I shake my head. “Nope. None I felt like going to.”
Dalila’s parents are throwing a party for her tomorrow, though... andthatone I’m definitely going to. I’m not entirely sure what’s going on between us, but we kissed last Wednesday. A real kiss. And then we kissed again every day we saw each other after that. I think I’m starting to really like her.
Just thinking about it makes me smile.
When I look up, Uncle Mark is staring at me.
“That smile?” he says, pointing at my face. “I know that smile. It only means one thing. Who’s the girl?” Then he lifts an eyebrow. “Or the boy?”
I laugh. “Just girls for now, Uncle Mark. But if that ever changes, you’ll be the first to know.”
He bursts out laughing, and I do too.
I flop onto the couch and rest my head on Alicia’s lap. She complains, obviously, but her fingers are in my hair two seconds later, scratching lightly.
Mom comes back into the living room with a tray in her hands. “What are we laughing about?”
“That speech...” Uncle Mark says, pointing at me again with a proud grin. “Your son has the same way with words his mom does. That was one hell of a speech, Ethan.”
Mom shoots us a suspicious look, but sets down the tray with wine, juices, and leftover quiches.
I get up, reaching for a piece. Whatever I ate at the reception barely counted as food, and I’d been starving the entire car ride home.
“Thanks, Mom,” I say around a bite.
Mom hands Uncle Mark a glass of wine and pours another for herself. He takes a sip and lets out a dramatic sigh.
“Finally, a drink for adults.”
Alicia and I laugh, and when I look up, Mom is watching me with that emotional look I know too well.
“Mark’s right,” she says. “Your speech was beautiful and incredibly moving. I’m sure you inspired a lot of your classmates today.” Then, in a teasing tone, “And thank you for making me cry and almost ruin my makeup.”
I wipe my mouth on a napkin, walk over to where she’s sitting and drop onto the arm beside her, pulling her close.
“I wouldn’t be half the person I am today without you, Mom,” I murmur, hugging her tighter. “Thank you for being who you are.”
She squeezes me back, tilting her head up to look at me. “I should be the one thanking you... for being such incredible kids.”
She extends her other arm toward Alicia, who comes to sit on the opposite arm of the chair, wrapping herself around Mom too.
“You just didn’t have to call me Buttercup in front of everyone,” Alicia grumbles.
But we both know she’s pretending to be annoyed. I could tell by the way she hugged me the second I stepped off the stage, whispering,“I love you, Ethan. So much.”Her face buried in my chest, voice shaky, arms tight around me.
Yeah. She loved it.
“Well...” Uncle Mark says, pressing a hand to his chest. “Seeing you three like this almost makes me want to settle down and find a family of my own.”
Alicia giggles. “I think Ethan’s going to get married before you, Uncle Mark.”
“Nope,” I say, standing up and kissing Mom’s cheek before heading back to the couch for another piece of quiche. “I don’t even know if I’ll get married at all—but if I do, it definitely won’t be until way after I’m thirty. Like... way after.”
Uncle Mark claps his hands together like he’s shutting down a dangerous idea. “Okay! Enough marriage talk. It might be contagious.”
Mom laughs, shaking her head.
“So,” he continues, leaning forward, “I want updates on this trip you’re planning.”
