That takes more thought. In the end, I give her another harsh jerk of my head.
“So, what’s the issue?”
“That bad shit is ingrained soul deep, Sutt.”
She places a palm on top of my pounding heart. “Believe in us, and them. They accepted you long ago. You’re already a member of our family.”
The door behind Sutton swings wide. Jace pokes his head out, finding us twisted tighter than a pretzel. A gagging sound erupts from his throat. “Quit with the PDA. I’m gonna puke.”
Sutton huffs. “Oh, please. Like you’re one to talk.”
Jace wags a sloppy finger between us. “Very different circumstances.”
“Don’t be a dick,” I mutter.
He grunts. “Don’t make me regret my decision.”
Uncertainty returns with a roar. I grind my molars until the taste of chalk hits me. “Such a fucker.”
“Mom and dad are wondering what’s up. Stop cuddling and get your asses inside.” He doesn’t bother shutting the door after his retreat, assuming we’ll follow.
Pressure collects at the base of my neck. Jace is providing an adequate reminder of why I’ve been hesitating. His crude welcome is how I predict the rest of our evening will go. But I’m done shying away from my happiness.
Sutton tugs me toward the house. “Ready?”
I stare down at our clasped hands. “More than ever.”
The smell of peppered fried chicken offers a warm reception as we step into the foyer. My stomach growls at the aroma of a favorite meal, close second to Alice’s lasagna. There’s a rejuvenated pep in my gait while I lock eyes on the kitchen. Sutton’s bubbling laughter pops me out of the food trance.
“Glad you agreed?”
I duck to whisper in her ear. “Thanks for planning this.”
She slants her upper body into me. “I’d like to take credit, but my parents did the heavy lifting.”
A twinge pulls taut in my stomach. I shouldn’t be surprised in the least. Barry and Alice have always done their best to include me. This is further proof I shouldn’t need. They’ll never neglect me, unlike the rest of this town. A cold bucket of shame dumps over me. I’ve been an ass for ignoring their previous invitations.
Alice notices us entering the room. Her light eyes get glassy as she checks me over. She opens her arms wide, motioning me in. “I’m well aware that you’re not a hugger, but humor me? It’s a special occasion.”
Is it? Not like I’d argue with her. I shuffle forward and allow her to wrap me up. She only reaches the top of my chest, similar to Sutton. A solid ten seconds pass before Alice pulls away with a trembling smile. She wipes at her wet cheeks. “I’m very happy you’re here, Grady. We’ve missed you at our table.”
“Thank you for having me.” I tuck my chin.
She pats my jaw. “You’re always welcome in our home. I hope you never forget that.”
I appreciate that she doesn’t guilt me for separating myself. It’s been four years since I ate a meal with the Olsen’s. Not because they didn’t offer. They did, almost incessantly. But nothing was the same. I couldn’t be surrounded by them with a frozen heart. That would have thrown me over the edge.
Alice turns to the stove. “Take a seat. Dinner is almost ready.”
“Do you need help at all?”
She waves me off. “None of that. Take a load off and relax.”
“Positive?”
Alice tsks. “Yes, shoo. You can cook next round.”
I lift my palms and ease backwards. “You’ve got a deal.”
