Page 96 of Like Fathers, Like Son
“I should have called before we just showed up like this, mum, I’m sorry. But you’re dating? This Michael guy, he’s good? He’s nice?”
Mum smiled, her posture relaxing a little as I realised it was happiness softening her body like that.
“Oh he’s wonderful, love. We met at a singles night, and we’ve been dating for, well, we hid it while you were staying here, but he moved in just a few days ago.”
Wow, itwasserious! And they hid it from me?
“Why did you hide it? Mum, I’m happy for you. My god, after how it was with dad, you deserve to be happy, and with a good man. He…”
I glanced at the kitchen wondering what the hell was happening in there. Blaze alone with a policeman? I couldn’t imagine it’d go well, and he was already on edge when he went in there. Why else would he have thrown me under the bus like that?
“He’s not mean or anything, right? He doesn’t yell?”
Mum squeezed my hands again, before reaching up to brush away her tears.
“He’s very sweet and caring, love. He’s protective, so he’s probably quizzing poor Blaze right now, but he means well. He… we’re in love. I’ve never been this happy.”
I watched her closely for any sign that she was covering for something, or making it sound better than it was, but all I saw was a lightness that I hadn’t seen in forever. He really was making her this happy, and for that, I realised I could easily accept him as a part of her life.
I glanced at the kitchen again. As long as Blaze wasn’t in there, gutting him like a fish or something. My god, my mother and an officer of the law, while I was living with a serial killer, arsonist, rapist, stalker, psychopath. What could possibly go wrong?
Finally I decided to proceed with what we’d come here for.
“Mum, we’re getting married in two days. We want you there, uh… both of you.”Yikes.
56
Blaze
Ididn’tlikethisguy, but I was stuck trying to pretend to make nice with him. I just had to keep telling myself it was for Anneka. If I could get through this visit without killing this guy, she’d have to reward me for that show of restraint, that’s for damn sure.
“So what do you do, Blaze?” The smug bastard was pouring boiling water into mugs, after an awkward silence while the kettle was boiling.
“IT,” I said shortly, leaning an arm against the counter, then moving with a hiss of pain when it sent a jolt of fire through my shoulder joint.
“That’s both of you wincing with pain now. What’s going on?” Suddenly his dark eyes were fixed on mine, and I had this weird feeling he knew exactly who I was.
“Fell.”
“You know, I can tell just as much from one word answers as I can from verbal diarrhoea, right?” I didn’t like guys this savvy and switched on, not when they could destroy my entire future, and my family along with it.
“Sorry. I accidentally fell and hurt myself. Better?”
He smirked, reaching for the milk and sugar. He’d already checked how we took our drinks, so it wasn’t the welcome break in the conversation right now that I’d have wanted.
“And Anneka?”
I lifted my chin, showing him a little more of my aggression.
“New tattoo. Don’t ask to fucking see it, because it’s private.”
Another one of those fucking smirks, before he finished the drinks and slid mine toward me.
“Before we go back in there, Blaze, I should confess that I recognised you immediately.”
I fucking knew it!I braced myself for some kind of threat or warning about Anneka, but instead all he did was tilt his head.
“You’re not still setting shit on fire, right? That’s over now you’re growing up and starting a family?” Sanctimonious prick. I wanted to tell him to go fuck himself because I’d never stop setting things on fucking fire, but it was clear that he was trying to step up as some kind of stepfather figure for Anneka.
