He spooned just whipped cream into his mouth, biting back a moan. “That sounds interesting. I can’t wait to see it on your Instagram when it’s done.”
She chuckled, reaching over and giving his shoulder a soft shove. “Why don’t you come hang out at the shop sometime after you get done at work? I bet you and CJ would really hit it off…”
It wasn’t the first time she’d suggested it, and he was tempted, but he waspositivehe wouldn’t fit in with the other tattoo artists. Roni was awesome at their house, but at Rebel YellStudio, she’d be… Viper. And what if when she saw him around her other friends, she realized he didn’t fit into her life?
Or they convinced her he didn’t after he left.
He shuddered and shoveled more ice cream into his mouth, saying around it, “Maybe someday.”
She rolled her eyes, setting aside her bowl and turning to face him fully. When he just scooped more mint chocolate chip out of his, averting his eyes, she sighed and took his bowl right out of his hands and set it onto the table too.
“Hey! Mine!” He reached for it, not wanting it to turn to soupy grossness.
“In a minute.” She snagged his grabby hands, grinning at his disgruntled huff. “Babes, I don’t understand why you’re so terrified of hanging out at the shop or with any of the club members. Last week, you about passed out when I suggested you come to dinner with me, Tank, and CJ. Seriously, Em, your face got so pale I was worried.”
Gulping, he stared into her concerned eyes. “I’m not scared,” he said in a tiny, petrified voice.
She laughed, giving his fingers a squeeze. “Do you honestly think I’d let any of those assholes be mean to you? Do you think so little of me?”
Horrified, he clutched at her rough hands. “Oh my goodness, no! Roni, you’re the best friend I’ve ever had, but they’re your family.”
Her face softened. “I get it now.”
“Get what?” He darted a look at his ice cream. Was it already melting? Why was she making him talk aboutfeelingswithout his bowl of comfort?
“You don’t know you’re my family now too,” she said, ducking to catch his gaze.
His heart rate began to increase, his palms growing sweaty in her firm grip. “I am?”
“Yeah, babes.” She smiled, giving him a squeeze and letting him go to grab their bowls again. As she handed his over, she said, “You think I’d live with any chump?”
He laughed a little, thinking of all the horror stories she’d told him about past roommates. “You didn’t know me when I moved in.”
She shrugged and shoved a huge spoonful of chocolate peanut butter into her mouth. “Ollie vouched for you.”
“He barely knew me either!” Emmett said. “He’d just cut my hair a few times.”
“We’re both excellent judges of character, so quit arguing with me. We’re family, and that’s that.”
Family.
He couldn’t help but smile widely at her. He’d never had a friend call him that before, and his regular family… Well, they loved him, but he wasn’t close to them. His siblings were all older than him and way more successful, with loud and rambunctious families of their own that always filled up every room of every house they were in. His whole life, he’d been the quiet one, the one who liked “childish” things and dropped out of college, squandering his potential.
It was easy for him to just disappear into the background whenever he was with them.
He grimaced and poked at his ice cream, doing his best not to think about what had happened at his parents’ house on Thursday. Sometimes he faded into the backgroundtoowell, apparently.
But with Roni… She saw him. She even saw the parts of him that he’d kept hidden from everyone else. He’d thought she would think it was weird or maybe even make him move out if she found out about his little side. But, of course, he’d been completely wrong.
He hadn’t realized she was coming home early one day a couple of months after he’d moved in, and he’d been watchingThe Little Mermaidin his footy pj’s in the living room, coloring a picture of a dragon on the floor with his big box of crayons. Snowball, his favorite stuffie, had been sitting right next to him, keeping watch over him. And had almost gotten sprayed with apple juice when Emmett had looked up and found Roni smiling at him softly.
Explaining to her that he was a little had been easier than he’d expected—once he’d gotten over his shock and terror—her quick acceptance helping him relax enough that he’d even been able to finish his movie.
And she’d hung that picture on the fridge when he’d finished it a few days later, using a magnet shaped like a frame she’d gone and purchased without telling him.
The sight of it in their shared space had brought tears to his eyes for weeks whenever he’d looked at it.
“You’re my family too, Roni,” he whispered, swiping his spoon through his melting ice cream. He knew she knew, but he wanted to say it back. It felt only fair.
