Page 16 of Reckless
Hope laughed helplessly.
Roman took a sip of tea and said, “That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the only one you’re getting.”
My mother looked entirely too pleased.“Kelly joon?”
Kelly’s smile stayed in place.Barely.
Maman.
Not a denial.
That one word shifted the whole room.
My mother lit up.
“You should have told me,” she said.
Kelly lifted one shoulder.“I was busy being kept a secret.”
The knife under the silk.
Charlie barked out a laugh.Michael coughed to hide his own.Even my father’s mouth threatened.
I almost smiled.
Instead I leaned back in my chair and said, “You weren’t a secret.I dislike spectators.”
Her eyes flashed.“That must be difficult for a man who looks like a tailored sin fantasy.”
The table went dead silent again.
Then Charlie made a choking sound into his napkin.
My mother pressed her fingers to her lips, scandalized and delighted.
Britney closed her eyes briefly like she was asking God for stamina.
Heat hit hard in my body before I could stop it.
Kelly saw.
That was the worst part.
She saw what that line had done and looked angrier for it.
Good.We were at least both suffering.
Dinner staggered on after that, because families, even mine, had a remarkable ability to absorb social detonation and keep passing food.My mother shifted into overbright hosting mode.Charlie needled everyone.Hope started smiling at Kelly like she had insider information from the universe.Miley watched like a cross-examination was inevitable.Isabel looked entertained enough to frame it.Avril, sweet thing, looked happy for us.Almost.
Britney never stopped looking at me like she knew precisely what kind of man I was and found my presence near her friend deeply suspicious.
Kelly played along because she had no choice and too much pride to let herself be exposed.She answered questions when necessary.Deflected when possible.Smiled when the room demanded it.But under the conversation, her anger was clear, like weather.
At one point my mother said, “You must sit together next weekend, of course.”
Kelly reached for her glass.It was enough.
