“Are you okay?” she asks.
I huff out a laugh. “Yeah, why?”
“That’s a little dark for you is all.”
“So was the melody.” I give her a pointed look.
“Touché.” She chuckles. “I always hoped the only experience you’d have with sad songs would be the ones you listened to. I didn’t want you to live through something sad enough to write about.”
I smile, knowing she’s always wanted the best for me. “I know, but unfortunately I don’t think you can stop that, I don’t think anyone can.”
“I know, but as your mother, I never want any of my kidsupset. I would keep you all in protective bubbles if I could.” She pulls me in for a tight hug that has me giggling.
“Especially Steele,” I joke.
She tenses, shaking her head. “Seriously, why did he pick something so dangerous to fall in love with?”
At some point Steele decided speeding down massive mountains wasn’t enough for him. He wanted jumps, rails, flips, all the stuff that could seriously hurt him.
“Yeah, like hockey.” My dad joins us with a couple waters because he knows we end up needing them.
My mom gives him a soft smile, and he leans down to press a chaste kiss to her lips as I drink my water, looking away from them. It’s cute, but also a little gross.
“You were a goalie. I wanted to wrap you in bubble wrap too,” my mom retorts.
“All the padding and shit I had to wear, I basically was,” my dad jokes.
“Not enough,” my mom grumbles, but Dad just kisses her again, this time a little harder and I grimace.
“Okay, enough, I don’t need nightmares,” I complain.
“Oh please,” Mom scoffs. “You’ve kissed boys before.”
“Ah la la.” My dad puts his hands over his ears quickly. “I don’t want to know about this.
“Dad, I’m twenty-one, you know I’ve?—“
“No, no you have not anything. You’ve never even looked at a boy before.” He shakes his head adamantly.
“Is this because I’m a girl? That’s not fair, you know. I bet you’re not like this with Steele and Nash.”
His face scrunches. “I don’t really want to know about anything they do either.”
I roll my eyes; that may be true, but I’m sure he doesn’t react likethatwith them.
Which is fine. They don’t need to know everything I’ve done. Or am currently doing. Or with who.
“I don’t either,” Mom interjects and I shake my head. I toldher when I had my first kiss, but I didn’t tell her about any other firsts, though I’m sure she’s assumed.
“You both sound amazing,” Dad comments, changing the subject, which I’m grateful for. “As always.”
“You have to say that,” I tease.
“No I don’t, I would tell you if something sucked.”
My mom pushes him lightly as he laughs, backing away. “I’ll leave you two to work your magic.”
My parents were friends for a long time; they grew up next door to each other, but didn’t get together until they were adults. A lot like Grayson and me, which is why I know I could talk to my mom about him and how things have started shifting. But that doesn’t feel right to leave Asher out of the conversation because he’s just as much in…whatever this is as Grayson and I are. And I don’t know how she would react to that.