I snicker. “So, where’s theirs?”
“They live in a mansion. Like eight beds, and twelve bathrooms, or something.”
“Really?”
“I don’t know,” he waves me off. “But we usually get a pretty decent house when we come here.” He shrugs, and glances at his phone. “Speaking of, Mom texted me. They wanna have dinner with us tonight. There’s this fancy restaurant at the base weusually go to. They have the sickest burgers. Like, seriously, you have to try them.”
“Okay.” I nod.
“So, you wanna go get the gear, or you wanna chill here for a bit, or…?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. What do you usually do?”
“We usually go get the gear as soon as we arrive, and the tickets and stuff. But Dad’s got all that, so, maybe we can go try out some skis for you, and then chill for a bit before dinner?”
“Hey!” Seth’s dad waves at us from a few feet away as we enter the almost empty restaurant. We grabbed our gear and dropped it off at the cabin, before we walked down here. Seth told me to look for a Stanley Tucci look-a-like so when his dad’s bald head and black-framed glasses come into view, I snort a laugh. It’s ridiculously accurate.
“Hello darling,” Seth’s mom says, wrapping her arms around him and kisses his cheek.
“Mom, Dad, this is Kaden,” Seth says. “Kaden, meet my DNA donors,” he adds, gesturing between us.
“It’s lovely to meet you, Kaden,” Seth’s mom says. “Seth’s told us so much about you.”
“No, I haven’t.”
I chuckle and take her hand. “Nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Avery.”
“Oh, please, call me Annie.” She smiles, showing off her dimples—just like Seth, but she’s got two instead of one. Shelooks a lot like Seth—or he looks like her, I guess. Blue eyes, a pouty bottom lip and blonde hair.
“Malcolm,” Seth’s dad says, reaching for my hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“You, too. Thanks for having me,” I say, clasping his hand in mine.
They all gravitate to a corner booth, like they always sit there, and I drop down on the end, next to Seth before they all start speaking at once. It’s like they all have their own conversations going but still manages to answer each other. I’m pulled into it without even realizing it and it’s just… Comfortable. I’m not always that good with new people but these are Seth’s people and Seth is my person so, I guess that helps.
71
Seth
Now playing: “Fall for you” by Sleep Token
Kaden’sdoing…okay.Imean, it’s not terrible, but yeah, he’s fallen on his ass a few times. More than a few times. And I try not to laugh, but he gets this look on his face every time. First his eyebrows shoot up, his eyes going wide in shock, and probably a little fear. And then he turns around, looking at me, and that’s when it transforms into a scowl. Like it’s somehow my fault he fell.
“You’re doing great, Kadey-babe,” I tell him, smoothly gliding up next to him and pressing my lips together to suppress a laugh.
“Fuck you very much,” he says, heaving himself up with the poles, and unclips his skis.
“Wanna try that harness thing now?” I chuckle.
He turns around, glaring at me, but the he softens his features and narrows his eyes instead, tilting his head.
“What?”
“You’ve got something…” He gestures vaguely at his face, and walks up to me.
“Wha—oof!” I land on my ass with a thump. “Did you just push me?” I gasp.
“I did, yeah,” he replies with a nod and a smile.
