Ellie glanced at me just as I choked on my food, coughing and sputtering, while Jace sat next to me, trying not to look absolutely mortified.
Chapter 27 – Jace
Dammit, June.
She looked around, completely oblivious as to why her answer had everyone staring in stunned silence.
“What?” she asked innocently, smiling. “Remember, Uncle J? When Auntie Cassie went on that date with that weird guy, and you told me to make sure Auntie Cassie knew you didn’t stink so she’d go on a date with you instead one day?”
Cassie turned to me, trying—and failing—to hide her laughter. It was painfully clear to everyone how awkward this moment was for me.
“I agree, June,” Cassie said with a teasing smile. “Uncle Jace definitely doesn’t stink. I actually really like the cologne he’s wearing tonight.”
“He said he only wears it for special occasions,” June announced proudly, still smacking her food.
Cassie tilted her head, playing along. “Like for Thanksgiving?”
“No,” June said, shoveling another spoonful of mashed potatoes into her mouth. “Like because you were coming tonight.”
Cassie grinned at me, my face burning even hotter.
I leaned into June and whispered, “That was supposed to be a secret, remember?”
She looked at me, doe-eyed. “Oops.”
Despite her adorable smile, I felt like she’d spilled the beans on purpose somehow.
“This is why I don’t come to family functions,” I joked, looking around the table.
“You don’t come to family functions because you like to hide in your cabin like a weirdo,” Molly teased.
“I’m either on the ranch or at my cabin. I live where I work, what’s so bad about that?” I asked, taking another bite of green beans.
“Nothing. It’s just if you got out more, you might actually find someone to settle down with. You’re not getting any younger, you know.”
I was going to kick Molly’s ass after this, because she knew exactly what had happened between Cassie and me. She was adding fuel to the fire and loving every second of it.
“I know the person who hasn’t been on a date in years is not mocking me right now about being single,” I said, eyeing her and trying to change the subject to her nonexistent dating life rather than mine.
“I’m also not pushing thirty.” She smiled, tilting her head.
“When did Thanksgiving dinner turn into an intervention about my dating life?” I asked. “Why don’t we talk about how—”
“You still haven’t brought a girl home in, what, two years?” Molly said.
I groaned. “You’ve been keeping track? That’s creepy.”
She shrugged. “Somebody has to make sure you’re not turning into one of those old cowboys who just talks to his horses all day.”
“At least they don’t interrupt me during dinner,” I muttered, stabbing a piece of turkey with my fork.
“Wait… I remember now,” Molly said, snapping her fingers. “You had a date with that one girl, but you managed to fuck it all up. What was her name again?” she asked, tapping her chin wonderingly as if she didn’t already know the right answer.
I pointed my fork at her. “Conversation over.”
She leaned back in her chair, completely smitten. “Touchy, touchy. Must’ve been a good story.”
“Oh, I have no doubt you heard the entire thing,” I said, smirking. I looked at Cassie who stared at Molly, silently begging her to shut up.
