I also learned pizza was the go-to celebratory dish at their house. Specifically, pineapple and ham, which weirded me out because pineapple on pizza was weird. It was a fruit. Fruit did not belong on pizza, but whatever. I didn’t judge. Not when our family was over the top in our celebrations. We had lobster at ours, usually with some imported wine from France too. But having cheap beer and pizza seemed so much more special.
“I don’t know if I want to teach first grade though. The kids seem messy.” She cringed, giving us an apologetic look, making Christopher and me laugh.
“What grade would you want? Do you have a preference? I could talk to our boss to see about you observing a few classrooms at each level to see what you like best,” I said, taking a long swig of the beer. “I had no idea I wanted first until I student taught second grade and realized yeah, that wasn’t the level for me.”
“That would be amazing!” she gushed, her young face bursting with ideas and potential.
I loved how excited she was. The scholarship wasn’t enough money to pay for a year of school or anything, but it was a starting block.
“Gilly is the reason she even got this grant,” Christopher said, putting his arm around me and scooting his chair closer to mine. “She’s the treasurer for the program and works with the junior high and high school on getting donations.”
“Thank you, Gilly. We cannot tell you how much this means to us,” his mom, Carrie, said, her gaze moving to where his hand rested on my shoulder.
He didn’t introduce me as his girlfriend, but he made it obvious we were together. Her light blue eyes were so similar to Christopher’s. It was quite clear he was a replica of both his parents. He had his mom’s thick brown hair and eyes, but his dad’s build.
“Oh please, this was all Kayla. I heard fifteen students applied for it. Your application and letter of recommendation must have been impressive.”
Kayla burst into a smile again, and I felt her joy in my bones. “This is the coolest, honestly. I didn’t think I’d actually get it, you know? I can’t believe there is like a whole lunch for it, too this weekend.”
“I know! I love how they make a big deal out of it. It’s impressive, and you deserve all the food they’ll provide,” I said, looking forward to the luncheon the high school ran that Saturday. All the sponsors helped out to make it run smoothly, and while I enjoyed seeing students get recognized for their hard work, it would be more special knowing Kayla won.
A brief silence came over the table, and we all took a few bites to finish the food. It amazed me to see their dynamic—how Christopher doted on his sister and mom and obviously loved his dad, but there was tension.
The money.The con man.
I wondered about that night we were together and he’d suspected I stole from him. He never said if the money turned up, and I made a mental note to ask him about it. I finished the beer and looked up to see his mom staring at me with a half-smile on her face. I grinned back, hoping it didn’t come across weird because his mom was totally sizing me up.
Was I good enough for her son? I hoped so. It had been years since I met a guy’s family, and the butterflies made me feel like Kayla. A high school girl meeting her teenaged boyfriend’s parents before a dance. Sweat dripped down my back and pooled just above the waistline of my dress, and I shifted in my seat.
“So, Gilly, Christopher seems quite fond of you.”
“Mom, stop it,” he said, the tips of his ears getting red. “I told you, none of this. That was the deal. I’d invite her over, but you don’t say a word.”
Kayla giggled and rested her chin on her hands, watching us like a tennis match.
I winked at her before leaning into Christopher’s side. “Aw, you’re blushing. How adorable. You’re fond of me, huh?”
His gaze sliced to me, but amusement circled around those mesmerizing eyes. “You damn well know how I feel.”
“Well, would you enlighten us about it? It seems Kayla knew all about her, yet I know nothing,” his mom said, making it really dramatic and elongating her words. “Sorry, dear, my son just thinks that being an adult means he doesn’t have to share things with me.”
“No, that’s totally fine. I like it when he’s off-balance. He’s too in control at work, so I like when he’s flustered. Makes me feel more normal.”
Everyone snorted at that, and his mom’s eyes warmed. “You work right next to each other? So, this has been going on since the beginning of the year?”
“Not exactly,” I said, smirking as Christopher’s thigh tensed against mine. “We were enemies at first.”
“Wait, ismy brotherthe guy you were telling me about that day?” Kayla asked, her eyes big and wide as she stared back and forth between Christopher and me. “No way!”
“Yup. Sure was.”
Christopher groaned and finished his beer before running a hand over his eyes. “Okay, we’re leaving. We came here to celebrate Kayla’s accomplishment, not embarrass me and talk about feelings.”
“Oh, but it’s so fun,” I said, pulling his shirt when he tried to get up. He let me pull him back down because he was obviously larger and stronger than me, and my stomach swooped like I went upside down on a roller coaster when he kissed me right there, at the table, in front of his family.
That was a message.
I blinked at him, something like love dancing along my skin at his attention and sweetness. It was exhilarating and terrifying to feel my body being attuned to it.
