Page 17 of The Summer Plans

I can’t help but smirk at their bantering. Normally I’m the one shushing my friends when they start talking about dicks, so it’s kind of nice being on the other side.

“How would you like it if I was licking something that shape in front of you and moaning about it?”

“Oh my God, Dad! I wasn’t moaning. But it would explain why you’ve been single for so long. Look, I’m not judging if that’s what you’re into.”

The flustered look on his face has me losing my composure, and I cover my mouth with my hand to hide my laughter.

“Come to think of it, I’ve never seen you with a girlfriend, or any woman for that matter.” Sophie raises an eyebrow in challenge.

“I just haven’t found the right woman.”

My head bounces back and forth between them as I take another bite of cookie.

“Have you ever even kissed a girl? Auntie Raven said I should ask you about your first kiss. I thought it was kinda weird, but I figured there’s a good story if she was telling me to ask you about it.”

Shit. I drop my eyes, suddenly unable to look at him.

“My first kiss…” he trails off, his eyes on me, but I keep my head down.

“Never happened?” she taunts.

Normally, I’d jump on the tease RJ bandwagon, but not about this particular topic. He exhales a deep sigh. The one all parents feel when they battle with the need to be right as a person, or be the bigger person as a parent.

“Oh, it happened.”

Fuck. He’s choosing the need to win this argument.

“I don’t believe you.”

“I don’t need you to believe me.”

“Because it never happened? Or it was so awful that you scarred the poor girl for life?”

A deep sigh. “It wasn’t great.”

“Cuz you’re a bad kisser?”

“No.” His tone is firm.

“Was she a bad kisser?”

Head still down, my eyes peek up waiting for his answer.

“Hell no. It was the best kiss of my life.”

My heart beats loudly in my ears. This is not happening. I can’t listen to any more of this, and yet I’m desperate to hear him elaborate.

She scoffs. “You’re not making any sense. How was it not great but also the best kiss of your life?”

“I… I don’t want to talk about it.”

Dropping my shoulders, I look up, making eye contact with Sophie. “Our braces got stuck together.”

The silence that permeates the room is deafening. Sophie’s mouth drops open as her eyes bounce between us. I don’t know what kind of face RJ is making. There’s no way I could handle looking at him right now. And then Sophie breaks into laughter. Full body. Arms flapping. Eyes watering. Doubled over, holding her stomach.

I can’t help it, I laugh too. And then I hear RJ’s deep chuckle, which somehow relaxes me. It shouldn’t, given the circumstances, but I’ve never been able to control my reactions around him.

After several breaths, Sophie composes herself. “Anyway… Skipping past that since we’re all stuck here for the week…” She picks up another cookie. “These are so good. How did you not know they were in your suitcase?”