Page 56 of First Verse

His eyes darken. “I’m going to kiss you now,” he rumbles, “and I’m not going to stop until we need another shower.”

I kiss him first.

CHAPTERNINETEEN

wilder

I wanted to give you all my

Glass-house truths

But I loved you too much

To shatter on you

Three hours later, the temporary catharsis of worshipping Evangeline’s body has worn off. I’m anxious and twitchy again, this time due to the front door looming in front of me.

My parents’ front door.

While I would have preferred staying naked in bed with Evangeline all day, she had lunch plans with Lily. Inviting myself would have exposed what a needy bastard I am, so I kept my mouth shut and my insecurities to myself. Instead, I gave her a goodbye kiss that left her flushed and told her I had somewhere I needed to be, too, and would text her later. Playing it cool when I felt anything but.

Unfortunately for me, my first plan of heading home for the distraction of a grueling workout was quashed after a call to Jax. Kendra and three of her friends descended like a pack of hyenas this morning and are causing a ruckus as they pack her stuff. Jax and Zander are supervising so they don’t fuck anything up, but he did me a solid and sent Eddie to meet me a few blocks away with my car.

At least I have wheels now. And, after a deep dive into my text threads, a place to be. Not that I actually wantto be here. The alternative, though, is sitting in Evangeline’s house, crawling out of my skin as I wait for her to come home.

My pulse ping-pongs around my throat as I finally ring the doorbell. A handful of seconds later, the door swings open.

“Hey, Mom.”

She stares at me in shock. Right when I’m on the verge of expiring from how fucking uncomfortable I feel, she snaps out of it. Launching at me, she slams against my chest and squeezes the air from my lungs.

“Can’t breathe,” I huff, patting the curls on her head.

Her arms tighten even more. “Hug me back or I’ll cry,” she mumbles into my shirt.

The smile that was forming on my face dies as I realize she’s probably not joking. I haven’t seen her since Christmas and not for lack of trying on her part. I think the last time I answered her call was two or three weeks ago. All I gave her was five minutes before making an excuse to get off the phone. I didn’t even answer her text that invited me over today.

If her hug wasn’t restricting my oxygen, toxic guilt would surely suffocate me. My arms weigh a thousand pounds as I lift them around her, and the sound she makes nails my heart to my spine.

Fuck.She’s crying.

Movement in the doorway brings my head up. My gaze connects with River’s. A small, humorless smile on his face, he drawls, “The prodigal son returns.” Lifting his wrist, he checks the time on an invisible watch. “Thirty seconds to make Mom cry. A new record.”

My molars grind, but I keep my mouth shut. I deserve worse. I haven’t just shut out my parents for the last two years but my siblings, too.

“Give him a break, Riv,” Mom says, sniffing as she finally releases me. She grabs my hand. “Come on. Katherine will be so happy to see you. Can you believe she’s turning seventy-five? I can’t. I have more gray hair than she does.”

River steps to the side as she tugs me into the house. His eyes, the same golden-brown as our dad’s, follow me with a mixture of skepticism and resignation.

I’m braced for my mom to drag me to the living room at the back of the house where I can hear the rest of the family, but halfway there she veers into the empty kitchen. River pauses outside, then shakes his head and continues down the hall.

Releasing my hand, she moves around the island to grab two glasses from a cabinet, then opens the refrigerator to pull out a pitcher of iced tea. In spite of the almost frenetic energy buzzing in her movements, watching her is soothing. Like listening to an old, familiar song.

It suddenly hits me how much I’ve missed her, the emotion so visceral my stomach clenches hard.

“Have a seat,” she says gently, glancing my way as she pours our drinks.

I drop onto a stool at the island. She sits beside me and slides a glass my way. Cradling it, I swipe my thumbs across the cool surface. The prickling under my skin slowly fades. Calm descends deeper with every inhale of my mom’s perfume and the intangible aura of my childhood home. Citrus, herbs, and safety.

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