“Still, it would be nice to have you boys closer to home,” my mother chimes in. “I miss my boys. Sydney gets all of the attention now,” she says with a wink, as if her statement is humorous. And although I know it’s not malicious, I resent my parents in that moment just a tad because I know their attention isn’t always welcome. On second thought, it would be nice to have my brothers closer to home to take some of the heat off of me.
“I’m sure she’s used to it by now, being the only girl and the oldest. Isn’t that right, Sis?” Beckett says.
“Oh yeah. It’s wonderful.” My words come out in a satirical tone, which neither of my brothers miss, evident by their chuckling.
“Yes. Your sister has been up to all kinds of extracurricular activities lately,” my father interjects, forcing my head to turn in his direction. His eyes shoot me a look that dictates he knows more than he’s revealing with his declaration.
Shit. How could I have been so stupid? Of course my father probably knows what I’ve been doing, or who, for that matter. His security team is always lurking nearby, a detail that has completely slipped my mind as I’ve become distracted by my Latin lover.
Which makes me wonder … where does Javier’s family descend from? Is he Puerto Rican? Cuban? I think I need to ask him the next time I see him.
Bentley grins at me over the rim of his glass. “Is that so? What have you been up to, Syd?”
I clear my throat and then dab at the corners of my mouth with my napkin before answering. “Well, I recently took a self-defense class at a gym in town. After the incident in the spring, I wanted to feel better about being able to protect myself. I actually made some new friends while I was there, so that was a pleasant bonus.”
“You have other friends besides Ally?” Beckett teases.
I glare at him before fighting back my smile. “Yes, little brother.”
“How is crazy Ally these days?”
“Reaping karma’s retribution with how insane her children are.”
That comment causes the entire table to laugh. My family knows Ally’s free-spirited ways from our years of friendship, so it is rather comical that her children inherited that from her.
Conversation flows easily between the five of us as the rest of our meal progresses, but my father’s comments stays in the back of my mind. My parents catch my brothers up on town gossip among our social circle, even providing details about their ex-girlfriends. My brothers dated quite a bit in high school, but each had one serious girlfriend they left behind to go to college.
By the time the meal is finished, we’re all groaning from stuffing our faces with the best steak I’ve ever eaten, hands down. Everyone decides to use the restroom before my parents drive us back to campus to drop off my brothers and then the three of us will head back to Newberry.
Somehow my father and I finish our business before everyone else, so I’m left alone with him outside as we wait for my mother and brothers.
“Sydney. I hope you realize what you’re doing …”
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I take in his warning, accompanying the nerves running through my veins. “What do you mean, Dad?”
“I mean who you choose to spend your time with, sweetheart. I wouldn’t want people to get the wrong idea about the company you keep.”
Anger flashes through my chest at his insinuation. “Excuse me?”
“Remember that I know everything, sweetheart. I just want what’s best for you. Andrew has been asking about you again. Why won’t you just give him a chance?”
I sigh in frustration, rolling my eyes as my hands find my hips. “Dad. Why don’t you trust me to know that there is nothing between Andrew and me? He’s not the man I want. I’m not attracted to him and quite frankly, I think a relationship between him and me would be boring. I would feel stifled by him. I don’t want that in a partner.”
“I think he compliments you. You understand each other. You’re from the same world, Sydney. Not everyone understands the reputation you need to uphold.”
“Well, not to sound rude, Dad, but maybe I don’t give a rat’s ass about my reputation anymore. Maybe what people think of me doesn’t matter.”
“It should matter, Sydney. Your reputation is everything, especially in your line of work. I don’t want to see you make a mistake, get hurt, or jeopardize your career because you choose to spend time with the wrong people.”
I huff out a laugh. “Maybe you need to remember that it’s my choice who I decide to spend my time with, and our little social circle has become a toxic group that quite frankly, I’m over.”
Just as he moves closer to speak, the door behind us opens and my mother and brothers exit, sharing a laugh about something they must have been discussing inside.
“Everything okay, you two?” my mother asks, moving her hair behind her shoulders and hiking her purse up further on her arm as she senses the tension between us.
“Yup. Just fine, Mom.” I force out a smile as I look at my Dad, shaking my head, hoping he senses my disappointment and frustration with him as we shuffle into the car and drive home.
After I leave the car with a chaste goodbye to my parents, I walk into my condo, ruminating still on the conversation with my dad. He has to know about Javi, or at least Andre and Selena if his security team has been following me around. The house where Javi lives is under their names, so they may not realize there’s
