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She grabbed one plate of food out of the fridge and then brought it to the dining room table and set it out for the kids to pick at it.
Royce followed with her. “I’m sorry,” she said.
“Don’t be. This is natural. I get it.”
“No, it’s not natural.”
He laughed. “Chloe. You haven’t met my mother. This is tame. Trust me.”
She’d have to take his word for it and hoped to just get through this day.
“Does your father normally cook for holidays?” Chloe asked several hours later. They had gotten through dinner and then Dane had left to bring the kids to Melanie’s and she and Royce took their leave too. Then they went to see his father and sister for a quick visit and now were back at his place.
“Yes. My father is a good cook. He tried to give us everything he thought we lost when my parents split. I know you think maybe I didn’t have a traditional upbringing like you did.”
“Please,” she said, waving her hand. “Tiffani and Tyler aren’t having the same upbringing that Dane and I did. I see him rushing from place to place and doing his best to make sure they don’t suffer for it. Something must be going on with Tyler though that he doesn’t want to go to his mother’s.”
“It could be. Or maybe he just has a better connection to his father. I did. I always knew it. Elise did too. I don’t know Melanie to know one way or another.”
“She isn’t a bad person. Don’t get me wrong. She is doing what she thinks is right for the kids and they seem well adjusted. As Dane said, sometimes you just fall in love with the wrong person.”
“I think that can be said about a lot of people in life,” he said. “My parents. Your brother. We’ve both had relationships in the past too.”
“I’ve never been in love. Have you?”
He seemed shocked to hear her say that. “I have,” he said.
“Oh. What happened with her?” she asked.
They were sitting on the couch in Royce’s house and relaxing. She’d eaten more than she thought she should have but wasn’t feeling that sick either. Just really stuffed.
“I don’t know yet,” he said, kissing her on the forehead.
“What?” she asked, turning to look at him.
“You,” he said. “One of us has to say this and have this conversation. I guess maybe it’s me. You started it all when you put me on the spot with your proposition. The rules have changed once again, don’t you think?”
She laughed. “I’m pretty sure most of our rules don’t apply anymore.”
“Probably not. But I’d still like to keep the fun in it.”
“Me too,” she said. “Go back to what you were saying about love.”
He shut one eye at her. “I love you. I’m not sure when it started. I think it had more to do with me not wanting to be stuck in the friend's category and just sex and trying to figure out a way to get out of that.”
“That’s funny. I was thinking the same thing. Though putting this little bun in the oven wasn’t what my thought was.”
“No,” he said. “It’s not or wasn’t for me either, but it is what it is and we’ll move forward with it. And now you know how I feel. How do you feel?”
“I think I love you too,” she said.
“You think?” he asked.
“I do know. It’s just all so scary and happening at once. Then my mother is always asking questions and that doesn’t help.”
“I heard her and wanted you to know you weren’t alone. She brought up Emily a few times. Why is that?”
“I don’t know. She never did before. Maybe she is worried that being pregnant now I’ll want to know more.”
