Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66200 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66200 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
She ran back, tail wagging and tongue sticking out.
Echo was exploring the dock. Mischa was keeping an eye on Oppy and Percy, who barely wanted to leave their carrier.
“Stay where I can see you for now, sugar.” I patted Nala’s head.
She ran down the hill toward Echo on the dock instead.
Sebastian handed me my own sandwich, still enjoying the role of making sure I ate. Completely unnecessary these days, but I kinda loved it. It was one of the best things about being in a relationship, I was learning. To be able to dote on each other. Maybe we even took it farther than normal sometimes because neither of us had experienced it a whole lot in the past.
“What did you put on yours?” Sebastian peered closer.
I held up my sandwich for him to taste. “Eggs, cheese, ham.”
Yeah, he definitely wanted to try.
I kissed his puffed-out cheek as he chewed.
My phone buzzed a moment later, and I didn’t bother checking this time. I wasn’t ready. It’d become drama the second Dad opted to call David—and then Soph—to tell them to tell me to get back to him. It was how I’d found out what Dad wanted in the first place. Soph texted me yesterday, saying she was on my side but that I had to give Dad an answer, either through her or if I called him myself.
He’d never accept a message delivered through Soph.
Mom and Dad wanted to come to David’s for Christmas. Apparently, Mom was upset and felt excluded.
David had called last night too. He was opposed. He didn’t think it was a good idea if they showed up, and fuck, neither did I, but Christmas wasn’t only about me. We still had ten grandchildren in the family who adored their grandparents, although I wanted to believe Bella didn’t give a flying fuck yet. She’d never met them anyway.
“I’m sitting here wondering if I can trick you into taking a couples selfie with me, but then I look at you, and you look like someone just died.”
Trick me into what?
I took a bite of my sandwich and glanced over at Sebastian. “Why would you have to trick me into taking a photo with you?”
As far as I was concerned, it was a travesty we hadn’t done one already—that could go on the famous living room wall.
I mean…we’d taken some pictures. They just weren’t fit for public consumption.
“We can discuss that later,” he replied. “You okay?”
Aw, shit.
Did we have to talk about this now? I’d done so well at avoiding the topic altogether.
I squinted and scratched my jaw. “Remind me again of what lies I can tell and be forgiven for?”
He smiled wryly and nudged me. “Tell me.”
Goddammit. I had too much on my plate today, in my opinion. Given that Soph and Dylan were bringing the kids to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family—since we got them for Christmas—I was meeting Sebastian’s sister, grandfather, and nephews for the first time today. Marlene, the sister, had tagged Sebastian in photos of her cooking for the past two days on Instagram, and I loved me a good turkey. I loved people who went all in with food, period, and I’d been promised a feast. But I was still experiencing a serious case of ball sweat. I had to impress them, right?
And now this.
“My mother is upset, so Dad’s been calling to more or less demand they get invited to David and Melissa’s for Christmas.”
My stomach was in knots the second the truth was out, and I had to put away my sandwich.
“Oh.” Sebastian nodded slowly, digesting, and put down the rest of his sandwich too. He didn’t look happy at all. “I mean, I knew we’d have to deal with this at some point…”
I wasn’t so sure. My plan had been to avoid my parents for the rest of my life. That was why the whole thing stung so bad, because my leaving Georgia had been goodbye for me. There wasn’t a chance in hell I could pretend as if nothing had happened so that Mom and Dad could get their traditional holidays like so many times before. I couldn’t. I wasn’t stepping into another goddamn closet for as long as I lived.
“It’s up to you, then.” Sebastian cleared his throat and stared at the ground. “Either I back out and spend the holidays with Marlene and Pops, or I tag along as your friend. Or Soph’s friend—whatever.” His jaw clenched, and the evident tension stole my attention before his words registered fully.
Back the fuck up.
“Wait, what?” I couldn’t believe or understand what I was hearing. “Why the fuck would I bring you as a friend?”
He frowned at me, as if the answer was obvious. “That’s kind of the deal, Blake. I’m assuming David didn’t invite them in the first place so that you can be yourself, but if your parents are coming, you gotta go back to pretending.”