Torque by Gillian Archer (10 ebook reader txt) 📕

“Hi, Dad.” Maddie kissed his cheek and then turned to me. “You remember Nathan.”

“Nathan. Right.” I’d never heard two words say so much. Greg didn’t like me. He wasn’t impressed with me. And he clearly thought his daughter could do better.

I agreed with that last one, but I wasn’t gonna let Maddie or Greg know that.

“Evening, Mister Roberts.” I gave him a nod as I followed Maddie inside.

“Oh, sweetie,” Maddie’s mom, Kim, hollered from the kitchen. “You can call him Greg.”

“Mister Roberts actually sounds good to me,” Mr. Roberts rumbled behind me.

Right.

“Dad, be nice,” “Maddie scolded, holding my hand in a death grip as we stood in their living room.

Judging by his grunt, Mr. Roberts didn’t think he had to. He crossed the room and sat in the slightly worn leather recliner facing the tv. “Well, sit down. Your mom will be out in a minute. She’s busy fussing with dinner.”

I’d been following Maddie’s lead, walking toward the comfy-looking gray couches with nail head accents when she stopped abruptly, and I crashed into her. I grabbed her shoulders to brace the both of us and she spun around in my hands.

“I’m so sorry. I forgot to warn you,” Maddie whispered.

I frowned down at her and whispered back. “About what?”

“My mom thinks—”

“Maddie, honey. There you are.” Kim interrupted as she came into the room. She stood in front of us, a slightly older version of Maddie—the same dark brown hair and eyes, her face only slightly wrinkled at the corners of her eyes like she was a woman who smiled often. It was like looking at a future version of the woman at my side. Somehow it was comforting and kinda freaky all at once.

Maddie took a step forward and hugged her mom. “Hey, Mom.”

Kim’s eyes softened as she hugged her daughter back. The love in the room at that moment was palpable. I’d be lying if I said the sight didn’t make me smile.

Maddie took a step back and held my hand again. “Mom, you remember Nathan.”

“Of course I do.” Kim said as she took a step forward and folded me into a hug. Which was awkward because I’d already lifted my hand for a handshake. “None of that shaking hands here. I’m a hugger.”

I patted her on the back awkwardly and took a step away the second it was socially acceptable to.

“Sit. Sit.” Kim gestured toward the sofa we’d been headed for previously. Maddie and I headed for the couches as Kim continued. “The osso buco needs to braise a bit more, so we can chat for a few.”

“Osso buco, Mom? Really?” Maddie sat then traded a look with her dad that had her dad raising his hands in innocence, his eyes rounded as he furiously shook his head.

The gestures stopped when Kim crossed the room to sit in the other leather recliner. “I got a new recipe from the Gastronomic Network. It looked so delicious I had to try it myself.”

Maddie leaned into my side and whispered, “I am so sorry.”

I had no idea what was going on. It felt like I walked into the middle of a stage scene and all the other actors knew their lines. I didn’t even have a chance to whisper back a what before Kim was off again.

“So, Nathan.” Kim smiled at me. “I’m sure you can imagine my surprise when I heard our little Maddie was dating you.”

I blinked. Was that a question? Was I supposed to reply? “Uh, I don’t know why it would be surprising.”

“Well I’m sure you remember Maddie was so—”

“Mom!” Maddie cut her mom off. “Do not even finish that sentence.”

If I thought Maddie had glared at her father before, it was nothing compared to the expression on her face now. She could’ve boiled her mom’s blood with the heated look she was sending her mom.

Mr. Roberts cleared his throat. “Kim, let’s not embarrass our one and only daughter. We’ve only just got her visiting us again. It’s been weeks since Maddie stopped by.”

Maddie closed her eyes with a wince. Knowing that her father’s comment had burned her, even though I doubted that was his intent, I jumped into the fray.

“What’s your job again, Kim? I forgot to ask Maddie on the drive over.”

Kim lifted her moist eyes to mine and smiled despite the pain reflected in her gaze. “I’m a fifth-grade teacher.”

“That’s right. I think Dylan was in your class.” I smiled encouragingly at her.

“Dylan and Sabrina. The school wouldn’t let me teach my daughter—something about conflict of interest—but I did teach both of your younger siblings. That Dylan was a handful.”

“Still is.” I laughed lightly.

“Isn’t that what they say about all the Burns brothers?” Mr. Roberts asked, his eyebrows raised. “Trouble times four?”

“That was the byline of our first season.” My smile tightened and felt weird on my face. “But a lot has happened since then. I like to think that we’ve gotten a little bit more mature.”

Mr. Roberts leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees. “Was that the episode when you and your brother beat each other up and had to go to the hospital?”

“Dad!” Maddie bit out, standing up. “Knock it off. I swear to god I don’t know why I came tonight. I’m annoyed with both of you. Is this the way you seriously behave toward company?”

“Maddie, it’s fine,” I murmured, tugging her hand until she sat back down on the couch next to me. “They just love you and are concerned about the caliber of man you’re dating.”

“Caliber. Sure.” Mr. Roberts mocked under his breath.

“And I’d like to answer your question, sir, if you don’t mind.” I turned to give Mr. Roberts the look I used back when we built bikes for the Kings MC—Austin called it the don’t-fuck-with-me expression. I would’ve loved to go off on Mr. Roberts, but I had to keep it together for Maddie. “I did used to brawl with my brothers. Hell, I brawled back in the day just for the rush. I didn’t