Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 90795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
The second I’m in my truck, I message James. He knows I planned to tell her about us today, and I’m sure he’s a nervous wreck waiting to hear.
Me: Hey, I told her. It went well. She’s excited to meet you.
My phone rings immediately, and I chuckle.
“Are you sure?” he says instead of hello.
“I’m sure.”
“She probably thinks I’m terrible—your older professor with kids.”
“She doesn’t think you’re terrible. I promise. We’ll be okay, James. I know it’s hard for you to believe that, but we will.”
He sighs. “It’s easy to believe it when you say it.”
“Then I’ll tell you every day.”
*
The past couple of weeks have flown by. We’ve gone to every one of Nash’s home games, and I spent every evening at their apartment afterward. It’s the extent of our outings together—we don’t go out to dinner, or stop by the grocery store, or go to a movie—but I understand his concern. For now, I appreciate what we do have.
We’ve also kept up weekly appointments with Tasha. She’s been trying to teach James and Sadie more about her hair, which is in loose curls today. Tasha styled it yesterday, for the first time leaving her hair out of braids. James had no idea what she meant when she was talking about Sadie’s curl pattern, and I don’t know much more than him, just what I’ve heard from Hannah over the years. But she’s got the most beautiful, bouncing ringlets. I’ve caught her looking at herself in the mirror more than once since it was done yesterday.
“So this is like a family thing or what?” Nash asks, all four of us in James’s SUV as we head to Mom’s house for my birthday.
“Family and friends,” I tell him.
“Tasha will be there too,” Sadie says. “And Hannah.”
“Yep. You’ll get to meet my mom, and my brother, Dakota, and his girlfriend, Elena. He’s an idiot, but I love him.” I’ve had conversations with everyone, and they all know that James and I are together but that the kids don’t know, so at least I won’t have to deal with any ribbing about bringing home a boyfriend for the first time.
A boyfriend who has a cage on his cock right now because it’s my birthday and I wanted him to wear it for me. We pretend he didn’t want to wear it, but we both know he’ll find comfort in that today when he’ll be nervous and overwhelmed and I won’t be able to do anything noticeable to soothe him.
“How come you invited us?” Nash asks, and Sadie swats his arm.
“Because you’re my friends, aren’t you?”
“Yeah.” He looks away and out the window. I hate the fact that they’ve probably never had this, never done something like this before. Gone to a family friend’s birthday party.
“It’ll be fun. Also, my mom had Dakota put the old basketball net back up in the driveway, so if my family gets overwhelming, we can always go out and do that.”
“They didn’t have to do that for us,” he says.
“They wanted to.”
I see James look at him in the rearview, the two of them exchanging a look, a shared experience or thought I’m not privy to.
Hannah’s and Dakota’s cars are there when we arrive. I have a feeling they all arrived early on purpose. They’re all excited about this day.
When we get out, Sadie goes straight to Nash, who takes her hand, and then she pulls him with her and grabs James’s hand. My heart melts at the sight, so fucking glad the three of them have each other.
“Everyone good?” I ask.
James nods. “We’re good.”
I lead them to the house, knock, then open the door. Nineties rock is playing softly, everyone congregating in the small living room, talking. Mom decorated—because that’s how she is—with balloons and streamers and a banner that says Happy Birthday Colton, as though I’m not now twenty-nine years old.
“Gee, Ma,” I tease. “Did you get me a cartoon cake too?”
She laughs. “I can’t help it. You’ll always be my baby.”
“You’ll always be my baby,” Dakota mocks playfully. “Did you guys forget I’m the youngest? Colton has always been your favorite.”
“I don’t have a favorite. You’re both my babies,” Mom says, then looks directly at James.
He shifts nervously—not only because she’s looking at him, but probably also because he’s meeting my mom with a cage on his dick.
“This is James, Nash, and Sadie,” I tell my family, then turn to my…well, I hope what will be my other family. “The tall guy is my idiot brother, Dakota, and this is Elena, his girlfriend, who can do much better.”
“Fuck off,” Kota says.
“Don’t curse in front of the kids!” Mom scolds.
“Shit. Sorry,” Dakota apologizes. “Fuck, I didn’t mean to say that.”
“You did it again!” Elena rolls her eyes.
“See what I mean?” I tell them. Sadie looks unsure, but Nash and James are clearly trying to bite back smiles.