Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

JOY

T his is so freaking embarrassing. I knew my aunt was going to be pissed, but this is crazy. My aunt is from my father’s side, and she’s had a stick up her ass ever since my mom kicked my father out. I honestly think she’s jealous that my mom finally got the backbone to leave him while she’s still with her cheating husband, Rick. I think she stays with him for the money, but it is so not worth it.

I’ve let a lot go with her because she’s really the last connection I have to that side of the family. Both of my grandparents have relocated to Florida, and my father fluctuates in and out of my life. He will ghost me for a few months if I say anything that he disagrees with. We’re in the middle of a ghost moment now.

I was thinking he’d show up for Christmas dinner at my aunt's house and pretend all was well between us. Then start texting me again as though we didn’t have a fight and he ignored me for months.

I know the Anderson men can be shitty partners, but the women in the family tend to be drawn to the same kind of man. I had always found it weirdly interesting and promised myself I’d never be that way. I wouldn’t allow myself to put up with a man’s bullshit. I guess more so when it comes to my own relationship with a partner because I still have to deal with it from the men in my family.

Aunt Mary mutters under her breath as she follows me down the sidewalk. I really don’t want Devin to hear my messy family business because he doesn't like drama. He has made that more than clear. I’ve worked for Devin for all of two days, and each of them he’s had a run-in with drama from my family.

“My mom isn’t a whore” are the first words out of my mouth.

I used to be so damn pissed at my mom for the shit she put up with from my father. He repeatedly broke her heart, and I never understood why she stayed. I had to come to terms with the fact that he married her when she was barely eighteen, and that was all she had ever known. Now I’m damn proud of her for not only leaving him but taking her life back too.

“You have no clue.” Aunt Mary shakes her head at me as if I'm a stupid girl who knows nothing. At least I know not to put up with a man's bullshit.

“You know what, I kind of wish she was a whore.” I wouldn’t be upset if my mom was hooking up with a new man each night on her holiday cruise. It might be good for her. If my father found out, I'm sure he would lose his mind. The dumbass loves her in his own weird way. Not enough to keep his dick to himself, though. Only goes to show that he loves himself more than anyone else.

Aunt Mary’s mouth falls open at my response. I'm not usually so crude with them, and I try not to make too many waves. That might be part of the problem.

It takes her a second to pull it back together before she finally talks again. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“With me!” I blink at her like she’s lost her mind. “What the hell is wrong with you? You’re in the center of town, calling my mother a whore.”

“Your mother tried to sleep with my husband. Did you know that!?” Aunt Mary shouts. There aren't many people walking around right now, but I'm sure someone heard her.

“Oh, give me a break. We both know that your husband tried to sleep with my mother, and she shot him down!” I shout right back.

If I don’t want to let gossip spread about my mother while she’s gone, I have no choice but to let whoever is listening have the whole story. My mom already had to deal with the gossip years ago when she was still married to my father.

I guess this is what my mother gets for telling Mary what happened. Right now, I’m determined not to allow her to receive any more abuse from the Andersons. She told Mary because she feared Rick would lie and say she'd come on to him. That's why my mom showed her all the text messages, but I guess that doesn't matter.

“You liar!” she screeches.

I freeze in shock when I see her lift her hand like she’s going to smack me. Before she can land the blow to my cheek, Devin’s in between us and snatches her wrist to stop her.

“Oh my god.” I step back. “You were going to hit me.” Mary really has gone and lost her mind.

“Let me go,” Aunt Mary hisses at Devin. Now she’s getting hysterical and starts to scream. “Get your hands off me!”

“You need to watch yourself,” he says and releases her wrist with a slight shove. It causes her to stumble back a few feet and put some distance between us.

I can't help the overwhelming hurt I feel knowing this will likely cut off any relationship I had with that side of the family. I'm sure it's for the best, but that doesn't make it any less painful.

“Are you threatening me?” She turns her ire on Devin.

“That wasn’t a threat.” He says it matter-of-factly before facing me. “You ready?”

All I do is nod my head because I’m too overcome with emotion. Not only about my family but over Devin too. He doesn’t say anything as he takes my hand and leads me back toward his truck.

My aunt still carries on asking the few people who watched our exchange if they saw Devin lay his hands on her. I also hear her spout out a few terrible names, but I attempt to ignore it as best I can as I climb into the truck.

“I’m sorry,” I tell Devin as we pull out of town and head toward his home. I can sense his anger because it fills up the cabin of the truck. I get it. If he wasn’t town gossip before, he sure is now.

“That wasn’t on you.” His voice is calm, and yet somehow there’s an edge to it.

“Maybe not, but you being with me...hiring me,” I correct. “I dragged you into my family bullshit.”

“I promise you, bunny. I don't care what people in that town think of me.” He sounds like he means it, but I know he’s trying to reassure me.

The problem is, I’m not sure if he knows the fallout that is sure to come now.