Aunt Letty grins. “She’s over the moon. She called each of us, gushing about being a grandma.”
Aunt Emma pouts. “Though I am a little disappointed you didn’t tell us yourself.”
Guilt prickles. “It all happened so suddenly. I wanted to process it first.”
And come up with a convincing lie about the father.
“Ivy didn’t tell us much.” Aunt Ava leans in. “So who’s the special guy?”
Lilly and I freeze. I knew it was coming, but for some reason it still caught me off guard.
“He’s not really in the picture,” I say carefully.
Five heads tilt in confusion until Aunt Corrine blurts, “Wait–was this a one–night stand?”
I nod. It’s weird telling them, just like it was with Mom… and now I wish the ground could open and swallow me. This is fucking embarrassing.
“One–night stand?” Aunt Ava repeats, frowning.
“She means she had sex with a guy one time,” Aunt Emma explains helpfully
Aunt Ava narrows her eyes. “I know what a one–night stand is, Emma.”
“I was just informing you.”
“I don’t need you to inform me!” she snaps, but there really is no heat behind the words.
I’ve always found it funny how those two can banter like teenagers, even at their age. They’re sisters-
well, not by blood. Aunt Ava was adopted into Aunt Emma’s family. They weren’t exactly close growing up
…. and definitely not in their twenties, since they both fell in love with the same man. Uncle Rowan.
Awkward? Absolutely. But somehow, they went from love rivals to inseparable best friends, and now they
roast each other for sport. 1
Aunt Emma is also Gunner’s mom.
“I’m just having a hard time accepting our girl had sex,” Aunt Ava continues.
Aunt Emma snorts. “How else did you think she’d have a baby? Through osmosis?”
“That would be preferable.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Aunt Emma scoffs. “Are you forgetting you had sex at eighteen and got pregnant?”
“Well, I wasn’t the only one, was I?” Aunt Ava fires back, eyeing both Aunt Harper and Aunt Emma. “Let’s not pretend halos were involved. You two also lost yours before the age of twenty.”
1/3
Chapter 571
+15 BONUS
I’m just sitting here listening and wondering if I should grab popcorn.
Lilly makes a gagging sound. “I so did not need to know that.”
“Why are we even talking about virginities?” Aunt Letty chimes in with, “All I hope is that the guy at least took care of her, even if he left his… stuff.”
“Okay!” I cut in loudly, now that the tables had turned and the focus was back on me. “Can we not talk about my sex life?”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s weird,” Lilly says.
“Nothing weird about it,” Aunt Ava says. “We talk about sex all the time thanks to our sex toy business.”
I blink. “… Your what now?”
Aunt Ava’s smile falters. “Oops.”
Lilly’s jaw drops. “You have a sex toy company?!”
Now they’re the ones looking awkward.
“Yes,” Aunt Ava admits.
I stare at them, still trying to process.
I mean, Aunt Ava, who runs a children’s organization, invests in multiple companies, and still somehow runs her family’s business–owns that?
Aunt Emma is a powerhouse lawyer with a major stake in her own family’s company. Aunt Harper and Aunt Corrine are both busy running family empires, and Aunt Letty, though married to Aunt Emma’s brother, has her own thriving businesses.
And yet, with all that power, influence, and polished professionalism… never in my life would I have guessed they also had a sex toy company.
Some families pass down jewelry. This will pass down… battery–operated legacies?
Lilly squints like she’s running through a mental catalog of brands. “What’s the name?”
“That’s not important right now,” Aunt Harper cuts in quickly. “We’re here for Si, not to talk about… That.”
Lilly and I exchange a look that clearly says this is far from over.
“So,” Aunt Emma says, changing the subject, “do we know this man?”
“Nope!” I answer too fast, eyes flicking stupidly to Aunt Ava.
2/3
Chapter 571
+15 BONUS
She’s studying me with narrowed eyes. Like she’s peeling back my skin and reading my secrets.
Shit. I snap my gaze away, heart thudding.
God, I hope she didn’t see the truth in my face. If she did… I’m screwed. And Noah will kill me.
Chapter 572
