“Baby,” he says, laughing.
“Zack, turn around and go downstairs.”
He puts up his hands. “Fine, I’ll go make you coffee.”
“Shit,” I say. “I don’t want to go downstairs by myself.” I look down at myself. “I’m good.”
“Relax, you already met my mother,” he tells me when we walk down the stairs, and I smell the coffee already started. We walk into the kitchen, and Shirley spots me right away.
“Denise,” she says, wiping her hands and coming over to me, pulling me into a hug. “So happy to see you again.”
“Grandma is making waffles,” Jack says, and I spot Zack’s dad standing back at the sink, not sure of coming forward.
“Denise,” Shirley says, “this is Arnold.” I walk to him, putting my hand out, and he shakes it.
“Pleasure to meet you,” I say with a smile, and he just nods at me. I turn and spot Zack, who holds a coffee mug out for me. “Thank you.”
“What do you want me to do?” I turn, asking Shirley who just shoos me away. “We can set the table,” I say, putting my mug down and grabbing the plates. I turn and walk back into the kitchen, and the voices are hush.
“I’m not cold.” I hear Arnold say. “I don’t know her.” Shirley stands in front of him, putting her hand on her hip while Zack sits on one of the stools.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just need some fruit,” I tell them, not making eye contact. “Jack likes to slice up his bananas in the morning and put a blueberry in the middle.” I walk to the counter and grab the fruit, but I’m stopped by Zack, who puts his hand around my shoulder. He pulls me to him and kisses me on the lips.
“I love you,” he whispers beside my ear, and I just nod at him.
“So why the sudden visit?” Zack looks at his parents, and his father’s eyebrow goes up.
“Are you kidding me?” Shirley shrieks. “After the whole web blew up.”
“Mom, since when are you on ZMT?” he asks.
“Your father has that alert thing on his phone, and when there is something with your name, it beeps him.” She turns to Arnold. “I can’t say anything in front of Jack, but that woman,” she says, shaking her head. “That fucking,” she says, lowering her voice, “bitch.”
We all laugh at her, and the fact she is swearing. “And to drag Denise in this is despicable.”
“It’s okay, Mom,” Zack says. “The good news is that because of that NDA that Dad threw in the prenup, she just lost everything that she wanted.”
“Really?” Arnold says. “You didn’t talk to me for a month for that.”
“You owe him,” I tell him, pushing his shoulder.
“Did you guys see the news this morning?” Arnold asks, and I literally hold my breath.
He shakes his head, laughing. “Gotta say it was funny seeing the picture of Chantal with no makeup.”
“Oh my god,” I say under my breath and grab the phone on the counter in front of Zack. Going online to ZMT.
“Zack Morrow’s soon-to-be ex Chantal Morrow is sent to the curb by her latest boyfriend, who is none other than Colton Woods.”
“Holy shit,” I say, showing him the tagline. The picture shows Chantal at the curb trying to flag down a cab, mascara streaks staining her cheeks. I read the article where it says they have been together for over a year; it also mentioned she hasn’t seen Jack since Zack found out and dumped her.
“Well, you know what they say,” Shirley says. “Karma is a bitch.”
I snicker, going back and checking to see if there is anything about me or Zack. “The original story got taken down,” Arnold says.
“Thank god,” Zack says, looking at me.
“Let’s sit and eat,” Shirley says, grabbing the plate of waffles and calling the boys.
We sit down and eat breakfast. I slice bananas for both Jack and Michael, and the two of them eat and rush out to wash their hands so they can play mini sticks.
“Be careful,” I say to them, and they both yell back.
“What time is check-in?” Shirley asks Arnold, and I look at them.
“Four,” he says.
“Check-in where?” I ask them, and Arnold looks at me.
“We booked the Marriott next to the arena.”
“What?” I ask, shocked. “Why would you do that? Zack has a spare bedroom upstairs.”
“Well,” he says, leaning forward. “We,” he says and then corrects himself when Shirley crosses her arms over her chest. “I didn’t know if we would be welcomed.”
“What?” Zack says, and I laugh.
“You’re his parents; of course, you’re welcome,” I say, laughing. “Oh my god.” I stop laughing. “Did you think that I would not be okay with it?”
He looks down and then looks up at me, and I don’t stop. “I’m so sorry that you thought that. I’m very, very close with my family, well, my tribe, I’m close with my tribe, so know that if Zack wasn’t the family person he is, I don’t think I would have fallen in love with him.”