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She blinked, the fingers wrapped around her left arm twitching like she was counting. Then her hand suddenly froze, her eyes flared, her lips popped open, and she sucked in a sharp breath.
“Alice, can I talk to you in the other room for just a sec?” Adrien was already rounding the table.
“Holy shit. No wa—”
“Excuse us.” He grabbed her arm and practically dragged her out of the room while we all watched, confused.
“I can’t believe how many times I’ve had to apologize for my children’s behavior today,” Julie said with a sheepish smile.
A door banged shut somewhere in the house.
“Ah, she’ll be joining the family soon enough. She might as well get used to it,” Gampy said. “It’s only going to get worse from here,” he promised me with a wink.
I smiled back at him politely. I didn’t mind this at all. It kind of reminded me of our family dinners when I was a kid, with Alba, our dad, and our abuela. I missed it.
“Speaking of which, have you decided on a date or location for the wedding?” Julie asked.
“We haven’t really talked about it yet,” I said, scratching at my nose. Technically not a lie. Wehadn’ttalked about those things.
“We’d love to host you here,” Anthony offered softly. “If that’s something you’d be interested in. No pressure.”
“Even if it’s just the engagement party,” Julie went on. “Or if you need any help with the planning at all, you just let me know.”
And that was the exact moment the guilt began to set in. It was in the looks they were giving me. The way they were clutching onto each other’s fingers on the table.
Like this wasit.
Like it was finally happening.
Their son was finally getting married, and they couldn’t wait.
And I was the piece of shit sitting here, lying to them about what was supposed to be one of the happiest events of their lives.
I tried to swallow back the barbed clump of shame knotting in my throat, but it didn’t seem to budge. “That’s so kind of you to offer. I’ll discuss it with Adrien, and we’ll let you know.”
They looked pleased with that answer, exchanging an excited look that pulled uncomfortably at my chest. I really hoped Adrien had a plan for delivering the breakup news to them. And I hoped he’d at least be gentle about it.
He and Alice walked back into the dining room less than a minute later with Adrien in the lead. He looked calm and collected, as though absolutely nothing out of the ordinary had happened. His sister on the other hand looked like a guilty six-year-old who had a secret she was trying her absolute best to hide.
“Sorry about that,” Adrien said as he took a seat beside me.
Alice remained silent and kept her eyes down.
“What was that all about?” Gampy asked, shoving at the bridge of his thick glasses.
“Nothing,” Adrien said coolly.
Maxwell chose that moment to flawlessly spit out a string of Eminem lyrics about Shady being back, and Gampy snorted, scratching the bird’s neck affectionately.
Adrien used the opportunity to smoothly divert the conversation to the arrival of additional family members later this week. Apparently, we were all here to celebrate Julie and Anthony’s 35thanniversary. There was a big party planned and everything, none of which he’d bothered to mention to me before we’d come downstairs.
I tried to keep up with the conversation as best I could, but I was a little too aware of all the glances Alice kept throwing my way. Though every time I caught her eyes, she immediately looked away.
She knew. About me being Waldo.
17
I had a problem.
