“Did you lose a tooth? You don’t sound any different,” she says. “But seriously, I’m a little sad that you never even hinted you were in a relationship. How long have you been dating this woman? And what about those girls you were seen with? Were they decoys to hide your relationship with Max’s sister?”
Only she’d think of such an outlandish scenario. “No, nothing like that. We were drunk in Vegas,” I say.
I tell her the details, including what Becca claimed, making sure to add that I remember nothing of it. There’s no point in hiding any of this from Mom. She already knows something’s wrong with my situation with Becca.
“But the girl has a point,” Mom says when I’m finished. “She didn’t force you to drink.”
“Yeah, but it isn’t like she didn’t know who I was. Even if rock music isn’t her thing”—which is blasphemy, but Killian’s wife actually didn’t know who he was when they met—“how can she not know her brother’s bandmates? She and Max are close, too, Mom. I saw them with my own eyes. She took advantage of me!”
“You know what the best revenge is,” Mom says.
“I have that option?”
“Sure. You can deny her what she wants the most. Or, if that’s too unpalatable, you can just suck it up for a year.”
Denying means dumping Becca and making sure she doesn’t get the house. Somehow, I don’t think that would help maintain good dynamics within the band. “I hate it when I’m forced to do something.”
“Yes, but this isn’t like becoming a cardiologist.” I can practically hear the eye-roll. She thought Dad was ridiculous for wanting me to be a cardiologist. She’s of the opinion that kids should do what comes naturally to them, so long as it’s legal. “Well, good luck and say hello to this Becca for me. Even if becoming Mr. Becca isn’t something you wanted, she’s my daughter-in-law for a year. I want her to know I’m a great mother-in-law.”
“Will do,” I say, although I doubt Mom and Becca will ever run into each other. Mom doesn’t come to the States often, and when she does, she’s usually in L.A. or New York.
“Chat with you later, hon. I miss you so much!”
“Me too. Bye!”
We hang up. I pack my stuff. I need to stop by Dallas before heading to…Drover. Wherever that is.
There are knocks at the door. I check the peephole to make sure it isn’t some weirdo. Or a naked chick. I’m married and unavailable for screwing around. No matter how much of a farce my marriage is, I’m going to be faithful until it’s over. Not necessarily because I care about Becca, but because I don’t cheat. I’m a man of my word, even if that word was drunkenly given in front of a preacher in a sequined jumpsuit.
But it’s Max. Hard to see his expression through the fish-eye lens. Hopefully, he’s calmed down by now.
I open the door with a forced smile. “Hey.”
He walks inside, then sees all my stuff lying on the bed. After a moment, he turns to me with a raised eyebrow.
“I gotta get going. Gonna be busy moving.”
A grunt. It’s his “fuck” grunt. Guttural, with a lot of feeling. “Becca’s a good girl.” He speaks the words like he wants to cry. Maybe he’s feeling like one of those fathers who weep at their daughters’ weddings.
I nod because that’s the right response if I don?
??t want my eyes swollen shut. I saw Max throw some amazing punches in bar fights back when we were unknown. Now, he restrains himself because our lawyer and manager told him it isn’t worth the bad publicity or a lawsuit.
Max comes and lays a heavy hand on my shoulder. “No hurting my sister.”
I raise mine like a scout in return. “I promise.”
He shakes his head with a heavy sigh. “Dunno if I believe it.”
Hey, tell your sister to divorce me. But that’s probably not the right thing to say. Max is emotional at the moment.
“I’m only okay with this because you got a dick that doesn’t work right.”
I almost choke on my spit.
But he isn’t done. He pushes a meaty index finger gently into the exact center of my chest. “Keep it broken.”
Chapter Fifteen