CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

JOSH

Instead of strangling the woman, I say something I probably shouldn’t, and then Kim and I walk away. What a nasty person.

I look behind us as we near the bar. Her mother seems to have vanished. Hope she got the message and leaves her daughter alone.

Kim touches my arm. “It’s okay. That’s just how Mom is. I’m used to it.”

I hand her a drink and then take a sip of mine. “You shouldn’t get used to it. It’s not right.”

She drinks and wrinkles her nose.

“Too strong?”

She shakes her head. “I don’t drink a lot.”

“Let’s go find our table and sit. I’ll keep your mom away from you. Come on.”

I lead Kim over to my parents. Mom’s eyes bulge.

“Mom, Dad. You remember Kim.”

My mom, being her usual self, gives Kim a hug. She’s thinking about grandbabies. She hasn’t stopped talking about babies since Zoey and Ryder got married. She brings it up to him at least once a week. “Still waiting on that grandchild, Ryder. I’m not getting any younger, you know.” Ohh, she’s good.

Mom steps back and looks between the two of us.

“Are you dating?”

“Yes.”

“For how long?”

She’s scheming. “Not that long, Mom.”

I don’t want to get her hopes up. Not that I haven’t thought about me and Kim long term. I’m keeping it to myself for now. Don’t want to push it.

My dad steps in and welcomes her. “It’s lovely to see you again.” Dad takes everything in stride and doesn’t ask a lot of questions. He’s the total opposite of Mom, who is restraining herself right now from asking a thousand questions.

We take our seats, and when her friends show up, they immediately draw her into a conversation.

Brent sits next to me. He and Dillon don’t have dates, which isn’t unusual for the two of them. They probably already have girls lined up for the end of the night.

Brent leans over. “How long have you been seeing her?”

“None of your business.”

He accepts that and changes subjects. “Do you know if Elizabeth is seeing anybody?”

I do a double-take. How the hell am I supposed to know if she’s dating anybody? Am I a girl?

“I don’t know,” I answer. “Ask her to dance and find out.”

I’m not going to encourage him dating her. If Zoey catches wind of Brent liking Elizabeth, I don’t know what will happen.

I glance at Kim, wondering if she overheard. She’s staring out at the dance floor. Her mother is dancing with an older gentleman. I was hoping she would have left.

I put my arm around her. “Ignore her.”

She lays her hand on my leg. This is the first time I don’t want to leave one of these things right away. It’s all because of Kim. She can make anything bearable.

Kim moves in her chair.

“Where are you going?”

“The ladies’ room. Be back shortly.” The girls and she head that way.

I ramble over to the bar, and my brothers follow me. While waiting for our drinks, I notice Kim’s mom is waltzing toward the bathroom. This can’t be good.

She won’t let go. I ignore the drink the bartender slides over to me and walk after her.

Not on my watch, lady.