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“What?”
I laugh wetly. “The last time I told you that, you said I would be welcome to leave the family if I decided not to get married or give you grandchildren.”
There’s genuine confusion on her face, warring with the anger. “I never said that.”
“You did. You threatened to fucking disown me if I didn’t make myself someone’s good little wife.”
“Donotcurse at me.”
I can’t believe she doesn’t even remember. I’ve thought of that night a million times now, but it didn’t even matter enough to her for it to stay in her memory. What was a crushing blow to me was nothing to her.
Nothing.
My stomach rolls. Giana says something, but I can’t hear her over the buzzing in my ears. Why did I ever think there’d be a way forward? That my family would truly see me for me?
I push past Giana, past my aunts and cousins and Penny and everyone else listening in, and throw open the screen door. It slams shut behind me.
“Sebastian!” I call.
He looks up, along with half of the people in the backyard. I know it’s rude to leave, but right now, I don’t care how it looks. I just need to make it to the car without crying. “I need to leave.”
54
SEBASTIAN
Mia hasn’t saida word the entire ride to Philadelphia.
I tried, when we first got in the car, but she gave me a glare so cutting that I stopped mid-sentence. A couple tears spilled over her cheeks, but she didn’t let me wipe them away. Or kiss her. Or hold her hand. Anything that could bring her comfort, she ignored. When I asked if she still wanted to visit James and Bex, she nodded and turned her body so her head rested against the passenger door window.
It was awkward, with her brother and father, but something must have happened with her mother. Something big enough to turn my normally fiery Mia into a lifeless version of herself. It’s been agonizing to drive instead of barraging her with questions. I turned on a rock playlist to try to get her out of her funk, but not even Pink Floyd helped. The other day while we were cleaning the house, she scream-sang the lyrics to “Young Lust” while using a duster as a microphone. I laughed so hard I nearly fell down the stairs. Today? She didn’t even tap her foot to the beat.
Once we get to James and Bex’s place, I hope I can find a moment alone with her to talk. I’m sure the first thing she’ll want to do is get out of that dress. I’m half-surprised she didn’t change right there in the passenger seat, our backseat companions and other drivers be damned.
“Almost there,” I say as I turn the car onto James and Bex’s street. “Maybe we’ll get lucky with the parking.”
“This is such a pretty neighborhood,” Penny murmurs from the back seat. I glance into the rearview mirror and see that she’s holding hands with my brother. They’ve had their phones out a lot during the drive, and I’d bet my car that they were texting about what happened at the barbecue. “I’m excited to see their house again, too. Mia, there’s like five different levels.”
“And a rooftop patio,” Cooper says. “Maybe we can use the fire pit later.”
Mia slowly unglues herself from the door. She runs a hand through her hair. “That would be nice.”
Her voice is flat. There’s no emotion in it, good or bad. She reaches for the pink purse at her feet, pulls out a makeup bag, and flips down the sun visor to use the mirror.
I glance over quickly as she starts to touch up her makeup. “Are you still sure you’re okay to visit? We can always go back to Moorbridge.”
She shakes her head. “No, it’s okay. Your family is tame in comparison to mine.”
“Do you want to talk about what happened?”
“No,” she snaps. Her face falls as soon as the word leaves her mouth, blush coloring her cheeks. “I’m sorry, I just—no thank you.”
“It’s okay.” I find a spot not too far away from the townhouse and pull in. “If you need some space, take some space.”
For whatever reason, that makes her bite her lip so hard I’m afraid she’s going to draw blood. I try to hold her hand as we walk down the sidewalk, but she sidesteps, balancing along the curb instead.
I know I shouldn’t let it hurt me. Mia is a black cat sometimes, always ready to bring out the claws. If I give her space, she’ll come to me. If there’s anything Idon’twant to do right now, it’s fight with her, and with the mood she’s in, I’m not sure how she’d react to a push.
At the door, Cooper steps forward and rings the doorbell. I remember the bright yellow door from the listing James showed us, back when he was considering whether to make the investment. It’s a beautiful house, fit for a superstar quarterback, but he didn’t want to live in it alone. His engagement to Bex last summer helped seal the deal, and as far as I know, they’ve been happy since. He made sure that wherever he lived, there would be room for a nice photography studio. Beckett Callahan Photography has taken off in the past year, just like James’ football career with the Eagles.
