I gasp as Reid lazily lifts his head, peeking back at his mom. I try to crawl into a hole. I just want to fade away into the background because this has got to be the most embarrassing thing ever.
“Shit, Mom. I’m sorry.”
“You’re going to be sorry,” she spits. “Get her the hell out of here, I mean it.”
“Mom,” he says, pulling the sheets around his waist, but also trying to hide me as well.
“Reid Jeffrey Parker,” she says. “Do as I say!”
She exits the room and then slams the door closed. I finally lift my head to meet Reid’s eyes. His are downturned. I’ve never heard his mom so mad before. I thought she liked me. I thought— Well, I’m sure any parent doesn’t want to find their kid in bed with someone else when it’s so clearly blatant that they’ve been having sex, but it’s me. When he sees the look on my face, he cups my cheek. He then stretches his long legs out of the bed and finds a pair of shorts to put on before walking to the room and stepping out.
“And where’s Briar?” she immediately starts in. “I can’t believe you brought her here with Briar. You know we’re supposed to be looking after her. Where is she? Her mother’s going to kill me. Is she okay? I tried texting her, but she’s not answering.”
I cringe. I’m pretty sure I left my cell downstairs after Reid carried me up to his room last night like I weighed nothing.
“And I don’t know how many times I have to tell you I do not want Sasha here, Reid. You know I don’t like her.”
“Mom,” Reid tries again. I can tell she’s way past listening to him though.
“I’m going to try Briar again.”
I pull myself to a sitting position on the bed, hugging my knees to my chest as I listen to what’s going on in the hallway. Relief floods me when I realize she thought Sasha was in the bed with him and not me. So, at least there’s that.
“Mom, you don’t have to.” The door swings open once more, and Reid points inside. “Briar’s right there.”
I glare at Reid, then look over to meet his mother’s eyes. I smile and give her a small wave. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Parker. I didn’t— I wasn’t thinking.”
Reid drops his head to the side like he’s disappointed in me and then pulls the door shut again, capturing his mother’s shocked face on the other side with him. I scramble around the room and throw on clothes while there’s still silence out in the hall.
“Mom?” Reid asks, his voice softer now.
“Was that Briar Page? In your bed?”
“Yeah, Mom. There’s something I need to tell you.”
She squeals. I just pull my shirt down over my head, completing dressing myself when the door opens again and Mrs. Parker barges in. She throws her arms around me. “Oh, Briar. It’s you.” For as small as Mrs. Parker is, she’s got some strength in her. She holds on to me so fiercely that the initial shock wears off, and I hug her back, both our arms clasped tightly around one another. “This is great news.”
“Jeffrey! Get up here!”
“Mom!” Reid says.
“Oh, right. Right.” She pulls away from me and smiles.
A hesitant smile pulls at my own lips. “I’m sorry about this,” I say, gesturing toward the bed.
Her face finally reddens. “Well, I can’t say that I’m— I’m sure you guys were safe. Right? Oh honey,” she says, cupping my cheek. Tears spring to her eyes. “I’m so happy.”
Thunderous footsteps sound on the staircase leading up to the second floor. Reid swears under his breath. “Mom, can Briar and I please have some privacy for a minute?”
“Oh, of course,” she says. “I’m making breakfast. We’ll talk more about this down there. We’ll have to have ground rules or something. Your dad and I will talk.” Even though the words coming out of her mouth sound so adult, the smile she’s holding on her face tells me she’s pleased.
As soon as Reid ushers her out the door and shuts it, he leans against the other side, sighing. Mr. and Mrs. Parker are whispering out in the hall. Reid shakes his head and comes forward.
“They weren’t fans of Sasha, I take it,” I say.
He shakes his head. “Not at all. My mom has never liked her.”
“So, you used to bring her here?”