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Micah ruffled my hair and earned an elbow to his side after he let me in their front door. “Jerk off.” I tried to fix the mess he’d made atop my head.
“Chill out, you little shit. There are no hot men here to think you’re any less cute because I wrecked what you probably spent an hour styling.”
“Fuck you,” I muttered at his back as he walked away chuckling.
“Hi, brat!” Jasmine said from across the kitchen, her face still a little pale as she waved in greeting.
“Hey, Sis. Feeling okay?” I helped myself to the tray of olives on the island since she hadn’t approached for a hug.
“I’m wonderful.” Pink flushed on her cheekbones, and I nodded, knowing she’d tell me otherwise if she wasn’t.
“Mrs. Swift. Liz.” I greeted her mom and sister, the latter of which had a whining kid trying to weasel down from her hip.
“Your mom told me you’ve gone back to college,” Mrs. Swift said, her smile kind as always.
“Yeah.”
“I can’t even imagine how busy your schedule must be.” Liz shoved a cookie in her toddler’s mouth to keep him quiet and still.
Jasmine’s whole family knew about Elite, and while they were more on the conservative side, they thankfully didn’t state their opinions. Besides, Micah’s money and how generous he was with his in-laws had to be enjoyable as fuck for them. They’d be absolute morons to look down their noses at him after all he’d done for their youngest daughter and how he sent them on bi-yearly cruises.
“It’s been tough,” I admitted, popping another olive in my mouth. The burst of saltiness made my mouth water to devour the whole bowlful. “But I’m hanging in there.”
“I’m proud of you,” Micah said, once more messing up my hair.
While I loved the sentiment, I bit my tongue so I wouldn’t curse his ass out in front of Jasmine’s family and the mini Cookie Monster in Liz’s arms. A growl managed to escape though, and he barked a laugh that didn’t sound quite…real.
I watched him head over to Jasmine and wrap his arms around her waist. They had their backs to me, but I caught his murmur against her ear and the flush that spread down her neck.
Tearing my jealous gaze away, I headed toward the living room where Pop and Mr. Swift sat in front of the TV. I greeted them both, but only Jasmine’s father felt me worthy of eye contact with his greeting.
I got a grunt from Pop and nothing else.
“So…college!” Mr. Swift stated with a grin as I sat on the couch a cushion away from him.
“Yep—it’s going well too,” I lied, watching Pop. His stare didn’t waver from the massive screen in front of him. “It’s a big workload taking classes full time but nothing I can’t handle.”
Pop snorted, but even though he didn’t outright put me down or spew something negative like usual, he’d made his thoughts clear.
Why had I hoped for one positive word? Why did I set myself up for disappointment like this every goddamned time?
Throat tight, I left the two older men, cursing myself for showing up early. I’d have been better off staying at home alone until the last possible second.
Hiding away in the half-bath off the kitchen, I pulled out my cell.
Me: I hope you have a good Thanksgiving.
I’d considered asking Matteo to join us but knew he’d be spending the day with Professor Hanson and his husband. Being invited to tag along with Matteo would have been heaven.
Maybe next year, because once the semester ended, Matteo would be all mine.
Heart somewhat eased by the light at the end of the tunnel, I returned to the kitchen and made Jasmine put me to work.
Mr. Swift said grace over the meal an hour later, and I busied myself shoving food down my throat until my stomach threatened to spew.
Dina, Elite’s original secretary and Jasmine’s other sister, had arrived with her husband Aaron a few minutes prior to our sitting down to dinner. I glanced across the table at them, noting how they’d shifted their chairs closer to each other. They’d been married for a couple of years and acted madly in love, like they were still on their honeymoon or some shit.
My gaze roamed around the massive dining room table, my chest caving in as I recognized I was the only single person besides Liz’s two kids. Outside Mom and Pop, they’d all found their soulmates, the ones that filled the empty places inside their other halves.
