“You don’t have to convince me, love,” I breathe. “You’re a good mom.” She’s not fucking negligent. “That woman can go to hell. She doesn’t know you or me or your sisters.”
Lily lets out a deep breath.
“Okay?” I ask her.
She nods and peeks past my bicep. After a short moment, she says, “He’s so cute.”
I roll my eyes, but my shoulders drop. Glad she’s not scratching her arms, biting her nails or crossing her ankles. I’d like a drink though.
Great.
“What’s that?” Lily breathes.
I follow her gaze to a second-floor lit window. Two teenagers are peeking out of the blinds. They must see us because one drops his pants and sticks his bare ass against the glass.
I grit my teeth. Classic.
“Do you remember when you peed on the side of Todd Border’s house?” Lily says with the tilt of her head in remembrance. Her words strangely ease the tension in my muscles.
I wrap my arm around her. “He was a dick,” I say. “And I drank way too much rum that night. I had to piss somewhere.” We were fifteen.
It’s weird. Revisiting bad memories doesn’t have the same impact on me that it did a year ago. I can touch them without splintering.
As I gauge Lily’s mental state, I realize the same can be said for her. While Connor tries to calm down the parents, I pull Lily even closer to me. She rests her cheek on my chest. “Hey, little criminal,” I murmur.
“So much for my getaway car, huh?”
“Sorry about that.” I tug at the red sleeve of her Marvel PJs. “You should’ve worn black, you know.”
She smiles. “All my favorite superheroes were supposed to protect me tonight, but I suppose I forgot the best one.”
“If you say a DC character like Green Lantern, we’re no longer boyfriend-girlfriend,” I tease.
She lifts her chin up at me. “I forgot you.”
I try hard not to laugh. “That…is the most rom-com thing you’ve ever fucking said to me. Take it back.”
She gapes. “I will not.” She hugs me tighter. I love being this close to her.
I kiss her temple, and that’s about when the man’s voice escalates. “Fine, fine. If someone cleans this up, then we won’t press charges.” He begins to head back into the house, but his wife lingers.
“You’re all exactly what they say.” She motions to Ryke and Daisy. “The jackass and the daredevil.” She points an accusatory finger at Lily and me. “The alcoholic and the sex addict.” Lily stiffens against my body. And the woman just keeps going, facing Connor. “The smartass.” When she turns to Rose, I think she won’t say anything. She’s using the labels from Princesses of Philly, and the producers called Rose a virgin. It doesn’t apply anymore.
The whole world knows it doesn’t.
“And you,” the woman briefly pauses, “the porn star.”
Lily’s jaw unhinges and mine tightens. That’s something I wouldn’t even say to Rose, under any circumstance.
Rose has enough. She lunges this time, and Connor lifts her up in his arms, restraining her easily. “We’re leaving,” he says loudly, shutting down the fight before it reignites.
“Fuck you,” Rose adds, practically spitting at her. Connor tries hard not to smile while he gives Rose a commanding look.
Daisy starts marching towards the woman.
“Now’s not the fucking time to be a hero, Calloway,” Ryke says, grabbing Daisy around the waist.
I stare down at Lily. “You’re not moving out of my arms, Lil.”
“See, I told you you’re better than Wolverine and Spider-Man and—” she scrutinizes all the characters on her PJs “—Captain America.”
I shake my head at her, but the corners of my lips have already curved upward.
Ryke lifts Daisy on his shoulders, like she weighs nothing. His upper-body strength is insane. Her legs dangle against his chest, and she stops fighting with him. In fact she inhales like she can breathe better up high. It’s times like this where I see how well my brother knows Daisy.
He looks over at me, and he scans my body, as though assessing how I’m doing.
I’m not shaking anymore. Thanks to Lily.
He motions with his head down the street. And I know he’s going to return to the house with Daisy on his shoulders, just like that.
I nod to him, and he heads towards our house.
“Walk, darling,” Connor says to Rose, rotating her so she’s in line with the car and not the stone mansion.