“I’m so sorry. You’ve always been such a good sport, and I didn’t know how much…” Her arms tighten around me. “I never meant to make you feel that way. I feel terrible.”
“Just promise you’ll think about what you’re saying when you talk about my decisions, okay? You too, Dad.” I address him over my mom’s shoulder. “No more ‘way to a man’s heart’ stuff.”
He stands to join our hug, wrapping his arms around both of us. “Okay, sugar plum. No more. You call the shots about your life.”
They pull away, and my dad chucks me under the chin.
“You know we’re proud of you, right?”
I inhale a little shakily. “I do. But it’s nice to hear it.”
“Wait.” Sebastian slams his hand against the table, apparently tired of the apology-fest. “Where does this asshole come in?”
He glares at Gabe, who doesn’t even flinch.
“He’s not an asshole,” I say sharply. “He’s a nice guy who volunteered to be my boyfriend this week, and then I had the stupid idea that I’d pay you all back for every time you’ve badgered me about finding a man.”
Understanding dawns on my dad’s face. “So that’s why he stripped during movie night.”
“He didwhat?” Celeste’s eyes widen if she’s picturing the whole scene.
“Just his shirt,” I clarify, then turn to my parents. “The lasagna and the luggage and flirting with another girl at the bar when he knew Sebastian could see him, that was all part of it.”
“I’m also a Cubs fan, Mr. St. Claire,” Gabe says, moving to stand next to me. “And Mrs. St. Claire, I need you to know that your hot chocolate is the best I ever had.”
My mom makes a happy little noise in the back of her throat. She really is proud of that hot chocolate recipe.
“For what it’s worth, I apologize too.” Gabe rests his hand on my back, rubbing a light circle with his thumb. “I agreed to help out Darby, but once I got here, I didn’t particularly enjoy making all of you uncomfortable.”
My mom pivots to pull a startled Gabe into a hug.
“You’re a good man,” she tells him.
He’s so tall that he can rest his head on top of hers. “It’s nice of you to say so.” He pats her back a little awkwardly.
My dad approaches him next and holds out his hand. “I don’t quite understand what you are to Darby, but if she trusts you, so do I.”
The buzzing of Celeste’s phone cuts through their emotional man-handshake.
“Shoot,” she says. “Aaron’s barely holding off a mutiny. I’ve got to go. Walk me out, Darby?”
I nod and follow her to the door, where she envelops me in a hug too. I don’t think I’ve ever been hugged so much in my life.
“I feel awful,” she says. “I didn’t know it all upset you so much.”
“Just promise you’ll knock it off?” I pull back to meet her eye.
“Obviously.” She steps back. “If you promise not to have any more interesting fights until we’re back tomorrow morning.”
“Ha.”
“And listen,” she pulls me close to say in an undertone, “I’m sorry for assuming this was a fling. The boy is obviously crazy about you.”
A whisper of hope twists in my chest. “Do you think?” I whisper back.
She gestures over my shoulder to where Gabe is in earnest conversation with my parents at the dining room table. “What else would explain that?” Then with another quick hug, she’s out the door.
I rejoin the family in time for Sebastian’s next protest.
