Page 113 of Just This Once

“I hope you don’t mind,” I told Xander since I’m sure Alec had already forgotten. Again. “We’re picking up Alec’s mom on the way.”

“Oh.” She faltered a step, looking put on the spot as she glanced between me and Alec. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize I was interrupting a family dinner.”

“What? No! No…” Alec rushed to assure her, waving his hands. “You’re not.” Then he flushed. “I mean, they’re bothmyfamily.”

“But notmine,” I added smoothly. “He and I are half-siblings.” I hooked my arm through his, and he sank gratefully against me. “Same dad, different moms. His mom Nina is actually cool, though. Unlike mine, who’s a raging bitch.”

Xander merely blinked at us before slowly answering, “Okay.”

“Great,” I added before an awkward silence could ensue. After digging up my key fob for the Lucid Air, I tossed it at Alec. “You’re driving.”

He fumbled to catch it, and when he did, he widened his eyes at me to let me know he’d murder me later, but not in front of Xander, and then he forced a smile before answering, “Alright, then. Great. Are we ready?”

At the car,I asked Xander if she wanted to sit in the front, but she declined, which meant, she got to sit next to Nina when we stopped by her bungalow ten minutes later.

“Nina!” I shrieked, flinging open my car door as soon as we pulled up to the curb where she was already waiting on the sidewalk for us.

I was probably going to go to hell for liking my dad’s mistress more than I did my own mother, but Nina was frankly impossible to hate. And besides, she hadn’t known he was married the one time they’d hooked up.

“Well, my goodness. Just look at you,” she murmured, opening her arms. “Still as pretty as a picture. Bring it in, child.”

I sank into her embrace, closing my eyes and appreciating the fact that she held me a few seconds longer than a normal person would.

“Oh, I’m so happy I get to see you again,” she said, cupping my face for a moment so she could smile into my eyes. “I’ve missed you, girl.”

“I missed you too,” I said honestly.

“And good gracious,” she exclaimed, blinking down at the Lucid Air. “Is this thing yours?”

I laughed. “Oh, no. Not even. It’s just a loaner from Parker.”

“Ah.” Nina nodded in understanding. “Makes sense.”

When she reached for the back passenger door, however, Alec popped out, saying, “Over here, Mom.”

She looked at him in confusion as he opened the back driver’s side door, only for the back passenger door to open as well, from the inside.

Blinking, Nina pulled back and gaped at the stunning blonde who emerged. “Here, ma’am,” Xander offered politely. “You can get in over here. I’ll run around to the other side.”

Nina stared mutely, so I introduced, “This is Xander, by the way. Alec’s new roommate. She didn’t have anything to do thisevening, so we wrangled her into coming along with us. Hope you don’t mind.”

“O-oh…” Nina blurted, recovering quickly. “Of course not. The more the merrier. It’s so nice to meet you, dear. I’m Nina.” When she pulled Xander into a greeting hug, she widened her eyes at her son over the girl’s shoulder and mouthed the word, “Wow.”

To Xander, she pulled back again, saying, “You are just too cute for words. I can’t believe Alec failed to mention how beautiful you were when he told me about his new roommate.”

Both ladies turned simultaneously in Alec’s direction.

In response, he cleared his throat and flushed. “My bad,” he mumbled.

When we reached the restaurant,a valet driver appeared to take our car, but Alec freaked out, not trusting a stranger with Parker’s baby.

“Ohrley would kill me if I let anything happen to this thing,” he decided. “Why don’t I let you three out here, and I’ll meet you inside after I park.”

So Nina, Xander, and I started toward the maître d’, looking severely underdressed compared to all the other patrons. But the woman who smiled at us in greeting didn’t bat an eyelash. “Welcome,” she said in a thick Texas accent. “Can I get your name, please?”

“Hope Langston for four,” I said automatically, cringing when I remembered that I should’ve said Alec’s name instead. No way on God’s green earth would Parker addmeto his special list.

And yep, a second after the maître d’ scanned the list, she winced. “I’m so sorry, darlin’. I don’t see your—” She turned the page and immediately brightened. “Oh! Here you are.”

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