Play (Stage Dive, #2)(55)

“He talked about Lizzy?” My eyes narrowed, all good humor long gone. I didn’t even want Ben Nicholson to know she existed. “She’s too young for him. She needs to be concentrating on school.”

“Relax, momma bear. So happens, I agree.” Mal smiled broadly, rubbing the back of my neck, soothing me instantly. Christ, his hands. As much as I liked his parents, hopefully this wouldn’t be a long, drawn-out dinner. Short and sweet was the way to go. Mal and I had things to do.

“We’ll keep Benny boy away from your baby sister,” he promised quietly. “Don’t worry.”

“What about your mother, Anne?” asked Lori. “Where is she?”

I flinched and Mal’s fingers paused against my neck. I didn’t need to see what look he was giving me. What I needed was to move the conversation onward and upward. “She’s, um … she’s back in So Cal. She’s fine.”

“And your father?”

“He left. Many years ago.” It was better than saying “Fuck knows.” And why sugarcoat it, right? Facts were facts. I picked up my remaining half slice of sourdough bread, nibbled at the crust. It was nice but I was full. We needed something neutral to talk about but the now-empty dinner plate offered no inspiration. My brain wouldn’t cough up a damn thing.

“You two staying for the first few tour dates?” asked Mal. I could have kissed his feet for the save.

“We’ll see,” said his dad.

“Of course we will. At least the first,” Lori corrected. “We love seeing you and the boys play. How are they all? Jimmy feeling better?”

“He’s good, Mom. They’re all doing good. Davie wants to introduce you to Ev as soon as possible.”

His mom happy sighed. “I would love to meet her. I always knew David would settle down first. He’s such a sensitive soul, more so than the rest of you.”

“I’m sensitive. I’m nothing but a big ball of mushy sensitive stuff inside. Tell her, pumpkin.”

“Your son is very sensitive,” I dutifully recited.

“That didn’t sound believable.” He gently tugged on a strand of my hair, moving in closer. “My feelings are hurt. You’ve wounded me. Kiss it better.”

“Apologies.” I gave him a brief but sweet kiss on the lips.

“That the best you got?” He rubbed his lips against mine, trying to lure me in deeper. “You should be ashamed of yourself. I think you can do much, much better than that. Why, you missed my mouth entirely.”

“Later,” I whispered, doing my best to keep things below an R rating in front of his parents. But damn, it was hard.

“Promise?”

“Yes.”

“Such a pity you weren’t home when we dropped by your place earlier, Anne,” said Lori. “But you have a lovely little apartment.”

“Thank you.”

“Malcolm just needs to stop breaking your furniture and causing floods.”

Mal groaned. “A man needs to be free to bounce on beds and bathe as he sees fit, Mother.”

“You’re twenty-seven-years old, honey.”

“And?”

“Isn’t it time to start acting like a grown-up?”

“I pay my bills, see to my responsibilities. Beyond that, does it really matter?” Mal sat up straighter, staring his mom down with a smile. You couldn’t help but get the feeling they’d had this conversation many times before.

“Funny,” said Neil, talking for the first time in forever. “Could’ve sworn I heard two voices in that bathroom.”

“Thin walls,” Mal and I both said at once. Yeah, my smile … I highly doubt it was even the tiniest bit believable. Excellent.

His dad grunted.

Lori tried to cover her smile by dabbing her lips with the napkin.

Shit. We were so busted.

“Eat more, hon.” Neil pushed Lori’s plate closer to her. The rest of us had wolfed the excellent food down, but Lori had barely touched hers.

“I’m not all that hungry.” She patted his hand.

The fingers rubbing my neck froze.

“But …” Neil leaned in, whispering in her ear.

After a moment Lori shut him down with a quick kiss. She put on a bright smile, a fake one. It was an expression I knew well. Hers wasn’t bad, but it still jarred. I guess I hadn’t expected it from her. What was going on here? Of course, there could be a hundred and one explanations. Couples fight.

A rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” broke out on the opposite side of the room. A large group of people around Lizzy’s age were starting to get seriously loud. The host on the front desk watched them with wary eyes.

“Malcolm, you have to bring Anne home for the party so she can meet your sisters,” she said. “We’re having a big family get-together next week in Coeur d’Alene and you both have to be there. It’s between the Seattle and Chicago shows, so the boys all have time to come.”

“That’s where you’re from?” I asked Mal without thinking. A real girlfriend would know these things. But Mal and I hadn’t gotten around to discussing normal everyday stuff yet. Though the past wasn’t a topic I tended to encourage. Fortunately, Lori didn’t appear to be concerned.