“What is this man doing in bed with you?” her father asked.
Matthew came awake and quickly stood beside her on the bed. She would have laughed, but her parents were not amused.
“Luna, you have to explain yourself. We got the call from the hospital to say that you had been shot and were stable. What’s going on?” her mother asked.
“Is it this young man? Is he into some bad stuff? I will call the sheriff!!”
Her father pulled out his cell phone, and Luna saw her parents were panicking. “Mom, Dad, stop. Okay? Just stop. This is, yes, I was shot last night, but it was not Matthew’s fault. It was Mac Reynold’s fault,” Luna said.
Her mother gasped. “Oh, no, was it a love triangle? Did Mac want you, honey? Was he angry that you picked this young boy?”
She wanted the bed to just swallow her whole.
“No, Mom, it had nothing to do with that. Nothing at all. Mac was trying to frame the Trojans MC, and he was going to kill Matthew. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I went back to get my cell phone, and it all just became a big old pile of mess.” She didn’t want to say too much in case there was a whole other story being worked by the Trojans MC.
Her parents didn’t look impressed.
“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Daniels. It is a pleasure to meet you,” Matthew said.
They were not going to shake his hands.
“Mom! Dad! Stop being so rude.”
They were polite and asked Matthew to leave.
“No,” Luna said. She grabbed Matthew’s hand. “He’s not going anywhere.”
“How about I go and get some coffee and let you talk to your parents?” Matthew asked.
“You don’t have to leave.”
“I’ll be back. I promise.” He kissed the top of her head and left the room.
“You will not see that boy again. I knew we should have forced her to come with us on the cruise. This is a big mistake.”
Her parents started to talk over her as if she didn’t exist. There was no way she was going to let them do this.
“Enough!” Luna said, raising her voice. It hurt to yell, but she wasn’t going to allow them to rule over her life. “I’m not a child anymore. I’m a full-grown woman who can make her own decisions. I love Matthew. I have been in love with Matthew for a long time. You want to act like you’re protecting me, but you’re not. You’re not helping me at all. If anything, you’re ruining this for me. Just stop.”
Her parents looked at one another. “Luna, we know that you have always had a crush on this boy, and to be honest, we were happy for you, but we all know how dangerous the Trojans MC are. We don’t want you running around with wild boys,” her mother said.
“Then I’ll move out,” Luna said. “The Trojans MC is a good place. It has good people in it, and it has Matthew. I want him, and I have tried to pretend that I don’t. I had the whole college experience and I tried to date other guys, but none of them make me feel anything like Matthew does. I love him. I want to be with him, and if you can’t support me with him, then I am sorry about that, but you’re not going to stop it.” Luna lickedher lips. “You went against your parents’ wishes.” She looked at her mother. “Grandma and Grandpa didn’t want you marrying a man who was older.”
“Honey.”
“You struggle with your relationship with them. I don’t see them. Do you want to never see my kids? To have that history repeated?” she asked.
Her mother’s lip quivered.
She had never wanted to bring up her mother’s decisions. Her parents were in love and totally devoted to each other, but she wasn’t going to sit back and allow them to rule her life when they wouldn’t listen to anyone else when they wanted each other.
Her mother moved closer and nodded. “You’re right, and I’m sorry. We will accept Matthew and his family with open arms.”
Her dad moved closer. “I don’t care so long as he makes you happy.”
Luna knew her dad regretted the lost relationship her mother had with her parents. There was nothing they could do to change their minds. They wouldn’t be swayed, and neither would Luna.
Matthew arrived, carrying a tray of coffee.