Page 122 of Here With Me

I'm about to put them back when she stops me. “It's for Mr. Underwood. I invited him for supper. Jase is comin’, too.”

I blink hard.What?

My heart flatlines. It's bad enough I've had to see Fisher every day for the past week. I wasn’t expecting to have to face him at family dinner.

“Why would you invite my ex-boyfriend and his dad?” Especially without telling me.

“We need to squash the tension between him and your brothers. It’s time they act like men instead of talkin’ with their fists.”

“Why did no one warn me?” I could’ve prepared at least.

With a tranquilizer.

“Oh, sweetie, I didn't think you'd mind. You two are friends. Didn't y'all make up yet?”

From him calling me a whore and shoving me? That's a big fat no.

“Not really.”

“Well, now y'all can smooth things over.”

Oh my God.

“Do the boys know?” They're going to flip their shit.

“Know what?” Landen asks as they all return and pile at the table.

“Y'all need to listen up.” Dad stands tall at the front of the table with his arms crossed. “We're having two guests at dinner. Y'all are expected to act like gentlemen and be respectful. Got it?”

“Depends. Who is it?” Tripp muses, and the three of them laugh.

As soon as Dad reveals who, they lose their minds.

Just as I knew they would.

“He ain't even apologized,” Waylon says, leaning back on his chair with his hands folded behind his head.

“They're comin' to rectify that,” Momma claims. “Now best behavior orelse.”

Or else she won't think twice about kicking them out to eat on the porch.

You'd think Momma was talking to a bunch of toddlers with her tone, but she knows their history. Four rowdy boys who grew up on a ranch and entertained themselves by doing reckless shit tend to act like wild horses on a good day.

“Hello,” Fisher calls from the front door, and I wince at having to sit through an entire dinner with him.

And my ex-boyfriend.

I guess, technically, they're both my ex-boyfriends.

I want to throw up.How is this happening right now?

The last time the three of us were in the same room together, we were at Lilian's, and I was tempted to throw a piece of my shrimp at Jase's face for his rudeness.

“Hi! Come in, come in.” My mother waves them in.

Gramma Grace meets my eyes with a wink before taking her seat.

What the hell is she up to?