Darcy, Ray and Ava laugh. I watch them with a small smile, glad that this is what Ava had after she lost her parents.
Darcy and Ray ask Ava about her life in Japan. She answers in general strokes, until they ask about Bennie. She tells them about his love life troubles in detail, and how she wishes things would work out.
“He won’t accept that he deserves better,” Ava huffs. “It’s so frustrating.”
“He didn’t have an easy childhood,” Darcy says sympathetically.
“I know, but right in front of him—we’re not talking hypotheticals here—he has this perfect man mooning over him. All he has to do is give in…just a little.” Ava shakes her head.
“I hope you were able to talk some sense into him,” Darcy says. “The boy could use a bit more.”
“Speaking of which, what made you leave Osaka so suddenly?” Ray asks.
I tense. The truth would get me shot—or brained with one of Ray’s golf clubs—but I don’t want Ava to lie for me. Not to these wonderful people.
She takes a long, slow sip of coffee before responding. “The principal was never too fond of foreigners. And when she had a chance to get rid of the only gaijin teacher she had, she took it.”
“Then who’s going to teach English at her school?” Darcy asks.
Ava shrugs. “I don’t know. Not my school anymore, so not my problem. I just feel bad for the students.”
Sharp guilt over the fact that Ava is forced to lie to cover for what I did makes me fidget. I still would’ve found a way to bring her home, but I wish I could go back in time and spend more of my energy convincing her to quit on her own rather than forcing her into it. I was so focused on my goal that I didn’t think about the consequences of putting my desire first.
Ava deftly steers the conversation to a few funny anecdotes about her friends in Osaka. I listen vaguely, while feeling Darcy and Ray’s eyes on me every so often. Maybe it’s just me, but their gazes seem full of judgment. Can foster parents see through bullshit from their kids too?
Darcy turns to me all of a sudden. “So Lucas, what do you do?”
The question is a little unusual for me. Most people in my circle ask about how my investments are doing, not about my job. “These days, I make speeches, mostly of inspirational variety, or I consult.” Neither of which I’ve done much of recently since I’ve had very little drive. Nor do I particularly need the money. “And I have some investments. I’ve funded a few tech startups that look promising.”
“I see. Your family seems to live quite a ways from Virginia, except for your father.”
Wariness courses through me. The woman has done some homework, and most likely she found something she didn’t like.
“Darcy,” Ava says quietly, shooting a quick uncertain glance in my direction.
I nudge her leg under the table to let her know I can handle this. “That’s true.”
“Is it also true that your family is quite…wild?”
Wild doesn’t begin to describe some of my siblings, but if she has something to say, she can just say it. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Your brother Elliot—your twin, actually—has a certain reputation. I looked him up. Sex tapes, marrying a stripper, and I’m sure that’s not all.”
“Darcy!”
“Your mother has the right to know,” Darcy says blithely.
Ray gives me a sympathetic look. “Darcy’s mom was worse with me.”
Ava slumps in her seat, and I reach over and pat her hand.
Darcy continues, “Then there’s Ryder Reed, the actor brother, who of course has his own playboy reputation.”
“So are you saying that I’m like two of my brothers?”
“I didn’t say anything of the sort. I’m just pointing out some of the things I found out about you.”
“Actually,” I say pleasantly, “you haven’t found anything about me. You’ve discovered something about two of my siblings. And you’ve conveniently left out my oldest half-brother, who has never had a scandal attached to his name, and my half-sister, who does quite a lot of work in charities and other social programs.”