Page 78 of Before I Loved You

“Okay.” My mom nods, looking between Sarah and me affectionately. Her eyes then dart around to the rest of the group.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to eat for a week,” Tina murmurs as she sits on the couch and snuggles against Ray. She just put Lucas to bed, leaving the adults to relax.

“I’m good,” Ray adds with a smile.

“Maybe just one piece of the apple pie,” Kevin notes. “And one piece of the chocolate pie. And maybe also—”

“I thought you said you couldn’t eat another bite?” I ask, chuckling.

“I’m a growing boy,” he counters, stretching. “My appetite is never satisfied.”

My mom shakes her head, laughing as she turns toward the kitchen. “Coming right up.”

Sarah shifts beside me, her eyes blinking open as she glances up at me. An adorable smile appears until she realizes her proximity to me and sits up, inching away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you. I must have gone into a food coma.”

I lean closer to her and whisper, “You can fall asleep on me anytime.”

She blushes as I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“Get a room,” Kevin remarks.

Tina kicks him in the leg, shaking her head.

“I concur,” Ray says with a teasing grin.

She swats his arm. “Excuse them.” She faces Sarah when she says, “I’m afraid the Weston boys don’t know how to be romantic.”

“What?” Ray’s brows pinch together. “I’m romantic. Just the other day, you said you wanted me to take you out, so I did.”

Tina rolls her eyes. “You took me golfing with you so I could drive the golf cart.”

“Ouuuu,” Sarah and I remark in unison, laughing.

“You said you like to drive!” Ray exclaims.

Tina crosses her arms over her chest with a scowl. “And guess what? I’m going to return the favor. When I go Black Friday shopping tomorrow morning, I’ll let you come with me and hold all my shopping bags.”

Ray groans, rolling his head against the back of the couch. “I guess I deserve that.”

Sarah yawns beside me, standing up. “I think I’m going to head to bed now. It was lovely meeting you all. I had…a really nice time today.” She smiles, appearing happy, but a smidge of sadness is shadowing over her features.

“Good night, Sarah. I hope to see you again soon,” Tina quips.

“Keep my brother in line, Sarah,” Kevin mumbles into the carpet.

Sarah giggles, glancing at me.

“I’ll walk you up.” I start to rise, but she places a hand on my shoulder, stopping me.

“It’s okay. I know how to climb stairs,” she says. “Even if your stairs are intimidating as hell.”

My lips curve up. “Okay. Well, good night, Sarah.”

She smiles and turns, heading down the hall toward the furthest set of stairs leading to the guest room. I showed her the room earlier when I insisted she stay the night because I didn’t want her driving in the dark when it was snowing. She was hesitant about staying until I opened the front door, revealing her car hidden in a thick blanket of snow.

The weatherman said this area had already received up to nine inches. Sarah told me it looked like only a few. So, I promised to show her what nine inches looks like later, and I’m a man of my word.

“Man, you have it bad.” Kevin sits up, leaning on his elbows as he watches me with an obnoxious grin.

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