I slip my arm around Jensen’s shoulders and bend my head so it’s close to hers. “You okay?”
“Your family is very—overwhelming,” she admits, her voice shaky. “I don’t know what to think.”
“Don’t think at all. That’s what I always do when I hang out with the fam,” I answer just before I nuzzle her cheek. She smells fucking amazing. I can’t believe we were having sex a little over thirty minutes ago and now we’re here, making nice with the family.
I wish we were still at her apartment, her bare ass pressed against the door as I pushed inside her. That was a lot more fun than this shit.
“Rhett,” she warns, right when Park decides to open his big mouth.
“You two are cozy.” The smug look on his face tells me he thinks I’m an idiot. But my big brother has never been big on commitment. People may say I’m a player, but the real player in this family is Park. Or Dad. “Is this serious or what, Rhett?”
“Like I’m going to answer that question right now.” I squeeze Jensen’s shoulders reassuringly. “But don’t be surprised if I bring her around you guys some more. As long as you all behave.”
Park laughs, highly amused. “Guess she won’t be coming around then, since none of us know how to behave.”
“Hey, speak for yourself,” Addie adds, smiling. “I’m so excited Jensen’s here, Rhett. Someone for me to talk to instead of a bunch of rude guys all the time.”
“Hey,” Trent protests and she gives him a quick kiss on the lips, shutting him up.
“What about Diane?” I ask innocently.
“The Wicked Witch of the West doesn’t count.” Addie reaches over and swats my chest. “And you know it.”
Jensen laughs, the first time I’ve seen her look relaxed since we’ve arrived, and I’m thinking she’s going to be all right.
And the evening goes pretty smooth, despite our arriving late and throwing off our seating chances. They finally take us to our table, and I make sure and sit as far away from Dad and Diane as possible. Trent and Addie sit directly across from me and Jensen, and Park sits on the other side of her. Conversation is flowing, Addie telling us how Dad surprised her with her car that morning.
“Sadie was there.” Sadie is Addie’s best friend. “And she’s got her phone out, taking a video as we walk out the front door. I’m so completely clueless, I had no idea what she was doing, but when we went outside, there it was, sitting in the driveway. My beautiful white Jeep with a giant pink bow on top. It was so awesome, I started crying and screaming, and she got it all so we could post it on my Snapchat story. I hugged Dad so hard he said I was choking him. Huh, Daddy?” Addie leans forward, smiling at our Dad.
“You got a little excited,” Dad says dryly, making us laugh.
“Anyway, it was the best present ever.” Addie smiles, sending Trent a look. “Trent and I went to the cemetery after school. We left flowers on Mama’s grave.”
Shit. I’m usually the one who does that with Addie. I’ll call or text her the week before, and we’ll arrange a time to meet on Addie’s birthday to take flowers and…talk to her. Addie likes to call her Mama, because that’s what Park and I always called her when we were little, and when we told her that, she seemed to latch onto it.
I hate that she never got to know her. That Addie has no memories of our mother at all. Only what we share with her, photographs and videos, a lingering reminder of our mother’s vibrancy and pure joy.
“Ads, I’m so sorry.” I reach across the table and rest my hand over hers, giving it a brief squeeze. “I’ve been kinda busy.” Completely distracted by Jensen.
My excuse sounds lame, but I can tell Addie isn’t angry with me.
“It’s okay. Trent took me to the cemetery and it was nice. I didn’t even cry. I told her all about my new car, and about Trent, and school. It was good. I like talking to her now, though it used to make me sad.” Addie smiles, and in that moment, she resembles our mother so much, it almost takes my breath away.
I wonder if Dad sees it. He has to. I wonder if it bothers him, to look at his daughter and see his dead wife.
“Did Rhett tell you that our mom died giving birth to me?” Addie asks Jensen.
“Addie,” Park chastises, scowling at her. “Should we really talk about this right now? It’s your birthday.”
Park isn’t comfortable talking about Mom. Ever. That’s more for me and Addie.
“It’s also the day our mother died,” Addie points out.
“Right, but let’s focus on the positive stuff, okay?” Park’s voice is gruff, his gaze distant. Sometimes I wonder if he’s going to explode someday, since he rarely expresses his feelings about…anything. He keeps everything bottled up inside, and that can’t be good.
“I was just curious,” Addie says, looking hurt. “I think she should know, because I sound like a crazy person right now and I wanted to explain my birthday ritual to her.”
“He did tell me about your mother,” Jensen says, her voice soft, her eyes lit with understanding. “And I’m so sorry.”