Page 36 of The Pursuit of Happiness (Satan’s Angels #2)

Aria relaxes when she realizes how genuine my mother is being and gently hugs my mother back.

The sight of them embracing, together, has me imagining an entire life I have yet to live with Aria, all of which include her as part of our family.

Aria’s awkwardness settles only slightly, “I’ve heard so much about you, Mrs. Nicks. ”

Mom laughs, “Please, honey, call me Rose.”

Aria’s face is growing red and I intercede, “Mom, maybe don’t strangle my girlfriend to death, okay? I kind of need her alive.”

Mom instantly releases Aria and fusses over her now wrinkled shirt and warm cheeks.

I love how motherly mom is already being with Aria and how Aria seems completely shocked by the action.

It makes my heart crack to realize that Aria seems so taken aback because her own mother never paid enough attention to her.

“Sorry, honey, I’m just so excited,” Mom whispers to Aria, embarrassed.

Aria smiles at her, “It’s okay.”

Mom is about nine inches shorter than Aria. The sight of my mom fussing over Aria and having to reach up to do so is entertaining, I won’t lie. Mom beams, “You’re absolutely beautiful.”

Aria looks down, embarrassed, “Thank you.”

“Rose, you’re embarrassing the poor girl,” Dad interrupts, scolding Mom and reaching his hand out for Aria to shake.

Aria does and Dad gives her a warm look, “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

She gives him a warm look of her own, “You as well, Mr. Nicks.”

Dad swats her off, “James.”

“James,” Aria repeats to herself.

“Mom, Dad, this is Ivory and Brody,” I point over my shoulder at the two girls who look uncomfortable as they watch us.

Brody and Ivory wave and Mom exclaims, “Oh how nice! You girls are absolutely amazing! I love your music.”

Dad gives her a disbelieving look, “Rose, you don’t even know the name of their band.”

Mom rolls her eyes, “Yes, I do. They’re Satan’s Angels, James.”

Dad rubs his chin as if in thought, “You only know that because the band name came up in the paper when the article came out about our boy’s porno.”

Aria’s face pales and she panics internally. I watch it all happen on her face. I blurt before either of them can continue their bickering, “Okay, maybe let’s not talk about that. It’s kind of a sensitive topic.”

Mom looks so saddened all of a sudden, “I’m so sorry.” She looks at Aria and reaches for her hand, “We didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

Aria shakes her head, “No worries. I have to take ownership eventually,” she tries to force a smile but none of us buy it.

Dad whispers to her, “You know, back in the day, Slater’s Aunt Beth had taken up a career in porn after Great Uncle Richie cut her off and Rose and I had watched it by accident,” Dad makes a disgusted face

I make a repulsed expression, “Ew, Dad. I don’t like the image I’m getting of Aunt Beth right now.”

Dad shrugs, “We didn’t like it either when we realized it was her.”

I raise a brow, “Why were you and Mom watching porn to begin with?”

Mom swats her hand in front of her face, “Oh Sly, we wanted to try something new. Everyone was watching pornos at the time. That’s how you were conceived, you know?”

“Oh, Mom,” I make a disgusted face. “Let’s stop this conversation here before I throw up every ounce of food and liquid that has entered my body today.”

Mom rolls her eyes, “You’re so squeamish. Sex is natural, Slater.”

Aria fights off a laugh and I’m still completely disgusted. “Mom, seriously, gross.”

Dad gives me a cocky look, “I was just trying to comfort your girlfriend, Son.”

“Comforting would be not talking about the tape and especially not talking about your sexual history and the sexual history of our distant relatives,” I assert. I look at Aria and give her an anxious look, “And I heavily stress the distant .”

Aria laughs and I suddenly don’t care that my parents were being gross. As long as she’s smiling and no longer tense and uncomfortable, I’m happy. “How long are you guys in town?” I change the subject.

“We’re gonna stay for a couple of weeks. We were hoping to get to know your beautiful and very lovely girlfriend before we go to Sorrento,” Mom informs, her tone prideful.

My parents started traveling all over the world a couple of years back. It’s good not only for their individual mental health, but for their relationship. I’m happy that they’re happy even though I miss them.

I grin at my parents, wrapping my arm around Aria’s shoulders. I speak to my parents as I look down at my girl, “Sounds perfect to me.”

Aria looks up at me and winks.

Mom shakes Dad’s arm excitedly, “You see, James! Look how adorable they are together!”

Dad huffs apathetically, “Rose, I’m standing right here. Of course I can see them.”

Mom ignores him and continues, “You two are going to have beautiful babies.”

Aria’s face falls and she pales. My stomach churns. “Mom, no.”

“But-” Mom starts.

I cut her off, “Mom, way too early to be talking about babies.”

Mom rolls her eyes, “Don’t be stubborn, Sly. We want grandbabies.”

Aria stiffens and I frown at my mom, “Again, way too early.”

Mom snorts a laugh, “Fine.” She looks around the studio and focuses her attention on Brody and Ivory.

She walks over to them and immediately starts asking them questions about their hair, clothes, makeup, the list is endless.

They entertain her, looking genuinely immersed in conversation with Rose Nicks as she moves from one subject to the next.

Dad whispers to Aria, “She gets very excited.”

Aria laughs, “I can see that. It’s okay, I’d be excited too.”

I kiss the side of her head and whisper in her ear, “Thank you for putting up with this. I know this was unexpected.”

She whispers back, “Your parents are amazing,” she has a sad desperation in her eyes. A yearning for the family she never had, but always wanted her parents to be.

“No frowns, Kane,” I demand.

She forces a smile and I frown in return, “No fake smiles, either.”

She avoids my eyes and looks down at her shoes, “Sorry.”

I pull her off to the side. “Don’t be sorry. I know this was a lot. I promise you, I will make this up to you later.”

This catches her attention. I know just from looking at her that she isn’t in need of something to make up for the plethora of emotions this experience has given her.

She’s more intrigued because she knows where this is going.

“What did you have in mind?” She traces circles on my still bare chest with her fingernails.

I lean in close and whisper, darkness in my voice mixed with lust, “I was thinking I could bury my face between your legs again until you come over and over again, screaming my name each time and then when you’ve had enough, I plan on fucking you until your body shakes and trembles.”

She shivers, “Promise?”

I give her a wicked look, “I fucking promise, baby.”

She gives me a devious little grin and we stand there staring at each other, desperate to touch each other and counting down the minutes until we can when my mom interrupts, “Oh, James! Look how cute they look together! Take a picture, I want to show it to my book club!”

ARIA

“OKAY, TELL US EVERYTHING!” Ivory demands as she sits in the butterfly position on the studio couch.

She has an excited but also slightly devious look in her eye.

It’s the same look she would get before snorting a line of blow and wreaking havoc on society.

While she doesn’t really do drugs anymore, the look is worrisome nonetheless.

I nervously smile, embarrassment tinting my cheeks red. Slater left to get dinner with his parents a little while ago, which left me alone with the girls and Selene. Since we kinda need him to record, we’ve just been hanging out. Besides, we got plenty done today so we all feel good.

Slater’s parents insisted I join them for dinner, but I didn’t want to be invasive so I encouraged them to spend quality family time alone together.

They agreed reluctantly and made me promise to join them for a meal or two at some point this week.

I agreed and then they were on their way.

Sly’s parents were so sweet. I can see where he gets it from.

His parents have obviously been together a long time and their love has never faded.

I hate admitting it, but I’m jealous of him.

I never got the perfect family that he has and judging by my awkwardness, it shows.

I was so awkward with them, I’m sure they’re telling him now that they expected more from me and are disappointed.

The thought makes my stomach churn. I want them to like me, I want them to think I’m good for their son, and I want them to see how much he means to me, but I’m afraid I didn’t show it properly.

I just…panicked. I’m not used to the family dynamic that he has and when they seemed so happy and bubbly, I shut down because I don’t know how to be happy and bubbly with family of any kind.

Nausea twists my stomach into a knot around my anxiousness. I hope they don’t hate me. I hope Sly isn’t disappointed in me for how awkward I was around them and I hope he isn’t angry. I don’t know. Maybe I’m just overthinking.

“Heellloooooo!” Ivory waves a hand in my face to get my attention.

“Sorry,” I say quietly.

Ivory grins, “Sorries later, confessions now. What’s up with you and Slater?”

I hate lying to my friends. We never keep secrets from each other. But Sly and I just promised last night not to tell them since what’s going on between us is so new. “Nothing is up. We’re friends,” I shrug, hoping to sell the lie.

Selene furrows her brows, an amused look on her face that tells me she isn’t buying any of what I’m selling, and Brody smirks, a knowing look on her face.

“I think you’re forgetting I’ve been exactly where you are,” Brody fiddles with a loose string on her jeans, a reminiscent look on her face.

“What do you mean?” I ask.