Holidays in Manhattan (The McKinnon Brothers Book 5) by Jennifer Gracen

Author:Jennifer Gracen [Gracen, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Fiction
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Published: 2019-10-02T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

“It’s so good to have you home,” Susan said to her son, smiling warmly at him. She sat on one end of the couch, her knees tucked under her and her cup cradled in her perfectly manicured hands.

“Thanks.” David sat at the other end, his posture relaxed as he smiled back at her. “It’s good to have a long weekend. I needed the break.”

“We’re going to be in Boca for Christmas week,” she said. “Staying with Judy and Arthur.”

“I know.”

“Why don’t you come down for a few days?”

“Thanks, but I don’t think so.”

“Just to take a break, get away.”

“No, Mom. But thank you.” David reached for his mug on the glass coffee table.

“You need some recharge time,” she said. “Everyone does.”

“Can’t argue with that,” he replied. “I’m going skiing in the middle of January.”

“Oh really? Where?”

“Aspen. Going with a few friends from college.”

“Which ones?”

“Jay, Steven, and Cody.”

“Nice!” Mom smiled. “You’ll have a great time. How long?”

“Just four days. Wrapping it around a weekend.” David took another sip of coffee before setting his mug back on the table. Early morning sunlight streamed through the den curtains, washing over the framed photos on the bookshelves, the dark brown patterned carpet, the cream-colored couch and love seat. Jellybean, the gray cat his parents had gotten when he left for college, was slower in her old age. She lay on the tiny bed by the windows, as she had been for over an hour, bathing in the sunlight.

David yawned and scrubbed a hand over his stubbled jaw. Jellybean had the right idea. He’d taken an early train to get out to Jersey, and he wouldn’t mind a nap himself. But it was Thanksgiving morning, and tons of cooking ahead. “What will you need help with in the kitchen?”

“I’ll let you know, don’t you worry.” She sipped her coffee. “But thanks in advance.”

“Of course.”

“Your brother should be here around noon.”

David had to smile. When his mom said “your brother”, she actually meant Jacob, his wife, and the kids. But Jacob was her baby and always would be. “Okay.”

“Are you dating at all?” she asked.

David had to give her props for always being direct. That was how Susan Beren rolled. The question was, should he answer her truthfully? Anna’s naked, tattooed body flashed in his mind.

“You paused.” Mom’s dark eyes widened as she leaned in a drop. “Is there someone, honey?”

David took a deep, cleansing breath. He hadn’t planned on telling his parents he was seeing Anna. Mostly because it was still new, and he wasn’t ready to share her, or any details about their budding relationship, with the world. Or, at least, that’s what he’d told himself. But now as he looked around the elegant furnishings of his parents’ den, a dark, sticky truth bubbled up and saturated his gut. Chances were good that his parents wouldn’t be thrilled about his dating a tattooed bartending college dropout. They’d be shocked. And even disappointed. That thought made him uneasy, and a little mad too.

“David?” His mother looked at him with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

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