Page 49 of Kiss Me Forever

“Waiting so fucking long was my first.” And with that, he left me standing in my entryway, alone, faded, and yet empty at the same time.

That seemed like the perfect description of everything that it meant to be me and Reece.

“Did you hear that the Franklins have decided to sell?” my mom asked as I sat on their couch, knees under my chin, and a glass of wine in my hand.

My eyes widened at that.

“Really? Why?”

The Franklins were my parents’ neighbors, an older couple who truly hated everybody near them. Honestly, I didn’t know why they had stayed in this neighborhood for so long. They disliked anybody who wasn’t like them, constantly tried to get the HOA to kick out my family because we were loud, inked, pierced, and had motorcycles coming to the house every once in a while depending on who visited. Not to mention nearly all of my family was bi, pan, or gay. I had multiple family members who were in poly relationships, and had kids within those triads. My parents’ house was large enough with enough acreage that we even had Montgomery events on the property. The Franklins hated it and had tried to block off the entrance to our back road, our private back road.

“What finally convinced them to sell?” Nate asked as he walked into the living room and sat on the couch. He practically shoved me out of the way when he did, and I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Hey. Don’t spill the wine.”

“We couldn’t have that.” Nate rolled his eyes and I leaned forward to scrub some paint off of his forehead.

“Did you even shower before you got here?”

“Of course I did. Paint just gets everywhere. I’m in the middle of a scene that’s bothering me. Though I think this paint has to do with the kids at camp.”

I opened my mouth to ask about Bella, then realized I probably shouldn’t. Asking about her would have my entire family on my heel. We really were a nosy bunch.

“Be nice to your brother, and your sister,” my mom said as she sank into her chair. My dad came into the room, handed her a glass of wine that he had just refilled, and took another seat.

Tonight was all about Montgomery family dinner, although I knew my other brother, his wife, and a couple of cousins would be visiting soon. Just because it was our particular family dinner didn’t mean it was just the ones I had grown up with underneath this roof.

“Your uncle bought them out,” my dad said as he grinned.

“Which uncle?” I asked, surprised. I set my glass down so I wouldn’t spill it, and put my feet on the ground.

“Wes, of course. My twin likes to one-up us.”

“How did Uncle Wes finally get the Franklins to sell?” I asked.

“I don’t understand exactly how your uncle can do these things,” my mom said dryly. “But if anyone could do it, it’s Wes and Jillian,” she said, speaking of my aunt.

My father, Storm Montgomery, was twins with Wes. My mom, Everly, had Nate and James before she had married my dad. I had come along later.

My brothers’ half-siblings lived in the area, and usually made it to family dinners, but they were all with their individual families for the evening. In fact, the eldest was on vacation with his husband—another reason that the Franklins have hated us.

“Seriously though, how did they sell?”

“You’re going to have to ask them,” my dad said as the doorbell rang.

My eyes widened. “How many people are coming to this dinner?” I asked with a laugh.

“Your uncle wanted to tell the story, meaning he’s bringing some of the kids.”

“You say kids as if we’re not all in our thirties.” Nate said dryly.

“Addy and Cody are still in their twenties, stop taking my youth away from me, child,” Mom said with a laugh. She stood up, roughed up my brother’s hair just a bit, and then moved to the entryway to greet the others. I gave my brother a look, he crossed his eyes, and we moved to follow.

Nate’s twin James moved in, signing quickly as his wife Sarah said her hellos as well.

James moved close to me and hugged me tightly. “Hello baby sister,” he signed as he moved back.

James had cochlear implants and could hear most sounds but not all tones. He preferred to sign, and I signed back to him. We all signed when we were near James, and the entire family—cousins and all—had learned over time. It reminded me that Reece had learned to sign when he had become friends with Nate, and then therefore James. That man was always so surprising.