Page 70 of Heatwaves

“There’s my girl!” Dad pushes out of his chair and engulfs me in a hug. “It’s good to see you without the cast.”

I snort. “It’s good not to be in the cast anymore. I was not a fan.”

“And did your incubus take good care of you?” Mom asks.

Narrowing my eyes as I turn to look at her, I consider her. Laughter dances in her eyes as she bites her bottom lip, her mouth turning up atthe edges as she tries to hide her smile—rather unsuccessfully, I might add.

“Wyatt made sure all of my needs were met,” I say dryly, leaving the three of them gaping at me. “Now, what’s for dinner? I’m starving.”

It turns out Miguel is the one who cooked the paella we have for dinner, and it’s magnificent.

“Damn, Miguel,” I say with a grin, running my hand over my very full belly. “I love my mom’s cooking, but I wouldn’t be disappointed if you cooked when I came over, either.”

He flushes, head ducking as Dad reaches over and squeezes his hand. “I’m the luckiest man alive, Lila, I’m telling you. I have not one but two mates who can cook. Don’t be surprised if your old dad gets fat.”

I scoff, rolling my eyes. I’ve seen Dad put away a lot of food over the years, and he’s never gained a pound. He’s practically ageless, not having changed since I was little.

“Yeah, okay, Dad. That seems likely.” Rolling my eyes, I twist in my chair to face my mom, only to find her already looking at me.

“Lila, why don’t we let the men clean up? The two of us can have a glass of wine on the back deck.”

I don’t know how she knows—maybe it’s some superpower that only moms have—but she knows I need to talk to her.

It wouldn’t be a big deal if Dad and Miguel were there for the conversation, but since Miguel and Carter are related, it’s probably best if he isn’t included in the conversation.

“You know what, Mom? That sounds amazing.”

Miguel jumps up from the table as we stand. He comes back carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses. “I know this is your mom’s favorite, but I can grab something else if you’d like,” he says as he hands a glass over to Mom.

“I’ll take a glass of it as well,” I say with a smile. Mom has been drinking the same Moscato d’ Asti for as long as I can remember, and it’s about the only wine I can stand.

He pours the second glass for me as Dad begins to clear the table. As soon as I have my glass in hand, Mom is leading me out the back door.

We settle into side-by-side chairs as we each take a long sip of the wine, and I sigh.

“It’s been less than a week since I saw you last,” Mom says, “but I feel like I’ve missed something important.”

I take a longer drink of my wine before setting it on the table between us. I stare up at the stars, unsure if I can tell her everything while looking at her.

“Carter, Aidan, Oliver, and Ty have been seeking me out regularly so they could explain why they disappeared without a trace. I haven’t been ready to hear them out, so I’ve been pushing them off.” I sigh. “But Wyatt helped me understand I might not ever be ready, and I needed to just get it over with. We had them meet us at my house when I was released from the hospital.”

Mom hums. “That’s definitely something important. Do I even want to know what they had to say?”

Snorting, I shake my head. “You might not believe me. You might even think they’re all batshit crazy—“

“Language,” Mom snaps, but there’s no real heat behind it. It’s almost like she’s just saying it out of habit. “I’ll never forgive those damn boys for turning you into someone with such a vulgar vocabulary.”

My head snaps toward her as I gape. “You just said damn.”

She grins, waving me off. “Whatever.”

“Not whatever. My mom just cussed in front of me. It must be the end of times.” Reaching over, I grab her hand and squeeze. Never in a million years would I have imagined sitting out here with my mom and joking with one another. Things really have changed, and I’m so happy about it.

Steeling myself, I explain everything to Mom.

“Yeah…if it was anyone besides you who was telling me this, I’d think the person needed some mental help.“ She shakes her head. “But you believe them?”

I nod. “I really do.”

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