Page 86 of This Side of Beautiful

“The same way you would be if I told you I’d agreed to have dinner withyourmother without telling you.”

I protested, “That’s different. My mother doesn’t care about me. She doesn’t call or try to get in touch. I told you we haven’t spoken in four years.”

Landon angrily pulled on a white T-shirt neatly folded on his shelf. “Bullshit. Del told me she wants to see one of our shows, but you refuse to invite or talk to her.”

I stepped back. “You talked to Del about my mother?”

“Del spoke with me, hoping I could get you to reconsider. Told him it wasn’t my place.” He shook his head while grabbing cargo pants off a hanger. “You were about to go off on me aboutjusttalking about your mother with Del, but you wanted me to be cool when you answered my phone andthenaccepted an invitation with my mother without asking me first.”

“No matter what you went through with your parents, it pales in comparison to what I went through with my mother,” I insisted.

“How do you know that? We haven’t discussed our families at all. Just because I didn’t grow up in the hood doesn’t mean your adolescence was worse than mine.” He sat on the bench and grabbed his socks and Adidas.

“Says the rich kid. The threat of hunger trumps whatever you went through.”

“Try being homeless until Cedrick and his family took me in when I was sixteen because I refused to deal with my father, who hated me, and a mother who rarely stood up for me anymore.” He rose, jammed his hat on his head, and stormed past me.

“I didn’t know.” I rushed after him.

“No one knows but my parents and Cedrick. I might have grown up with money, but once I ran away, I had to build my own. This house isn’t here because Mommy and Daddy paid for it.” He jogged down the stairs. “I’m not meeting them for dinnerordessert.”

“You can’t just stand them up.” I struggled to keep up with him.

“I’ll text that we can’t make it.”

I managed to get in front of him and block the door while he picked up his guitar case. “Baby, listen. What if one magical day, we get married and have children? They need at least one set of grandparents.”

His brows dipped, and his mouth twitched. “If I do this, then I’m telling Del to book your mother a flight to Los Angeles.”

“Deal,” I agreed, though my stomach lurched at the mention of seeing my mother. Brushing that negative thought away, I cooed, “Ooh… you want to marry me someday.”

“It’s just dinner with my folks.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and sang, “Janae and Landon, sittin’ in the tree…”

He groaned while his cheeks flushed red. “Stop.”

“Okay… okay. You’re so cute.” I dragged my hand down his nape.

“Not a puppy.” He tugged me flush against his hard body.

I gazed into his eyes. “I promise dinner will be fine. I’m here now.”

“And if they say or do anything to piss me off, I’m out,” he warned before he pecked my lips hard and headed toward the door.

After I closed it after him, I collapsed against the door in relief.

A small crowd gathered by the sleek luxury sedan once it parked before Sophia’s. We were coordinated as we stepped out of the door that the driver held for us. I’d bought Landon a dark blue hat and casual suit that fit his athletic frame, and I wore a strapless blue summer dress, ponytail, and makeup by Frankie. We looked like a glamorous power couple going to a famous Black-owned restaurant to meet his fabulous musician parents.

Landon gripped my hand as security from the restaurant moved us through the lines of people waiting to sit. People called our names and snapped pictures. Women catcalled and whistled at Landon. I shook my head at them, warning them playfully. Landon’s hand was clammy, and his jaw was tight as he looked straight ahead. I tried to buffer his cold appearance with a bright smile and explained loudly, “We’re late meeting his parents.”

Getting inside the busy restaurant wasn’t much better. Patrons gasped and gawked as we were led to a small area that blocked us from sight. The Hayes stood when we approached. Landon was an impeccable blend of his attractive parents. His dad was similar to him with his light brown skin and height. His mother had more mocha in her skin than I did. He’d inherited his curls and eyes from his mother, which made her more striking than her son. Mrs. Hayes wore her gray hair natural and cropped short to her head. She was a well-kept woman whose aura suggested that five-star meals, lavish trips, and luxury spas were a necessary and expected part of life.

Landon hugged his mother and barely nodded at his father. “Brandon and Analise Hayes, this is Janae.” He introduced me with pride that would have warmed me if it wasn’t shadowed by the disapproval that screamed from his mother’s tight smile when she shook my hand. His father seemed pleasant enough as he covered my hand when it was his turn.

After we sat, Mr. Hayes started, “Since you were late, I took the liberty of ordering appetizers.”

Landon retorted, “Then that’s all we’ll have. We need to get back to the studio. We’re late because, as usual, you asked me to drop everything at a moment’s notice to meet with you.”

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