“I told your parents to f**k off.”

“What?”

“Your dad came to a game over the break. He tried to talk to me afterwards and I told him to f**k off. I didn’t want to hear anything.”

“Oh.” Now I was really spinning inside. Jesse had stood up for me. He’d been loyal and stood against my parents when so many hadn’t stood beside me. I had no idea what to do, or feel, or think, or…I had no idea.

He pulled me close and pressed a kiss to my lips. “Your parents were shit to Ethan and they were shit to you. They’ve been nice to me, but if they don’t make it right with you, I told him to take a hike. They’re trying to make things right with you.”

“Oh my god,” I whispered.

“What?”

“Oh my god.” I couldn’t say anything more. I already knew what they were going to do. My parents were going to force themselves to be nice to me. They were going to ‘make things right’ so they could still have Jesse in their lives. The information about Ethan confused me. They’d been horrible to him as well? But I thought they wanted to replace their son with a new one? That had been Jesse’s purpose, hadn’t it? And now hearing this—I couldn’t formulate a single thought anymore. I was spinning out of control.

“Just come to dinner and hear them out.”

I was still in shock when Jesse pulled me back to the group. He kept a hand in mine as he introduced me to his sister. I hoped that I was nice because I didn’t remember anything I said or did until we got to the restaurant. Beth must’ve sensed how I was feeling because she stuck close the entire ride there.

I didn’t know what my relationship with him was anymore, but he kept a hand on my leg the entire time. And because of the latest betrayal from my parents, I clung to him. Ethan’s secret took second priority to my first, just surviving the night.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Malcolm had the back of a restaurant reserved for us. As everyone took their seats, Jesse’s roommates were at one end of the table along with their dates. Tiffany was the closest to us and she sat beside her cousin, who was beside me. Jesse was next to the head of the table, where his father was located. The model girlfriend was across the table from Jesse. My parents were next, directly across from me, and his sister sat between my mother and Kara.

So far, my parents hadn’t said a word to me. I was thankful, but I whispered to Jesse, “I thought this was supposed to be a small thing.”

“It was until my dad showed up at the house before the game. He invited everybody else. I’m sorry.”

This was way easier. He had nothing to be sorry about. I shrugged as my wine was poured. “I’ll need more of that stuff.”

He grinned and nodded. “Noted.”

“So, Alex,” Malcolm boomed, drawing everyone’s attention to us. “Your father mentioned on the way over here that you’ve been seeing my son for a while now. I wasn’t aware the two of you were official as a couple.”

“Dad.”

“What?” He turned an innocent eye to his son. “From what I gathered, it was a casual situation with you two. When did it become more?”

“Stop it, Dad.”

“You were aware of the two?” my father spoke up, frowning.

“I walked in on them.”

“Dad, stop. I mean it.”

“What? Come on, Jesse. You must remember. You keyed Laurel’s car that day.”

“Who’s Laurel?” Malcolm’s girlfriend spoke up. She’d been eyeing Jesse since we sat down. The soft seductive tone wasn’t meant for his father.

Jesse stiffened, but clipped out, “It was the day before, but you two were so engrossed with each other you didn’t even know when we came home.”

“Because you snuck in. You knew I wouldn’t have approved.”

“You had no idea,” Jesse tossed back. “And you wouldn’t have given a shit. You never did. Alex had been around the house long before that.”

His father pinned me to my chair, but he spoke to his son, “You mean this had started before that?”

“No, but I grew up with Alex. You wouldn’t have given it a second thought. That was my point.”

“I would’ve appreciated a heads-up, Malcolm.” My father was still frowning fiercely at his friend, sharing Jesse in the look. “But I would like to know the same as your father. When did this become more serious?”

Jesse shrugged as he leaned back. One of his arms came to the back of my seat. I sucked in my breath and hunched forward, but his hand caught my shoulder. He pulled me back so his head could rest more comfortably there. He patted me when I did as he wanted. As he responded, his hand began to trace a light circle over my skin, “It’s always been serious for me. I stayed away because of Ethan.”

Malcolm nearly choked on his wine. He sat it down forcefully. Some of the liquid spilled out from the movement. “Ethan knew?”

“Ethan knew I had feelings for her. He always told me to stay away from her.” Then Jesse pinned my father with a look. He was unusually calm as he discussed my brother, while my father shifted now in his seat. “His lawyers delivered a letter to me that he’d written before his accident. He wanted his little sister to be unharmed. He felt that included me. I was supposed to stay away from her, so she wasn’t hurt by any additional emotional stress.”

I sucked in another breath as I saw my father pale. The blood drained from him and he jerked a hand forward for his wine. He drank the entire thing in one gulp.

Malcolm seemed impervious. “Jesse, I have a few movies coming up. You’d be perfect for some of the roles. And I’ve already checked with your coach, it won’t interfere with basketball or your training schedules at all.”

“Dad. Stop.”

“Extra exposure is good for you. It will never hurt to get your face out there. You’re already known in your basketball circles and people are starting to take notice because of my relation to you, but I really think it would be wise if you capitalized on this. Hollywood’s knocking at your door. You could be famous, more than your old man.”

“Stop,” he hissed. His hand was permanently attached to my shoulder now, as if holding himself back. “I’m pursuing basketball as far as it’ll take me.”