“So, you and Ben met because your brother is one of his,” Eve glanced toward Ben and I saw the concern in her eyes. “He’s one of his coaches?”
I nodded, twirling my paper towel napkin nervously.
“Huh,” she said.
“Mom, come on. I told you not to worry about it. Matt’s cool with it.” Ben finished his beer and leaned back in his chair. “What is this, the third degree?”
“It’s okay, Ben,” I said. “Your mom is just curious.” I played nice but I wished the woman would move on.
“See?” Eve winked at her son but when she turned her eyes back to me she was all business.
No such chance.
She took a sip of wine. “Did you grow up around here?”
“Cherry Hill.”
“Ah,” Jason said. “I’ve got a client who lives there. Martin Brewer. Do you know him?”
“Jesus Dad,” Ben said exasperated. “There are thousands of people in Cherry Hill.”
I laughed at the look on his father’s face. “No, Jason. I don’t know Martin Brewer.”
“Are you in college?” Eve asked.
I shifted, my stomach tight and I tried to keep my voice light. “I was but I’m taking a break for a bit.”
I shot a glance at Ben who looked absolutely mortified.
“What are you studying?” God, the woman didn’t miss a beat.
“Art history.”
“Ah,” she said with a smile. “That sounds interesting.”
“It is,” I stumbled over my words. “I mean it was.”
“I see. Ben tells me that you live with your brother?” She was watching me closely on this one and I knew she was wondering if Ben and I were living in sin.
“I do. In Philly.”
“And your parents?”
And here we were.
I exhaled, my body cold and then hot. I took a sip of water and pushed my plate away. There was no way I could force another bite down. There was also no way I could avoid answering. Not anymore.
Ben studied me as carefully as his parents and I knew he was interested in my answer. We’d been together for weeks now and I hadn’t mentioned my parents once.
“They’re dead.”
I saw the shock on Eve’s face—I saw it mirrored on her husband’s face too—and I had to look away because my eyes were filling up with tears and I didn’t want to fall apart in front of them. Shit.
“I’m so sorry,” Eve whispered. “I didn’t…Ben never said anything.”
“He didn’t know,” I mumbled.
I chanced a glance back but I should have kept my eyes averted. She looked horrified, as if she’d made the biggest mistake every by asking one simple question. Great. Leave it to me to bring everyone down.
I nodded but didn’t speak. What was there to say? I’m sorry I ruined your dinner? I’m sorry I’m the college dropout with major family issues who’s fucking your son?
I felt Ben’s hand on mine but I couldn’t look at him. Their perfect little triangle wasn’t meant for my sharp edge and I just wanted to disappear.
“Hey,” he said softly, so softly I knew his parents couldn’t hear. “Babe, I’m sorry. I didn’t know…about your parents.”
I nodded. I mean, what was there to say? It wasn’t his fault my mother had decided to take a detour to off the bridge. Hell, it wasn’t even my mother’s fault. She was damaged. She was damaged and broken and there wasn’t any kind of glue in the world that could fix her.
“Georgia?”
I blinked rapidly, trying to stem the tears I felt but suddenly it was too much. Ben. His parents. My parents.
And all the holes in between.
My heart sped up. Sweat broke out along my forehead and for a minute the world seemed like it was spinning and yet I was still. I was standing in the middle of crazy. It was odd, but in that moment I felt as if I could see right into my mind and it scared the crap out of me.
I wrestled my hand from Ben’s and pushed away from the table.
“I gotta go,” I mumbled.
Ben stood, blocking my view of his parents and I avoided his eyes. I knew the power that was there and I didn’t want him to pull me in because I needed to leave.