“My brother and his girlfriend are here,” Myla announced as we entered the large room.
Mrs. Hayes sashayed over to us, introducing herself to Karla and giving me a quick hug. “Such a pleasure to have you in our home. You know Myla and Gavin of course.” She was talking to Karla more than me, but I was perfectly fine with that. I was planning on doing as little of the talking for the evening as possible. “My husband, Gideon, and our younger son, Griffin.” Both men raised their glasses of whiskey in the air before Griffin got to his feet.
“Can I get either of you something to drink?” he asked, putting a couple of ice cubes in his glass.
“Water please,” Karla answered.
I responded with the simple, “Whatever you’re having will work.”
“Coming right up.” Griffin handed us our drinks and we all shuffled into the dining room.
The beginning of the meal was slow and filled with light conversation. The most thrilling part of it was when Mrs. Hayes asked how long Karla and I had been married.
“Oh, no ma’am, we’re not married,” Karla answered frankly.
Her eyes got wide as she pursed her lips. “I’m sorry for my assumption. When are you due?”
Karla rubbed her belly. “It’s getting close. She’ll be here before we know it.”
Myla chimed in. “I keep trying to get them to tell me the name of my niece, but they want to keep it a big secret.” Myla shot me a devilish grin as Mr. Hayes cleared his throat.
“So, Myla.” Coach leaned over the table to get a better look at my sister. “When are you and Gavin going to start a family?”
“Gideon, leave them alone. They need some time to be married for a bit. Let them enjoy being a couple.” Mrs. Hayes tried to stop the conversation before it escalated, but it fell on deaf ears.
With a dead serious face, Gavin glared at our coach. “Dad, My can't get pregnant if she keeps swallowing.”
I spit whiskey all over my plate as my cheeks burned. Even though that was funny as all hell, the idea of my baby sister sucking off the captain of my team grossed me out to no end—and to top off the awkward moment, it had to be in front of my coach and his family.
Griffin cleared his throat loudly. “This roast beef is fantastic, mom. You really outdid yourself.”
Myla’s face was twisting into a horrified grin as she shoved away from the table. “I’m going to get another beverage; can I get anyone anything?”
“Well, my dad is fishing for grandkids—wanna pop one out really quick?” Gavin snickered.
“Gavin, what the fuck has gotten into you?” Myla barked.
I leaned over to Karla, whispering, “Now do you see why I didn’t want to come?”
She grabbed my hand, squeezing it gently. “I will listen to you next time.”
Gavin started to go after my sister, but I threw my napkin onto my plate and raised my hand in the air. “I’ll go. You might make this worse.”
Gavin took his seat. “Karla, you should go with him,” Gavin advised, and Karla quickly got up from her seat as well.
“What a fantastic idea.” She grabbed my hand and we went into the foyer to find Myla huffing in a corner.
“Hey sis, you ok?”
Her face was beet red and she frantically wiped the tears away from her face. “They hate me.”
Karla hugged Myla as I tried to think of something better to say than what I already had. “Coach hates everyone. I think that’s how he shows how much he actually cares about someone.”
Myla tried to laugh a little. “I don’t think that’s how it works. He fucking loves Grif, but for some reason, Gavin and I are treated so poorly.”
“Don’t let him get the better of you. The only way to beat him is to show him that he doesn’t affect you. I am not trying to defend Gavin’s foul remark, but at least he made light of it and moved on.”
Myla threw her hand in the air. “How embarrassing was that though?”