Page 20 of Married to Number 22
Shit.
This can’t be happening.
Not when I’m naked and in his bed and?—
“Surprise, baby!” his mother, Kathy, cries, rushing forward, closing the last bit of difference between them and throwing her arms around Aiden’s neck. “You didn’t honestly think that we would let your birthday pass without us being here, did you?”
“We even bought tickets to tonight’s game!” Matt, his dad, says, swooping in when Kathy releases him, giving Aiden one of those man hugs with not a ton of arm wrapping but lots of back slapping.
But then my mind locks on to something else.
Because…shit.
He has a game tonight?
And I showed up out of the blue at two in the morning? Then kept him up for hours?
I’m a dick.
A big, giant dick with dicky selfish tendencies and horrible timing and?—
I’m…well, I’m a dick.
Something I must verbalize because I draw Carrie, Aiden’s sister’s, focus. “Um, Mom?” she stage whispers, eyes going wide. “Maybe we should head back into the, um,…”
Kathy is too busy smiling at Aiden and looping her arm through Matt’s, resting her head on his shoulder to listen to her daughter. “We surprised you, didn’t we?”
Carrie nudges Ralph and I watch Aiden’s brother’s eyes flare with surprise as they drift over to me on the bed, where I’m still doing my best to disappear into the blankets.
Shit.Shit.
Why is this happening?
Andwhy, I realize, when I manage to tear my eyes from Carrie and Ralph does my underwear and bra have to be all of two feet inside the room.
Front and center in front of the open door where Aiden’s family have gathered.
Something Ralph notices, apparently, his gaze going to the pile of my clothes, his brows shooting up, his elbow jerking out to jab at Aiden’s other brother, Dave’s, side.
“Stop,” he hisses, smacking Ralph away.
“Mom. Dad,” Aiden says, reaching for the door. “Let’s go to the front room and?—”
“Ow!” Dave glares at Ralph for a second but another rough prod of his brother’s elbow shuts him up…and clues him into my position in the bed.
Wide green eyes locked onto mine.
Then returning to his siblings. “Um, Mom,” Dave begins. “We really should go out into the living room—” A tilt of his head back down the hall.
“Not until I’ve gotten my fill of my baby boy.” Kathy leans in and hugs him again. “I’m just so happy to see you. Twenty-five.” A sniff, her fingers dashing beneath each eye before she hugs him again. “My baby is all grown up now. So strong and tall and?—”
Her eyes drift over his shoulder.
Come to a rest on mine.
Flare with shock, her mouth falling open.
Fuck my life.
