章 17: Chapter 17: Dinner with the Steeles

Royce

We stood outside the Steele residence; me in the same slacks and button-down I’d worn that day to work and Carrigan in a navy blue plain dress that wasn’t her size. I questioned where it’d come from, but she waved it off. Clearly, she didn’t want to discuss it.

I held the wine in one hand and turned to Carrigan with my other on the doorbell.

“Ready?” I asked. I don’t know why I asked her because the question was more for me. But she nodded her head, her strawberry ponytail swishing.

I took a deep breath and pushed the button. It took a minute for Mom to appear at the door, but when she opened it, her smile went from thrilled to fake. “Royce, honey, you didn’t tell us you were bringing a friend.” She kept her smile on Carrigan but her eyes on me, and I could hear her annoyance.

“Sorry, Mom, it was supposed to be a surprise.”