Page 25 of Out of Bounds

“Flossing!” Lulu answered with a giggle.

“It’s about time to head to Danielle’s anyway, Lulu,” Zara said. “So go grab your stuff.”

Without another word, Lulu took off, running up one of the curved staircases in the foyer toward her room.

“I thought we were having a family dinner?” Felicity asked, confused. That was why she was here, right? “Also, a sleepover on a school night?”

“There is some school concert thing tonight,” Zara said. “Plus, I think BobbiJo doesn’t want her here for this conversation.”

“That makes me think I don’t want to be here for this conversation,” Felicity muttered.

“I think you might be stuck,” Zara replied.

“Sorry I’m late,” Jonah announced, busting through the front door like he owned the place. Felicity held back a groan as she watched Lulu bound back down the stairs, backpack in hand, smiling at her uncle. “I got caught up at the office.”

“Would have been fine had you just stayed there,” Felicity said, turning to give him the fakest smile she could.

“Hi, Uncle J!” Lulu said. “Aunt Zara was TikToking with me!”

“She’s not your aunt,” Jonah corrected her. “She’s your sister-in-law. And really, she’s not even that yet.”

“Nice to see you, Jonah,” Zara said, obviously just as unhappy as Felicity to see him. While Felicity didn’t know exactly what had happened between them all back in high school, she knew that Jonah was part of the reason Dalton and Zara had lost touch for so long, after having been glued to each other’s sides growing up. Even though Dalton and Zara were back together now and happier than she’d ever seen anyone, she knew there was still no love lost between the couple and Jonah. “Ready, Lulu? Let’s roll out.”

“Bye!” Lulu said, making her exit with Zara close behind.

“What are you doing here?”

“It’s family dinner.”

“You’re not family!” she snapped, walking into the dining room to find Dalton and her father entering from the other side.

“Ah, Jonah, here for dinner?” Big D asked.

“My sister invited me, said that there was a family dinner going on tonight,” he said, giving Felicity a pointed look.

“Well then, I guess we’ll have to add an extra place setting,” Big D answered, turning to find a staff member to help.

“See, you weren’t expected. Why? Because you’re not family.” Felicity sat down in her usual spot, with her brother directly across from her. Taking the seat on the other side of Dalton, Jonah glared at her.

“Flick, I was talking to Cowboy and Gunnar on the flight back up, and they said they like your idea about the pub partners,” Dalton said.

“They did?” Wait, had Gunnar said something about that last night? No, she’d remember if he’d actually given her a compliment, no matter how under the influence she was.

“They did.”

“I still don’t think local is the way to go. How stable can these businesses really be?” Jonah asked.

“What’s this?” Big D asked, coming back into the room, a maid right behind with an extra place setting.

“Flick had a really good idea about partnering with local establishments for watch parties. Get the community involved.”

“I’m not sold it’s the best approach though,” Jonah added on. Felicity shot him a look, wishing he would just shut the fuck up. Why did he have to try to undermine everything?

“Well then, that’s your answer,” BobbiJo said, breezing into the room.

“Not how it works,” Dalton said to their stepmother, an equally unhappy look on his face, before adding under his breath, “not that you have any idea what we’re talking about.”

“What makes you think that, Jonah?” Big D asked, his loud booming voice taking over the room. Dalton had once compared their father’s voice to Burl Ives in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, and ever since, Felicity had been unable to hear anything else when he spoke, even though the man looked very little like the iconic actor.