My mom looked at me and gave me a wide-eyed grin while also giving me a thumbs up that everyone saw. “Wow. You boys are quite the pack, aren’t you? Oh, and call me Mandy.”

  Dad took his turn shaking their hands and clapping them on the arm like he was their football coach. “And call me Ken. None of that Mr. and Mrs. stuff. Especially when you’ve already gotten so acquainted with my daughter.”

  I choked on my spit as I tried to cough loudly to cover up Dad’s statement. Of course, it was too little, too late. Dad patted me on the back and then pressed his hand to my cheeks.

  “You’re burning up, honey. Are you sick?”

  I grimaced. “I wish.”

  Collin cleared his throat. “We would love to show you to your rooms. We can help carry your bags.”

  Mom tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow and walked with him. “Oh, my goodness. That is just so sweet. We have a lot more than just our stuff in the car. I was just telling Ada that we have gossip about her ex. We picked up her stuff from his apartment a while back and we brought it for her.”

  Dad wrapped his arm around my shoulders and gave me a tight hug before hurrying to catch up with Mom and Collin. “And there’s one bag you should let me get. I’m not saying it’s a bag of sex toys, but I’m not not saying that, either.”

  I was rooted in place. I covered my face with my hands and let out a weak groan. What had I done?

  “Did your dad just hint that he knows we’ve fucked you, Ada?” Joe whispered the words next to my ear. He’d moved closer without me noticing and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

  “I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to talk about any of this. I’m-” The sound of heavy feet running through the hallway was alarming enough that I shut up and rushed towards the library doors to see what was happening.

  “Watch out everyone! Kitten is on a warpath!” Dad’s warning came a second too late.

  The biggest dog I’d ever seen spotted me at the same time I spotted him. He tried to stop but his feet skidded on the slippery floors and he took my legs out from under me. I went down hard and rolled over onto my back just to have the dog lay down on top of me to lick my face. I turned away but then it got my ear. I groaned and grunted as I tried to get away from its tongue but it was useless.

  “Oh! He likes you, Ada.” Dad sounded amused. “Our daughter and our dog son getting along so well. I couldn’t be more proud. Kitten, get off your sister.”

  Kitten wasn’t motivated to move. His elbow was firmly planted in my boob and he was happy enough that he laid his head on top of mine and let out a big sigh. I’d forgotten about the dog. Maybe that was where I’d gone wrong. I could’ve hidden behind Joe if I’d remembered.

  “Off, Kitten.” Joe’s deep voice was commanding enough that I wanted to sit up and do what he said. It seemed to work on Kitten as well as it did on me. As soon as the giant dog was off me, Joe took my hand and pulled me back to my feet. He looked me over with his upper lip slightly curled. “You stink.”

  “Oh, that’s Kitten. He has a breath thing. We have bones for that.” Dad grabbed the hilariously small leash he had my dog brother on and sighed. “As soon as your mom opened the back door, he came bounding out. He’s not a huge fan of the car. Or maybe it was your mom’s driving that he didn’t like.”

  “You just had him in the car? You can’t just leave a dog in the car, Dad! It’s hot outside.” I knelt in front of Kitten, previous transgressions forgotten. “Oh, buddy. Are you okay?”

  “We left the air running, Ada. We’re not monsters.”

  “You know, she peed the bed until she was five and it was always a mess. She’d trail pee through the house on her way to our room to tell us about it.” Mom’s voice carried through to where we were standing.

  I sighed, defeated. “Monsters.”

  42

  ***Ada***

  “He was being evicted when we showed up to get your things, honey.” Mom leaned across the table and whispered the rest at me but it was the loudest whisper I’d ever heard and I knew everyone was listening. “The sheriff was there and everything. It was kind of sad. He’d boxed your stuff up so neatly and kept asking us if we knew where you were. It was all very dramatic.”

  I frowned. “He never did anything neatly while we were together. It figures he waited until I left him to start.”

  “That’s not all, though. We got front row seats to the woman upstairs kicking him out, too. I guess he thought he was going to move in with her, or something, but she corrected that idea so fast his head spun.” Mom leaned in even closer. “We had to give him a ride to his parents’. It was super embarrassing for him, I’m sure. He was in the backseat, sniffling, asking if we thought you would forgive him.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me all that happened?” I didn’t feel bad for Camden because he’d made his own mess, but I couldn’t believe my parents, who never met a secret they couldn’t share, had stayed silent about it all.

  “You had your own things happening here. We didn’t want you to lose time with the bosses you made sound so attractive over worrying about Camden.” She rolled her eyes. “Besides, his parents’ house was a massive place inside a gated community. Something tells me he’ll land on his feet.”

  “You made us sound attractive?” Collin leaned into my space and smirked. “Good to know.”

  “You should’ve heard your father, Ada. The entire drive to Camden’s parents’ house, he was lecturing him and telling him off. It was hot.” Mom met Dad’s gaze from across the table and winked.

  I leaned back in my chair and stared up at the elaborate chandelier that hung over the dining table. It was rustic and matched the rest of the cabin feel but it was clear that it probably cost more than I’d make in a lifetime. The kids had already gone to bed and we were sitting around, supposedly enjoying a nice glass of relaxing wine. Only, I was about as relaxed as a tightly wound spring.

  “I just couldn’t believe that idiot cheated on you. You’re amazing, Ada. You’re smart, you’re kind, you’re pretty. You’re the whole package and you’d better not forget that.” Dad’s voice was doing the thing it did after he drank wine. It was getting watery with emotion that he was too tipsy to control. “Maybe this situation makes so much sense to me because I believe it will take three men to be good enough for you. My sweet baby.”

  I stood up and clapped my hands together. “And on that note, I think it’s getting late. Do you remember where your room is?”

  Mom ignored me and leaned over to Jud. “I hear you’re an artist. I’d love to see your work.”

  Dad, refocusing on Jud, nodded. “Yeah, son, that would be amazing. We’ve always been big supporters of the arts.”

  Jud’s quiet mood had vanished with my parents’ appearance. With them, he was faster to smile and faster to open up, I’d noticed. He pulled out his phone and tapped away at it. “These are a few of my latest pieces. They were commissioned.”

  Mom gasped and dragged Jud’s phone and his arm closer so Dad could look. “Honey, you are brilliant! These are beautiful. Have you seen these, Ada? Come over here and look at these.”

  It was Jud’s laughing eyes that made me walk over to them. Standing between my mom and Jud, I looked down at his phone and felt my heart beat faster. He was good. I hadn’t seen anything he’d done, other than the paintings of me, but he was better than good. The painting I was staring at was a busy city street with a man stopped on the sidewalk, disrupting traffic. The expressions on the faces of the people around the men were so alive that I could feel their frustration.

  “Jud…” I looked at him and had to swallow down a strange rise of emotion. “This is… You’re… Wow.”

  His cheeks went pink as he shoved the phone back in his pocket and cleared his throat. “Thanks.”

  “Jud is wildly talented. Ever since he was a kid he had something in his hand that he could make art with.” Joe smiled at his little brother with so much love shining in his eyes. “Our dad used to scream about the drawings on the walls. But when we moved out, I bought a house with all white walls and had Jud go crazy. There’s no telling how much the walls of that house would be worth now. The famous Jud Carrington’s early works.”

  Jud stiffened beside me. “I hardly remember the shouting. I was young. What I do remember is walking into that house and finding paint and brushes just for me. It was better than Christmas.”

  “Is it okay if I ask where your parents are now?” Mom had reached out and taken Jud’s hand in hers. She looked between the three of them and I could see she was already crazy about them.

  Joe sat up straighter and finished his glass of whiskey. “Our mom left when I was sixteen and we left my dad two years later, as soon as we could. I hired a PI a few years ago and found out they’re both dead now.”

  My heart broke for the little boys they must’ve been. I leaned into Jud and tried to keep my feet on solid ground where they were concerned. It wasn’t easy, especially with my parents opening them up.

  “Oh, sweet babies. I’m so sorry.” Mom got up and made her way around the table squeezing them in tight hugs. “You know what? Maybe this is early, but you can claim us as extra parents, if you’d like. Any of the big questions that you might need a parent for? Call us. Night or day.”

  Collin hugged Mom back as tightly as she hugged him. “I appreciate that. Ada is lucky to have parents like you two.”

  Despite the dozens of times they’d embarrassed me already that day, I agreed. “I really am.”

  “I’m so glad our Ada found you three.” Dad smiled and followed Mom in hugging the guys.

  “Dad…” I sighed. “I didn’t find them. I’m their nanny.”

  Jud rested his palm in the small of my back. “Just give it up, sweet girl. You found us.”

  I met his gaze and lost myself for a moment. His eyes dug into me and left me feeling completely exposed. I felt like he could see everything I’d ever been and ever wanted. My heart raced and I had to force my eyes away from his as a sense of panic washed over me at the idea of what he might see.

  “Well… These two golden oldies are headed to bed. That doesn’t mean the party has to end, though.” Mom winked at all of us and giggled. “I know ours won’t. Isn’t that right, Ken?”

  “Mom!” I sank into the chair next to Jud and dropped my head onto the table. The only thing keeping me from banging it down a few times was Jud’s hand resting on the back of my neck.

  “What? You should be glad that we’re still active. It’s a good sign for your future! You’re still going to have it well into your sixties!” Mom stood on her tiptoes and kissed Dad. “Okay. Nighty night.”

  Dad grinned as Mom tugged him from the room. “Oh! Ada, will you get Kitten from the twin’s room and walk him? I’m sure one of your handsome men will help. Or maybe all three. No judgment here.”

  “Not. My. Men.” I groaned. “I’ll walk the dog. Although, I’m pretty sure he’s going to walk me.”

  Joe sighed. “I’ll do it.”

  43

  ***Joe***

  I thought I’d be walking Kitten alone but Ada joined me just before I let myself out. I frowned at her when she giggled at me. “I don’t want to hear a word about this. I’m doing this for your parents.”

  She bit her lip and nodded. “Sure.”

  As soon as we were outside in the muggy night air, Kitten tugged me towards the grass. “This is not an appropriate leash. And what kind of name is Kitten for a dog? Did you see him jump up on the kitchen island earlier?”

  Ada reached down and unhooked Kitten’s leash. “The yard is fenced in. He’ll be fine. I saw Dad do it earlier, so if it goes wrong, we can blame him.”

  “What are your parents doing with this dog?”

  “I don’t know. It’s kind of cute, though. Not how naughty Kitten is, but the fact that they went out and got a dog together. They really should start training Kitten because I did see him jump on the island earlier and I’m pretty sure David is plotting our deaths.”

  “Our deaths? What did I do?” I felt her lean into me and then I felt her pinky finger lightly brush against mine. Looking down at her, I watched as she pretended not to notice me staring at her. As subtle as she could be, she slowly interlaced our fingers. My pulse raced like she’d grabbed my dick. I felt nerves like I hadn’t since I was still a kid.

  “You let them in. Which kind of makes me want to plot your death, too.” She held my wrist with her other hand as she turned and gazed up at me. “They’re a lot. I mean, they’re amazing, but they’re a lot. If you need to excuse yourself for work this is the one time I won’t give you hell about it.”

  Butterflies. That’s what I was feeling. I swallowed down the urge to grumble about everything and made myself sit with the feelings. “Your parents are what every parent should be. They’re warm and open and so goddamn accepting. It’s so clear that they just want you to be happy.”

  “My happiness comes second to grandchildren.” She rolled her eyes. “They’re going to be great grandparents, though. I’ve always wanted a big family and I guess I thought I’d be closer to having it than I am at twenty-seven. I know they thought they’d have little babies to smother by now.”

  “Did you want a family with your ex?” I shouldn’t have asked, shouldn’t have cared, but I wanted to know how invested she’d been in the asshole.

  “No.” She leaned forward and pressed her forehead to my chest. It was obvious she was exhausted from running interference with her parents all day. “I knew from the beginning that I didn’t want kids with him. I just… I thought being with him was better than being alone. I was wrong. I wasn’t even sad when I caught him screwing the upstairs neighbor. I was just kind of relieved.”

  “I never really loved Angie.” I heard how harsh the words sounded and shook my head. “I mean… I tried. She was really good at bringing Jud out of his shell and I realize now that I was looking for a woman to love me in place of my mother. That’s a really stupid reason to marry someone, though. The first time I found out she cheated, I was hurt but not like I should’ve been. The next time, I just expected it.”

  “How many times?”

  I grimaced. “I don’t know. Dozens? More? I stopped reacting and caring after a while. We had Kendall to think about. I probably would’ve just let it keep going but it was starting to touch Kendall. Angie screwed one of the dads at Kendall’s school and the rumors weren’t great. I divorced her but nothing really changed. Our relationship had become something to trot out for events and nothing else. She didn’t even live with us by the end.”

  Ada stood up on her toes and wrapped her arms around my neck to hug me. “What an idiot she was.”

  When she moved away, I caught her hand and I was the one to intertwine our fingers that time. “I’m sure I wasn’t a walk in the park either.”

  “What are you talking about? You’re great and I’ve never said anything otherwise.” She giggled and tugged me into the grass after her. “Do you ever want to get married again?”

  “I always said I never would.” I looked out at where Kitten was sniffing around. “Who knows, though?”

  “What about kids? Do you want more?”

  “My nanny says I’m not a very good dad, so I don’t know…”

  “You’re getting better.” Ada let go of my hand and gasped at something she saw in the yard. “Kitten! No!”

  I looked out and saw what Ada was freaking out about. Kitten was trying to make friends with a skunk. I shouted at Ada to stop running at the skunk and at Kitten to get back but neither listened. Of course, neither listened.

  An hour later, after the specialized groomer finished up with Kitten and Ada had been locked away in a baking soda bath, I thought about Ada’s kid question again. I took the stairs up to her room two at a time and let myself in.

  I found her still in the bath, her knees pulled up to her chest and her eyes bright red from crying. Kneeling next to the tub, I dipped my hand in the water and winced at how cool the water had gotten. Silently, I drained some of the water and added more hot water and baking soda. The skunk smell was lingering.

  Looking up at her, I saw she had giant tears pooling in her eyes. “Hey. What’s wrong?”

  “You’re being so nice. And I stink. I got sprayed by a skunk and then I threw up on myself. And I think Kitten hurt the skunk. He stepped all over him. Do you think the skunk’s okay? Should we do something for it? Do you think I’m going to stink forever? Why are you being so nice?”

  I smiled and poured soap onto a cloth. I started washing her arms first. “You’re not going to stink forever. Maybe for a few days, but not forever. The skunk is fine. I saw it run off and the only thing that looked hurt was its pride.”

  She moved forward in the bath until she was face to face with me. “And why are you being so nice?”

  I ran the cloth over her shoulders and the back of her neck. “I don’t know. Maybe you’ve bullied me into submission. Or maybe I want to take care of you. Does it matter?”

  She wrapped her soap covered arms around my neck and nodded. “To me, it does.”

  I searched her eyes and swallowed my nerves. “I want to take care of you. I want to make you smile and laugh and dance around because you’re so happy you can’t fucking contain it. I care… I care about you.”

  Those giant tears fell and she hiccupped. “I’m sorry. Sometimes I hiccup when I cry.”

  “Of course you do.” I turned my face to kiss her inner elbow. “Lean forward so I can wash your back, Ada.”

  She did as I asked and she watched me as I took care of her with wide eyes and a rogue hiccup every so often. “I care about you, too.”

  44

  ***Ada***

  Everything felt different the next morning. There was something in the air that set my nerves on edge. It was almost like the energy before a storm but it didn’t feel terrible. It was just…different. The kids started a new summer camp. My parents were more giggly than ever. The guys were observant. That was the only way I could think to describe them. They watched me so closely and I could feel the unasked questions floating around my head.

 

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