Page 66 of The Fire Between High & Lo (Elements 2)

“Do you still have room for one more?” she asked, smiling.

“Yeah, definitely, we can make room,” Erika said, rushing to make another plate setting.

Lauren huffed. “It’s extremely rude to just show up to someone’s house and ask for an extra seat at the dinner table.”

“It’s good to see you too, Mom,” Alyssa sassed.

My stare stayed on Alyssa, and her eyes found mine. She gave me a small smile, and I had to break the stare before I got lost in my mind. Being back here, being near her, was so much harder than anything I’d ever had to do.

And I’ve done a ton of hard shit.

We all sat down to eat, my seat right next to Lauren’s, who seemed more nervous than not. Kellan poured everyone wine. I was quick to lift my glass and take a big gulp.

“Should you be drinking?” Lauren asked.

“No, probably not,” I said, finishing my first glass and pouring another. We all started eating Erika’s disgusting food, which I had to chew five times more than normal just to swallow it down, but I didn’t complain.

“How are they treating you at the law firm, Kellan?” Lauren asked. The girls’ mom was a lawyer and one of her favorite things about Kellan was that he studied law and found a successful job where he made good money, and hated his soul.

Kellan cleared his throat, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “I actually quit over a month ago.”

I cocked an eyebrow, shocked. “No shit?”

“What?” Lauren asked, surprised. She turned to Erika. “You didn’t tell me that. Why didn’t you tell me that?”

“It didn’t really seem my place, Mom.”

“But why? Why did you quit?” she questioned.

“It wasn’t a part of my heart, I guess,” Kellan said, squeezing Erika’s hand. They smiled at one another and for a moment I saw it—the love that Kellan said he always felt. Those two really did care for one another. “Leaving the firm gives me a chance to pursue my other passions.”

“Like what?” Lauren asked.

“My music. Playing my guitar.”

“That’s a hobby, not a job.” Lauren frowned. She was one negative Nancy.

“Mom. You do know that I work at a piano bar for a living, right?” Alyssa mentioned.

“Oh, honey.” Lauren frowned. “You work at a diner, a furniture store, and play a piano in dirty bars at night. That’s not really something you want to be broadcasting to the world as some kind of accomplishment.”

Still a bitch, I see.

“I think music is really important,” Kellan said, chiming in. “It’s fun. The gigs I’ve been getting pay good money, too. It’s something I love. And life is too short to not do what you love.”

“Here, here!” I mocked, drinking more wine. “That’s why I drink so much wine,” I smirked, winking at Lauren, loving how uncomfortable I made her.

“You’ll see the show tomorrow. My friend’s having me play at his restaurant.”

“What? You said we were going to the theatre tomorrow,” Lauren said, turning to Erika.

“No…I said we were going to a show,” her daughter replied. The two were so much alike it was almost impossible to see how Alyssa fit into that equation.

“No worries, really. It will all be fun. Plus, after the show, we can swing by the reception hall for the wedding next month,” Kellan explained.

“What?” Lauren questioned.

Erika started coughing harshly, trying to clear her throat. “Anyone want more wine?”