Eyes watering with the intensity of the moment, I look at all of them. “Things are going to get … bad. Worse than they already are because we decided to speak up before somebody else can.”
It’s Mom who presses for what I won’t directly say. “Someone else being…?”
Corbin answers for me, knowing the expression on my face tells him I can’t verbalize an explanation. “My soon to be ex-wife, ma’am. I’m not proud of what I’ve done either, but Lena and I have been separated for a while. We agreed long before the movie even started that we would end the marriage.”
Gavin scoffs in disbelief. “And how’s that going?”
“Gavin,” I whisper defeatedly.
He doesn’t say anything more to my surprise, sitting down when Dad shoots him another look.
“The media thinks what they want to,” Corbin continues, making eye contact with each of them despite the icy look Gavin returns. “Since we’re still married it makes things between Kinley and me complicated, but not impossible. And, frankly, I’d go through anything if it meant being with her again. Your anger, the publics’ anger, anything.”
Mom leans back in her chair until it creaks. “Regardless of your separation, you still cheated on another woman.”
Corbin nods once, not arguing with her.
I sit straighter and count to three, channeling Dr. Ray’s techniques. “We can’t deny what the press has been saying about us because I’m pregnant. And I’m … a lot of things. Sorry. Scared. Guilty. But neither one of us can change what’s happened. We can only move forward the best way we can, and we chose to do that together.”
All three of them stare at us.
Dad’s lips thin, Mom inhales slowly, and Gavin’s eye twitches. And then, at the worst time possible, Corbin’s phone goes off again. The loud ringtone breaks the silence but doesn’t stop the growing tension in the room.
He curses and grabs it from his pocket.
“Wife calling?” Gavin bites.
“Stop,” I warn, giving him a look that says I’ve just about had it with his opinion and so-called ‘help’.
Corbin sighs. “It’s my mother. Sorry.” He presses the ignore button and sets it on the table between us. “Listen, I know none of you are my biggest fans. Truth be told, I’m not my biggest fan either sometimes. But Kinley has always been there for me and I have no intention of not being there for her. Now more than ever.”
“So what?” Gavin questions. “Because you knocked up my little sister, you decide to keep her?”
My fists clench so tight my fingernails cut into the heel of my palm. “If you say one more word I’m leaving. You’ve never liked Corbin and I never understood why. He didn’t do anything to me, Gavin. You were always so bitter over your own failed relationships that you tried protecting me from mine before they even happened. You need to admit that your actions toward us were unfair from the start. You labeled us doomed because of Aimee and ruined what we had. It was vindictive, and honestly, say what you want but I think a part of you did it on purpose.”
Corbin squeezes my hand. “Kinley…”
Gavin’s face turns red and the muscles in his neck pop like Dad’s do when he’s angry. “I did you a favor whether you accept it or not.”
“A favor?” I spit, feeling my hands shake. Maybe it’s the hormones, or maybe it’s the years of pent up anger, but I’m about to lose it on him. I’ve always held my tongue when it comes to Gavin, but I’m tired of it. He’s constantly intervening where he shouldn’t, and whether he wants to admit it or not, he did lead to the ruination of my relationship with Corbin. Maybe at that time, even if I had seen Corbin the day my brother chased him away, we would’ve still inevitably ended up right where we are, but I’m not so sure.
“Kids,” Dad tries intervening.
“You know what,” Gavin states, leaning forward and ignoring Dad. “I take full responsibility for what I did if that makes you feel better. I did what I had to do to protect my little sister. And I don’t regret that because I never want to see you hurt, and that’s exactly what you were when he—” He points to Corbin. “—left. I’m sorry for upsetting you, but if you’re both sitting here then can you honestly say I ruined you?”
My jaw is strung so tight I worry I’ll break it when I grind my teeth.
Mom sighs heavily. “This is blowing out of proportion. You two love each other. The last thing I want to see if your relationship torn apart because of something that happened almost a decade ago. You’re both adults. Act like it.”
I throw my hands up, ready to explode. “Why do you always take his side? This is why I hate talking to you guys about anything. The minute I want to open up, it becomes a joke.”
Her eyes narrow at me in offense. “Who said this was a joke? Quit being melodramatic, Kinley. We’re all talking like you wanted.”
“You think Gavin meddling in business that’s not his own and then calling him out on it is being melodramatic?”
She scoffs. “What do you want from me, Kinley? Nothing I do or say seems to be enough for you anymore.”
Corbin’s hold tightens on me again, grounding me enough to take a moment before I say something I’ll regret. I didn’t come here to yell. To be yelled at, sure. But not to wedge distance between us more than it already is.