even now, she was finding it hard to look at me.
I nodded at that. “I need to go but thank you. So much…”
“Sloane. Dear…”
I couldn’t stay to hear what Mrs. Reed said, and I guessed I was the trash that Legacy treated me like when they first met me. I just couldn’t stay.
I was done.
Chapter Seventeen
Dorian
My father slid my phone across the counter, something I hadn’t seen since we’d all left town. I turned off the water from the kitchen sink, then wiped my hands on a dish towel. I’d finished rinsing the dishes from dinner anyway.
Dad nodded at the phone, more casual today and in both demeanor and dress. All his buddies and friends were out here with us, visiting us for the next couple days. It was the first time we’d all been a group since, well, things had happened.
My god dads and their wives had even brought my friends too, all of us really together.
Dad folded his arms. “I figured since your friends are here anyway,” he said, shrugging. “Might as well give that back to you.”
My friends were all cleaning up from dinner, something all us guys had opted to do. We figured it was the least we could all do and that freed up Bow, the moms, and Billie (LJ’s wife) to head out and go shopping. It’d also get them out of the house.
We needed to talk.