Chapter 33
THIRTY-THREE
PARENTS ARE COMPLICATED
CONNOR
“You didn’t have to come with me,” Sarah said as we walked into Il Spazio.
I brought our linked hands to my mouth and kissed her knuckles. “I was going to have to meet them sooner or later.”
Her parents had been in the Hamptons for the fourth, so it took them five days to make it to Kirksville to check on their daughter.
“Yeah, but ideally it wouldn’t be just days after your secret half-brother tried to kill us.” Glancing down at my torso, she winced. “How’s your side?”
I shrugged, running my thumb over her knuckles. She’d been fussing over me since I was discharged from the hospital, and while I loved having all her attention, I didn’t like that she felt guilty. “Fine. Just a little sore. I’m lucky Carter has shit aim with a knife.”
She shook her head, and the hostess interrupted whatever she was about to say.
“This way.”
I frowned and checked my watch. “They’re already here?”
Sarah smirked. “If you’re not fifteen minutes early, you’re late—a Tilney proverb.”
At a table in the back of the restaurant were two well-dressed middle-aged blonds.
“You made it,” Mr. Tilney said as he stood.
We were ten minutes early . . .
“We went to visit Jamie in the hospital. He finally woke up.” Sarah said as she accepted some of the stiffest hugs I’d ever witnessed from her mom and then her dad. Stepping next to me, she said, “This is Connor. Connor, these are my parents.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said, holding my hand out.
Mrs. Tilney lightly wrapped her icy fingers around it and gave me a limp handshake. “We’ve heard so much about you.” She let go and made room for her husband.
“All good, I hope.” I let out an awkward laugh as Mr. Tilney tried to break my hand with his grip.
“Of course,” he chuckled, dropping my hand to go help his wife with her chair.
I pulled Sarah’s chair out and took the seat next to her, across from her father.
“How is your brother?” Mrs. Tilney asked, picking up her glass of white wine.
“Great. He woke up this morning, and all signs point to there being no permanent damage.”
“Lucky guy,” Sarah’s dad absentmindedly said as he read the menu.
What an asshole.
I glanced at Sarah, and she gave me a forced smile. Red crept up her neck as she pursed her lips.
The server came back and took our orders, leaving us to sit in awkward silence.
Mr. Tilney sighed, taking off his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose. “Sarah, we want you to come home.”
“No,” Sarah said, laying a white cloth napkin across her lap. “I’m finishing undergrad on time. I’ve worked too hard to let Carter ruin everything.”
“Honey,” her mom tried, leaning toward her daughter. “It might be nice to take the semester off? Maybe you and I could go on a little trip?”
Reaching out, Sarah covered Mrs. Tilney’s hand. “Mom, I’m fine. I have the girls and BAE to keep me busy.”
Mrs. Tilney’s smile fell, and her expression twisted with hurt before smoothing into bland disinterest. “You’ll let us know if you change your mind?”
“Of course, Mom.”
A tense silence fell over the table. Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait long for our food.
“So, Connor, what are you studying?”
Of course, Mr. Tilney asked right after I took a bite of pasta, so I had to quickly chew and swallow. “Business. I’m going to get my MBA so I can join my uncle’s construction company, doing something other than drywall.”
“Your uncle’s company’s pretty successful?”
“McCormick Construction does okay.” It felt gross using my uncle and his company to impress this guy, but I would do anything to make this dinner go smoothly for Sarah. I figured a little name-dropping might make her dad like me more.
“McCormick?”
“Mm-hmm.” I had him.
“They’ve led some big regional projects.”
I didn’t answer because it wasn’t a question. Uncle Rick had a growing reputation throughout the Midwest.
“And he’s offered you a position if you get your MBA?”
“As long as that’s what I still want, I’ll start in management and then who knows. But I have five years until I graduate, so things could change.” I looked at Sarah, taking her hand in mine with a smile. It was too soon, but something in my gut wound told me my future would include her.
Mr. Tilney’s laughter pulled me from staring into Sarah’s crystal blue eyes. “You’d have to be an idiot to turn your back on an opportunity like that.”
I frowned, unsure what to say. Sarah, on the other hand, was raring to go. “Some things are more important than money and status, Dad.”
He snorted. “Like what?”
Sarah looked surprised to have been given an opportunity to speak and was working up the courage to say what she really thought. The polite mask had fallen, and her beautiful face was hardened and fierce.
Shaking his head, he dismissed Sarah and took a sip of his wine. I snuck a peek at Mrs. Tilney as she silently ate her fish, unaffected by the douche energy coming off her husband in waves.
“Dad. Some people care about more than money, status, and the kind of success you find so important.”
Mr. Tilney’s lips parted. The look on his face suggested he was gearing up for some next-level dickhead nonsense.
“With all due respect, Mr. Tilney.”
“Jack,” he said, leaning his forearms on the table.
“Jack. I love your daughter and will do everything in my power to make her happy. If that’s making career changes, so be it.”
“You’re too young to make those kinds of promises.”
I huffed out a laugh. “Sir, I may only be twenty-three, but I know what it means to support my people. You’ll never have to worry about Sarah. I’ve got her.”
Sarah’s hand landed on my thigh, and she whispered, “Connor.”
I turned to her, and all the anger drained from me. “Baby, don’t cry.” Cradling her face in my hands, I wiped away her tears with my thumbs.
Her flushed face broke into the most beautiful smile. “I love you. Can we go?”
“Yes.” I gave her a soft smile and looked at her parents. “I’m going to take Sarah home. It was nice—well, I met you.”
Mrs. Tilney waved her hands. “No. Please don’t go.” She glared at her husband. “Apologize, Jack.”
“Margot—”
“No!” she hissed. “I’m not losing my daughter because you refuse to be wrong. This boy almost died for Sarah. The least we can do is have a pleasant dinner with the kids.”
“Mom,” Sarah choked out, her hand tightening around mine as she looked at Mrs. Tilney in disbelief.
Mrs. Tilney came around the table and took Sarah into her arms. This hug was tighter and more natural than the first one. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”
Sarah’s composure slipped, and she wrapped her arms around her mom, breaking into sobs.
Rubbing Sarah’s back, Mrs. Tilney murmured soothing words until her daughter quieted.
“I’m sorry, Sarah.” Mr. Tilney’s voice was low and uneven.
I looked at him and was shocked to see all the arrogance from just five minutes ago was long gone, replaced by care for his daughter.
He cleared his throat and cautiously stepped toward his wife and daughter. “I’m so happy you’re okay.” He wrapped his family in a tight hug, and the three Tilneys rocked back and forth.
Despite the words being simple, the raw gratitude in his voice left no question of how the man felt about his daughter.
The Tilneys just might be all right.
The memorial service for the Kirksville Killer’s victims was emotional and awkward.
Word had gotten out that Carter was Jamie and my half-brother. So, while Jamie was still in the hospital healing, I had the privilege of being stared at and whispered about.
Luckily, I had Sarah and Mom by my side. As we walked out of the church, a man stepped in our path, his attention all on me.
“Not now, Craig,” Mom said, stepping between me and the middle-aged man.
His blue eyes dropped to my mom, and his face went white. “Colleen, I—”
“What? You finally remembered you have two more sons?”
Mom’s words hit me like a brick, and I really looked at the anxious man in front of me.
Fuck. That’s what I’m going to look like in twenty years.
“It’s okay, Mom. Let him talk.”
Craig ran a hand over his short blond hair. “Can we maybe go somewhere not so out in the open?”
I laughed. “No. What do you want?”
He swallowed, his eyes darting all around. “I wanted to see if you and your brother were okay.”
“Try again,” I said, taking a step toward him.
Toe to toe, I had a couple of inches and about fifty pounds on him.
“You haven’t been worried about us all these years, but now your precious baby boy ends up being a psycho serial killer, and you want to what?
Play good father to the sons who aren’t locked up? ”
Craig’s gaze fell to the ground. “I was hoping we could solve this like a family.”
“You son of a bitch,” Mom growled from behind me.
“Craig, we aren’t a family. We were the dirty little secret you abandoned. Your family is that fucker who tried to kill me, my brother, and my girlfriend.”
He frowned but didn’t say anything.
“You know what? I’ve got some time. What is it you think I can do for your real son?”
Craig cleared his throat. “Our lawyers think it would go a long way if you were with us at Carter’s pre-trial hearing.” His gaze flicked to Sarah, and I immediately stepped in the way. “He’s still in the hospital, so you have time to think about it.”
“Not a fucking chance. Is that all?”
Craig’s eyes watered, and he dropped to his knees, drawing the attention of the people around us.
“I know I have no right to ask for your help. And I know there’s no way to keep Carter out of jail, but he could get the death penalty if you don’t help.
” When I remained unmoved, he added, “He’s your brother. ”
A lifetime of daddy issues reared its ugly head, and I snatched him up by the collar of his expensive button-down, bringing him face to face with my rage.
“That sick fuck isn’t my brother. My brother is still in the hospital under observation after being unconscious for three days, thanks to your son.
” I shoved him, and he fell ass-first onto the sidewalk.
“And don’t even think about talking to Sarah. ”
Sarah’s small hand ran down my arm, and she linked our fingers together. “Let’s get out of here.”
I turned toward Mom and found Dr. Reyes already there, glaring daggers at the piece of shit.
“You kids get out of here. I’ve got your mom,” he said, leading her toward her car.
I didn’t spare Craig another look as I walked hand in hand with Sarah to her car.
“You okay?” she murmured, kissing my shoulder.
“I will be.”
“Love you too.” Sarah hung up the phone with a sigh. “I appreciate Mom’s newfound devotion to parenting, but good lord, these daily calls are too much.”
I laughed, handing her a fresh beer. “Get used to it. My mom hunts us down if we go a day without contact.”
“Great,” she groaned, rolling her eyes, but her lips curled into a pleased smile.
“Oh, you love it,” Kat said, tossing a handful of popcorn at her.
Sarah caught a piece in her mouth, letting the rest hit her face and fall to the floor.
Mona slapped Kat’s arm. “Hey, don’t waste the popcorn. We still have half a season to watch.”
Kat lay her head on Mona’s shoulder and sighed. “Sorry, Mom.”
Mona patted her head with a laugh.
Rae came out of her room, frowning at her phone.
“What’s up?” Morgan asked, popping a gummy in her mouth.
“Some asshole is posting about my brother and his girlfriend.”
Britta ran her fingers through Paul’s shaggy hair, glancing up at Rae. “Oh, the trials and tribulations of a professional hockey player.”
Rae flopped down next to Olivia, snatching the bowl of popcorn from Kat. “My parents are in full PR mode, so I have to lie low for the rest of the summer.”
“Shouldn’t be a problem,” Olivia said, tapping away on her laptop. “I’m sure your brother’s latest exploit will blow over by Freshman Week.”
The seven girls shared a knowing smile, and Mona hit play on the show. Sarah cuddled into my side, resting her head on my chest. Her body relaxed, and in less than half an episode, she was fast asleep, wedged against me on the loveseat.
The Frattic girls laughed and talked over the old sitcom, unwinding after the long memorial service. Under Sarah’s warm body, I started to doze off.
“Here,” Kat grunted, shoving a bottle of water in my hand. “You need to take your pain pills.” She dropped the little orange bottle in my lap, then flopped back on the floor next to Mona.
“Thanks,” I said, totally surprised.
She grunted, her eyes glued to the television screen.
I took the pill and then settled back on the couch, allowing the familiar jokes to lull me to sleep. After weeks of stress and fear, it was finally over.