Page 118 of Somewhere You Belong

“Well, she was fine before I walked outside.”

“We were just talking about my parents,” I interject, batting away the last remaining tears. “She asked about them, and it made me emotional.”

Dallas’s face grows worried as he stalks toward me, wrapping his arm around my waist, rubbing his thumb beneath my eye to swipe away the reaming moisture there. “I’m sorry. The last thing I wanted tonight was for you to feel sad.”

“It’s okay. I’ll be fine.” I flash him my most convincing smile. “I’ve dealt with this my entire life. Just sometimes, it catches me off guard, especially when I’m around someone else’s family.” It just reminds me of what I will never have.

Katherine reaches for my hand. “You’ll always be welcome here, Willow.”

I turn to her, pausing before saying, “Thank you.”

The timer on the oven goes off, signaling that dinner is ready.

“Dallas, wrangle up your siblings to do your jobs. It’s time to eat.”

Dallas kisses my temple before going back outside. “I’ll be right back.”

When he leaves, I turn back to Katherine. “Can you please talk to him, Katherine?”

She inhales deeply. “I’ll talk to him tomorrow, if that’s okay. I just don’t want to ruin tonight—your first family dinner.”

Hoping it’s not also my last, I nod in agreement.

***

“So, Dallas had to call Mom to come pick him up from school because he shit his pants.” Penn holds his stomach while he howls with laughter, and I’m wiping tears from my eyes.

At least these tears are from laughing and not emotional turmoil.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, everyone. Don’t forget I have blackmail on all of you, too.” Dallas points a finger at each of his siblings, moving around the table.

“Sorry, but that’s pretty bad, Dallas.” I place my hand on his shoulder, my chest still bouncing with laughter.

“It’s a cautionary tale—don’t eat Taco Bell before a rivalry game.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal, and I love that he can just let the embarrassment roll off of him like that. “At least I didn’t wear women’s underwear during one of the games.” He directs his gaze over to Penn, whose laughing immediately stops.

“Fucker.”

“Hey, watch your language.” Katherine points her fork across the table at Penn. “And sorry, son, but you started this battle. Dallas just seems intent on finishing it.”

I turn to Penn, arching a brow in his direction. “Women’s underwear? Maybe you aren’tas manly as I thought.”

He glares at me, clenching his teeth. “It was a dare, and I was not about to back down.”

“And he had a rash on his balls for a week afterward.”

Hazel gags dramatically. “Gross. I did not need to know that.”

Katherine chimes in now. “Yeah, neither did I.”

“Well, I think this is the perfect way to end the evening,” Parker declares before standing from the table, adjusting his pants and pulling his shirt in place. “I have an early morning anyway.”

“You mean you want to leave before Dallas and I share dirt onyou,” Penn says.

Parker points a finger at Penn. “Precisely.”

“Yeah, I think we’re going to call it a night too.” Dallas stands from the table, grabbing my hand to help me up.

The past two hours have been nothing short of incredible. This family is one of a kind, so welcoming, and funny. The conversation never stopped, only whenever someone mentioned Mr. Sheppard, and it was obvious that he’s truly missed.

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