44. June
CHAPTER 44
JUNE
M y only hope for keeping my parents from coming to my new apartment was not to give them my address. Unfortunately, April had it, and she gave that information away. I don’t want to resent her, but it’s hard for me not to while I’m waiting for my parents to show up and implode my life completely.
Katrina came over after work and stayed to offer moral support—and to be a buffer. I’m thankful for that. I think if my folks got here and saw only my three boyfriends in the living room, it would set them off. It might still happen, but I’m no longer hiding what my boys mean to me. I want Jake, Ryan, and Lachy here when my parents come.
They said they were five minutes away from my apartment, which feels like an eternity. I’m pacing up and down in front of the kitchen and looking at the door every five seconds.
“June, what are you doing?” Katrina pipes up.
“I can’t sit still.”
“You’re making me anxious. Maybe we should all have something to drink.” She gets up from the couch and veers for the cupboard in the kitchen where I keep the booze. “I think shots of tequila to take the edge off are in order. Who wants one?” She looks at me first, then at the boys, sitting on the couch.
“I’m fine,” Jake replies.
“Yeah, I’ll pass too,” Ryan adds.
Lachy is the only one who jumps from the couch and says, “I’ll have one.”
Katrina looks at me. “June?”
The doorbell rings, and I freeze. Winston barks from inside the bedroom—didn’t want him getting agitated in case this meeting turns explosive. The cats are in the bedroom too. My heart jumps into my throat and gets stuck there. The bell rings again, and I still can’t move.
Lachy stops next to me, putting a hand on my shoulder. “Do you want me to get that, lass?”
“No,” I croak. “It’s better if I answer the door. Can you please sit back down?”
“Okay.”
I force my feet to move, and it’s like there are rocks attached to my ankles. I look through the peephole just to be sure my parents are outside. Yep.
My chest is tight, and I have to take a breath to force air into my lungs. I’m shaking from head to toe, but I keep my chin raised high. I’m an adult, for fuck’s sake. I shouldn’t be terrified of facing my parents’ wrath.
I open the door wide, and for a moment no one says a word. My father smiles a little, but he looks tired. I’m surprised he’s not glowering like Mom is. She has her trademark bitch face on, the one she reserves for the people she loathes the most. I try to not let that get to me, but it’s hard.
“Are you going to invite us in?” She arches a brow.
I make a flourish motion with my arm. “Do come in, please.”
Mom walks in first with her shoulders squared. Dad follows and gives me a brief hug. “How are you, pumpkin?”
I hug him back, even though I’m stunned he’s being so nice. I can’t imagine he took it well, learning his oldest daughter was sleeping with three men.
“I’ve been better.”
“It’s okay. We’re here now. Everything is going to be fine.”
I narrow my eyes. My father is a practical man, so his comment is odd, to say the least. How does he think their presence is going to fix anything?
“I cannot believe this,” Mom blurts out.
I turn and see that her attention is fixated on Jake, Lachy, and Ryan sitting on the couch.
“Mrs. Summers—” Jake starts, standing up.
“Don’t you dare to address me.” Mom’s nostrils flare, then she looks at me. “How could you have these men here? Have you no shame?”
“They’re my boyfriends,” I grit out. “I want them here.”
“Boyfriends?” Dad rubs his face. “It’s worse than I thought.”
My spine becomes tense. “Yes, Dad. Boyfriends . It’s not that unusual.”
“Not unusual in Sodom and Gomorrah!” Mom retorts.
“I love them, and they love me,” I fire back.
“It’s true, Mr. Summers. We’re in love with your daughter,” Ryan chimes in.
From the corner of my eye, I see Katrina toss back a shot of tequila. I regret not accepting her offer.
“What did I tell you, Mark? This filthy town corrupted our daughter. We should have never let her move here and live with her boyfriend, unmarried.”
“So would you rather I be married to that asshole and stuck in a soulless relationship?”
She clutches her pearl necklace. “No. I should have seen the signs. If he didn’t want to marry you before you moved here, he never would. Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?”
“Sheesh, it’s been a while since I heard that one,” Katrina mutters.
“I’m not going to discuss my past choices with you. I don’t regret moving to LA and living with Bill. I don’t even regret staying with him for that long, and do you want to know why? Because if it weren’t for Bill’s duplicity, I wouldn’t have met them.” I point at my wonderful boyfriends.
“The fact that you think that’s a good thing is the root of the problem,” Mom retorts. “But that’s it. You’re clearly not able to make sensible choices anymore. Your father and I came here to pack your things. You’re moving back to Baron with us.”
I wince, blinking my eyes fast. “Excuse me?”
Dad puts a hand on my shoulder. “We’re only thinking about what’s best for you, dear.”
I shrug him off and step away. “You have no idea what’s best for me. I’m not going anywhere with you, least of all to Baron. I’m sorry you wasted a trip.”
Mom’s eyes almost pop out of her skull. “You don’t have a choice. You’ll do as we say.”
Katrina laughs. “Are you guys for real? She’s a fucking adult.”
Mom presses her hand against her chest. “I can see now June’s been under terrible influences for longer than I thought. I never make mistakes judging people, but I clearly made one with you. You’re a bad influence.”
“Oh yeah. I’m the worst.” Katrina fills another glass with tequila. “Here, June. You look like you need a drink.”
I so want that shot, but not while my mother is shooting daggers with her eyes at my best friend. She’s always had a short temper, but I’ve never seen Mom so enraged.
Jake, Ryan, and Lachy are standing by the kitchen, and much closer to me now. They’re tense, ready for a fight. It must be taking them an enormous amount of self-control not to speak their minds. I walk around my mother and join them. Lachy touches my shoulder, and Jake and Ryan hold my hands. My parents miss nothing. I can’t read Dad’s expression, but Mom looks like she’s going to have an aneurysm.
“I’m right where I belong. The video was an unfortunate thing that happened, but it doesn’t change how I feel about Jake, Ryan, and Lachy. I love my life here in LA. If you can’t accept me or my relationship with them, then I’m afraid I have no room for you in my life.”
“You’re upset and don’t know what you’re saying,” Mom replies in a calmer voice. “We’ll be staying in LA until Monday. Use that time wisely, June. If you choose your sinful life in LA over your family, you’ll have to live with that choice forever. You’ll be dead to us.”
Tears prickle my eyes. I can’t believe it has come to this. I have to pick between the men I love and my family. I knew it was a very real possibility, but I hoped that they would eventually understand. Maybe if they hadn’t found out because of that video, they could have gotten used to the idea. Now, they’re reeling from the scandal.
“If that’s how you want it to be,” I reply through the lump in my throat. “Then consider me dead.”
Both my mother and my father wince, but Mom recovers from the shock first. Her eyes turn glacial, and her lips are nothing but a thin, flat line.
Lachy, Jake, and Ryan squeeze my shoulder and hands, showing their support. I’m quivering and trying my hardest to not cry in front of my parents.
“We’re staying at the Blue Moon Hotel by the airport. Think about it, honey,” Dad says.
He takes my mother’s hand and steers her out the front door. It’s only when the door closes behind them that I let out a loud sob and allow the tears to fall.