Page 40 of Risky Taste
His words are soft as I turn to him, frowning when I realize that he’s not whispering. I’m hoping that’s not a permanent thing. Carl had said I’d be disoriented for a while, that the ringing in my ear would throw me off balance, make it a little more difficult to hear but it hadn’t actually been an issue until Sebastian started speaking from my left side.
He notices my confusion, tilting his head to the side. “Babe, what’s wrong?” He cups my cheek in his hand, waiting for me to speak.
“I can’t really hear you.” Tears gather in my eyes as my hands twist in my lap. “Carl said it should be temporary but also that it might not be. I just… Kurt has taken so much from me.”
Logan places a gentle hand on my back as I melt between them, hating that this little slice of peace we rolled up into is masked by my pain. They hold me anyway, Sebastian pressing soft kisses to my forehead as Logan whispers in the other ear, telling me that whatever happens, they’ll be right here the entire time.
Silence wraps around us, enough time passing that I’m almost asleep against Sebastian’s chest when the front door opens and closes. Heavy footsteps ring out in the hallway and then Maurasquealing followed by a slap. “Get out of my pies! Go wash those dirty hands and then say hello to Noah.”
“Sorry, mama. You knew I had to try. What flavor this time?”
“Strawberry rhubarb. Hands, now!”
There’s some chuckling as Declan’s voice disappears further into the kitchen and I untangle myself to stand up, receiving his hug when he enters the living room. “Hey, Bunny. How are you doing?”
“Been better,” I mutter. “But glad that I’m not looking over my shoulder.” My phone buzzes in my back pocket, threatening to undo this moment but I’m not going to be answering anything over the next two days.
As if Declan understands, he slowly slips the device out of my pocket. “I’ll hold onto this. If it’s important, I’ll let you know. Sound good?”
“Sounds excellent. What did you find out?”
Declan leads me back to the couch, sitting me between Logan and Sebastian again before taking up the armchair. “Not much we didn’t really already know but there’s some evidence that dates back to the fact that Kurt’s been doing this since his parents were around. It does seem like a twisted vendetta against his own brother that fueled this operation and then it spun out of control. My old group is looking into it and hopefully they’ll get something out in the next few hours or tomorrow morning. For now, we enjoy this little slice of heaven and I get to annoy Maura until she gives me pie.”
The boyish grin that splits across his lips has me laughing because this isn’t a side I’ve seen of them. Logan is almost blushing, maybe somewhat embarrassed by his mother but still holding love for her. And while Sebastian is his ever stoic self, he seems more relaxed than usual.
This is a future I could see myself enjoying, working at the clinic and then coming home to banter and good food and amother who prides herself in the family she’s built. The fantasy is halted when Maura yells from the kitchen.
“I needwashedhands to help me set up the table. Noah, you protect the pie. If you’re good, I’ll let you have two slices!”
I burst out laughing, Declan shooting me a dirty look. “One of those slices better be for me.”
***
I’m not sure I could eat another bite, the spread of roast chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and biscuits nearly devoured. It’s a spread I’ve only seen in my childhood but this tastes ten times better than my memories. And between bites of food, there’s laughter. Sure, it’s strained by the reality we’re currently stuck in but it’s genuine.
There’s no fear that Kurt or Heath are going to waltz in here and ruin this moment. I’m seeing into a window of their life, a beautiful past that I wish I had had access to before Heath, before Kurt ruined my life. The conversation takes a sharp turn as Maura starts in on stories of Logan’s childhood.
“Remember when he tried to ride that old goat down the hill? Fell right into the mud!” she muses, and Sebastian snorts, Declan chuckling as Logan’s ears turn red, his head dipping.
“Or the time he got stuck in the treehouse because he swore he could fit through the window?” Declan adds, and I laugh, a real one, the sound startling me. “For your information, Noah, that was a few years ago.”
Logan groans, nudging me with his elbow, his face flushed. “You’re supposed to be on my side, Bunny,” he mutters, and I smirk, the teasing softening my thoughts.
However, it’s like a beacon—this happiness reminding me who’s missing.Ronny.He would have loved this, the chaos, the stories, the way Logan’s mom treats us like we belong. I stareat my plate, the food blurring, as I swallow back the sob in my throat. Sebastian’s hand finds mine under the table, squeezing just enough to give me the comfort I so desperately need.
For the first time since Ronny’s death, it doesn’t hurt like it used to. I miss him and I still feel guilty but he would want me to enjoy this. He would have wanted me to take everything I was being given and then cherish it. I make a mental note to visit his grave and detail everything that’s gone on because he’s still here in a way. Maybe not physically but his presence lingers, his happiness still gives me a reason to stay strong, to push on.
The conversation wanes into a gentle hum of jokes and nips at each other before Maura leans back, surveying the four of us. “I wish you would visit more. You’re all always welcome here, you know that.”
Logan seems almost ashamed at his mother’s admission but I have an entirely different question. She hasn’t asked one thing since we arrived, hasn’t tried to pry, or demand anything. “Do you not even want to know what happened?”
“Doesn’t matter. I always want my son here and whoever he brings with him. Logan knows that I love him unconditionally. He also knows to own up to his actions if he needs to. He would never bring home trouble and that’s why I’m more than happy to have you here.”
I frown, pushing it. “Why’s that?”
She looks at me, her gaze softening, steady. “Because he doesn’t always bring home people. And when he does, they’re special to him. He’s a good judge of character,” she says, and my chest clenches, a mix of warmth and dread pooling there. “Except for that one asinine boy he brought here. Kurt, was it?”
I swallow nervously, gaze darting to Logan, unsure of how to proceed. He throws his mother a sheepish grin. “Yeah, Kurt is Noah’s older brother, Mom.”
