A Secret for a Secret (All In #3)(84)

I can understand exactly why his mother would want them to be together. They are definitely a picture-perfect couple. Until you really look at the two of them together and compare those pictures to the ones he’s been posting of us over the past few months. The sheer quantity alone speaks volumes.

I can see it in the way they orient themselves around each other: familiar but formal, posed but never relaxed, smiling but always a little tight lipped. And then there are the pictures of him and me together—which totally clog his feed and have replaced more than 50 percent of his pregame skate and workout videos. Kingston’s smile is brighter, his posture is more relaxed, and the expression he wears when he’s taking one of his silly selfies while trying to look at me instead of the camera tells me everything I need to know. That despite how different we are, or maybe because of it, we fit. The way he wants me is the same way I want him.

I get that his family’s perception of me probably isn’t the greatest if they’ve been listening to the gossip mill. But come on, everyone knows 90 percent of that stuff is bullshit based on a grain of truth.

And now I’m annoyed, frustrated, and kind of pissed off. Because his ex is here—probably in his house right now—and the woman who raised him as her son is the one who brought her. I’m not pissed at Kingston; he needs to deal with the situation. But in that moment when I saw them together, with his family standing and watching the whole thing, his mom beaming rainbows of happiness, I realized there was clearly a disconnect. And if I’d stuck around, I wasn’t going to make an awesome first impression. Or second impression, if I’m counting the whole tabloid explosion.

Especially since I sort of want to tell his mom off, which isn’t a good way to handle the family-intro business.

So instead I’m pacing the length of my kitchen, trying to figure out how the hell I’m supposed to deal with this. My group chat with Stevie, Vi, and Lainey is blowing up. They’re appropriately outraged right along with me, which is validating.

A knock on the door startles me. A bubble of hope forms in my chest but then pops just as quickly when my dad lets himself in.

“Oh, hey.”

He frowns, taking in the pile of used tissues and me. “I didn’t expect you to be here tonight.”

“Me either.” I toss my phone on the counter and cross over to my fridge, pulling out a couple of beers.

“What happened? Why aren’t you with Kingston?”

I twist off the caps and hand him a beer. “He’s with his ex-girlfriend, because his mother brought her along.”

“Wait. What? His momster or his mom brought her?”

“His mom, not momster.” If it had been Hanna, I’d be a lot more upset, I think.

My dad sets the beer on the counter, obviously confused. “Why the hell would she do that? Why would Kingston let her?”

“Kingston didn’t know she was coming. She was supposed to be a surprise.” I rub the space between my eyes. “I didn’t think a family introduction with his ex-girlfriend there was in my best interest, or anyone’s, really, so I came home, and he’s dealing with the situation.”

“Dealing with it how?”

“Likely in his very diplomatic way.” I glance at the clock. I’ve been home for forty-five minutes. That’s a considerable amount of time to stew. And contemplate whether I made the right choice in coming home instead of standing up for King and myself and our relationship.

“Shit.” I slam my full bottle on the counter, making it foam like a volcano.

“What?”

“I did it again.”

“Did what again?” My dad’s brow is furrowed, and he’s clearly confused again, since I’m speaking out loud but explaining nothing.

I prop my fists on the counter and shake my head, annoyed not just with Kingston’s mom but with myself now. “I ran away from the goddamn problem instead of facing it.”

“You mean by coming home?”

I slap the counter, barely missing my beer. “Yes. I should have stuck it out and stood my damn ground.”

“Well, in your defense, you’ve had a pretty rough day, let alone week. It’s kind of understandable that you might need some time to gather yourself.”

“The awkward level is pretty freaking high,” I agree. “But I managed to get through dealing with Corey and his loon of a fiancée and a bunch of media BS, so I sure as hell should’ve been able to deal with an ex-girlfriend and some misinformed parents, regardless of the level of awkward. I mean, I can’t expect Kingston to fight for us if I’m not going to, can I? Well, I guess I could, but where’s the balance in that?” I grab my purse and phone and kiss my dad on the cheek. “Thanks so much for the talk, Dad.”

“Uh, you’re welcome?”

Just as I throw the door open, a set of headlights blinds me.

My dad brushes by me, squeezing my shoulder on the way out. “That’s my cue to leave.”

He claps Kingston on the shoulder and mutters something I can’t hear as they pass each other in the driveway.

“Hey.” He notes my purse hooked over my shoulder and my phone in my hand. “Are you going somewhere?”

“I was going to your place.” I take a step back and allow him inside.

“My place?” He hooks his thumbs into his pockets, as if he’s unsure what to do now that he’s here.