AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My father snorts. “I don’t. Take her and Stasi with you.”
My mother elbows him, making him grunt. He mumbles something in her ear. Again, my thoughts go back to Riley.
“I need to get back to Riley.” The words tumble out of my mouth without thought. I head back up the stairs.
“You’re freaking married?” Kennedy bellows as soon as I enter the dining room.
A slow grin creeps across my face. “Hey, twin.”
“Don’t hey twin me.” She shoves my shoulder. “You didn’t even invite me to your wedding.”
“That’s because we didn’t have one,” Riley tells her. From the look they exchange, I get the feeling these two have hit it off already.
Kennedy slaps her hands onto her hips and frowns. “All of that money he makes at Townsend and you didn’t make this guy,” Kennedy thrusts her thumb in my direction, “give you a proper wedding?”
“Hell, it’s not like you keep your ass in town long enough to attend a wedding,” I say. Kennedy has a job at a paper in the city but it often takes her out of town. Add to that she loves adventure sports and takes trips, and … well, she’s gone a lot.
Kennedy shrugs. “We’ll have to plan one then.”
Riley looks to me. “That won’t be necessary.”
“Oh hell no,” Kennedy insists. “You have to—”
“Watch your language in this house,” my mother interrupts.
“Sorry, Mom,” my twin mumbles. “Hey, Daddy.”
While my father pulls her into a hug, Stasi and Riley emerge from the entertainment room.
“Aunt Riley, Stasi cut her hair herself. Isn’t it cool?” Eve asks Riley. “Can I—”
“No!” Riley and I say at the same time.
She turns and looks at me, surprised.
“You are not cutting your hair like that,” I say firmly.
Stasi rolls her eyes. “It’s not your fault, Eve. My brother wouldn’t know cool if it bit him in the a—”
“In the what?” my mother chides.
Kennedy laughs and high-fives our sister.
“Oh, and Stasi was showing me how she keeps notecards and alarms on her phone to use when she’s in the kitchen, so she doesn’t mess up what she’s making. Isn’t that smart?” Eve says enthusiastically.
“Yeah, if you have ADHD like me, we can probably come up with some techniques to help you out, too,” Stasi replies. “Come help me in the kitchen. I was only allowed to make tonight’s dessert, but I need to do a few things before dinner.”
In a flash the two are off.
I turn to tell Riley something, but she’s busy talking with my sister and mother. I squint, wondering how they started a conversation so quickly. I watch my wife as her smile widens at something my mother says to her. A small laugh spills from her lips. My heart quickens from the sounds.
This feels right. Like she belongs as part of this family—my family. Unease bristles in my chest.
But can you trust her?
I want to shake it off as indigestion but I know better. Ever since I moved into her place, I’ve spent weeks in her bed, lying next to her but not touching her. I’ve told myself it’s because I want to make her as uncomfortable as possible, or it’s because I need to play the role in front of Eve.
It’s all bullshit.
