Page 18 of Wyatt’s Fever

“I really like both your mother and sister,” I say, and she snuggles against me. “And I can see where you get your spunk from.”

“I’m glad.” She breathes and pulls my head down for a kiss. As her soft lips move under mine, I almost forget we’re standing in the middle of her mother’s dining room.

June comes in with the vase and sets it on the table, then gestures for everyone to sit. I end up across from her, with Naomi on my left and Casey on my right. The wine is poured, the roast chicken is brought out, and for a minute it’s just normal, quiet, even. But it doesn’t last.

“So, Wyatt,” June says as she serves up the chicken. “Naomi tells me you’re head of security at the club now.”

I knew the goddamn interrogation was coming. I nod. “Just started a few weeks ago. Still figuring it out.”

She arches an eyebrow. “I hear that’s a… unique clientele.”

“That’s one word for it.”

Casey jumps in, waving a fork. “Did you really used to be a bodyguard for Steel Pulse? Or is that just a rumor?”

I smirk. “It’s true. Ten years of pure hell.”

Casey nearly chokes on her mashed potatoes. “Holy shit. I saw them in Dallas last summer. The crowd was insane.”

Naomi gives her a look. “Language, Case.”

Casey rolls her eyes. “You swear more than I do. Anyway, what was the craziest thing you ever had to do? Like, did you ever have to punch a fan or tase someone?”

I catch June’s expression of part horror, part interest. “No tasers. But once in Toronto, I walked into a hotel room and had to pull a guy off the drummer. He was naked, covered in green glitter, and yelling about intergalactic soulmates.”

All three women chuckle. “That’s so gross. What did you do?”

“Threw him in the elevator and closed the doors before he could get out. We always stayed on locked floors so he couldn’t get back in without a code.”

June sips her wine and watches me with that slow, measuring gaze. “Were you always in that line of work?”

“No, ma’am,” I say. “Started in construction, but it wasn’t for me so I decided to give security a try.”

She nods, as if she’s filing that away for later. “Where’s your family?”

I hesitate a half-second, then say, “Just me. I’m an only child. My parents died a long time ago.”

Naomi squeezes my hand under the table. She knows this part, but it’s still not fun to say out loud.

June’s voice softens, just a little. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Thank you.”

I shrug and add. “Roman Sterling is technically my cousin. And a few others, but they’re mostly scattered or boring. I don’t see them much.”

Naomi jumps in, steering the conversation. “Wyatt’s house is amazing, Mom. He’s got a grill that’s probably bigger than your car.”

“I’m hoping he’ll let me try out his grill one day,” June says, but there’s a glint in her eye now. A challenge, but a fun one.

“You can use my grill any time.” I tell her. “Consider it a family grill.”

For a while, we eat and talk about nothing important. Casey describes her disaster of a prom date and her ex-boyfriend. I already hate the little motherfucker who dared to break her heart. I make a mental note to find out more about him in case I need to teach him a lesson in the future.

June explains her obsession with learning French via podcast and I ask her demonstrate her skills. “Parlez-vous français?” She asks me if I speak French.

"Only,” I draw on my very limited French, “où est la salle de bain.” I made sure I knew how to find the bathroom in every country Steel Pulse every toured.

“That’s a pretty good thing to know.” She laughs and I relax feeling at home. The jokes fly, the wine flows, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m not just visiting someone else’s life.