living covenant 03 - eternal covenant Read Free Page A

five minutes.”
    “We had other things on our minds,” Aric replied.
    “Like what?” Mom asked, instantly on alert. “Is there another monster on the way to destroy the wedding? Instead of rain, should we expect a shower of blood?”
    “Wow. Thank you for that visual,” I deadpanned, making a face that had Aric in stitches and our mothers in snits.
    “No one is coming for us,” Aric said, pulling himself together. “Well, no one is coming for us that we’re aware of. That’s not what we had on our minds.”
    “I don’t understand,” Mom said.
    “He’s a sex fiend, just like his father,” Helen said. “That’s what they were doing. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that’s what they were doing when we got here, too. That’s why it took them so long to answer the bell.”
    Mom was scandalized. “Is that true?”
    “It is true,” I confirmed. “Aric is a total sex fiend. Blame him for all of this.” I hopped out of Aric’s reach as he grabbed for me again, giggling as I shuffled toward the kitchen. “I am starving. You promised me breakfast, Aric.”
    “Why would I cook you breakfast after that display?” Aric asked, purposely sticking close to me and avoiding the eye daggers his mother lobbed in his direction. “I promised you breakfast if you were good.”
    “Hey, I didn’t hear any complaints in the shower,” I pointed out.
    “Zoe Lake!” Mom wagged a judgmental finger. “That is inappropriate!. One doesn’t talk that way in front of company.”
    “You’re not company,” I scoffed. “You’re my mother.”
    “It’s the same thing,” Mom argued. “Good manners prohibit one from saying things like that in front of others.”
    “You seem to be forgetting the time I snuck into the house late that one night and found you and Dad … doing it … with your bedroom door open,” I reminded her, inadvertently shuddering at the memory. “I thought I would need therapy after that. It was horrifying.”
    “Yeah,” Aric said, enjoying the story. “At least we’re not doing it in front of you.”
    “I’ve seen you two come plenty close enough on more than one occasion,” Helen argued, shaking her head. “Aric, you cook breakfast for Zoe. Zoe, you clean up the living room.”
    Aric and I exchanged annoyed looks. “Do we have to?” I whined.
    “Yes.” Helen doesn’t take a lot of guff. I figured it was better if I did as she ordered rather than argue.
    “Fine,” I said, moving toward the living room. “I want eggs, corned beef hash, toast and juice for breakfast”
    “Yes, my little despot,” Aric said, blowing me a jovial air kiss. “I guess I should take my duties as Mr. Zoe Lake seriously starting now, huh?”
    Helen stilled. “What?”
    Aric realized what he said when it was too late to take it back. “It’s an inside joke, Mom,” he offered. “Don’t worry about it.”
    “Are you really considering changing your name?” Helen was mortified. “I know the line between the sexes is almost completely erased, but your father won’t like that, Aric.”
    “Well, given how powerful Zoe is, I thought it would be better for us if we both had her last name,” Aric said, opting to mess with his mother instead of apologize. “Zoe Winters doesn’t send the right message of terror and fear. Aric Lake, though, that’s terrifying.”
    “It will be when your father finds out,” Helen huffed.
    “Good grief,” Aric muttered. “Do you have to take everything so seriously? It’s a joke. I’m not taking Zoe’s name. We were playing a game this morning, and it’s not the type of game I’m supposed to talk about in polite circles. It wasn’t serious.”
    “Oh … well, fine,” Helen sniffed, silently urging me to continue with my cleaning with a jerk of her chin. “Zoe is taking your name, correct?”
    I left Aric to deal with that question and started gathering the garbage in the adjacent room.
    “Mom, we really haven’t decided yet,” Aric admitted. “I