Page 41 of Just One Moment

“That’swhat you get for canoodling withJohannaat your own daughter’s party.”Dexsnickers before givingGeorgean apologetic look.

Dexisn’t wearing his hearing aid, but he has no issue lip reading the slew of insultsPatrickmouths at him, causing him to chuckle.

“UncleGray.”Myniece directs her attention to me now. “WillJust-Quinnbe nicer than the old one?”

“Lottie,”Patrickwarns, while the rest of the room grows quiet.

It’sgreat to know my ex left a lasting impression on my niece—who was three when we broke up.Idon’t blame her; she’s only asking what everyone else is thinking.

“What?”Lottieasks with a sassy shrug. “Shenever playedwith me.Just-Quinnsmells like sugar and dresses pretty.Shecan stay.”

IthinkIstun everyone silent—me included—with my next words. “She’svery pretty andI’dlike it ifJust-Quinnstays too.”

Mostpeople in the room would presumeI’msaying this to keep up the façade.Whenreally,Ihardly thought that statement over beforeIblurted it out.Suchan uncharacteristic moment for me, however it didn’t feel unnatural.

Plannedor not, it was the truth.

“Fromexperience, onceLottiemakes her mind up about coupling people together, there’s no telling her otherwise,”Jowhispers in my ear, looking betweenQuinnand me.She’snot wrong.Outof all the meddling that went on between her andPatrick,Lottiewas the chief instigator.

“Ihappen to love games.EspeciallyLEGO.”Lottie’seyes fly open atQuinn’swords, and she starts bouncing on her knees.

“Youwanna playLEGO?I’mmaking a fairy kingdom.UncleBoousually plays but he said his back hurts today and can’t sit on the floor with me.”

“Itdoes hurt,”Boothchimes in. “I’mgetting old, you little toad.”

Quinndoesn’t need to be asked twice.Sheslides off the sofa and settles next to my niece with her legs tucked under her round ass.WhenImanage to drag my eyes away, they meet the delighted smile of my little brother, who just caught me ogling.

Evenwithout her luscious figure tempting me at every turn, how canInot look at her when, in the last two hours, she’s fit in with my family like she’s been coming to these gatherings for years?

Inour decade-long relationship,Ididn’t witness anything close withJennaand my family asI’veseen tonight.Jennawas quiet at dinners, getting lost in the jokes and laughter of my siblings.Shewas never made to feel left out but was either too distracted on her phone or chose to be aloof.Theminute wewere alone, she’d be moaning about one ofBooth’sjokes or how she felt my dad didn’t like her.Therewas always something to gripe about.Eventuallyshe stopped coming.AndIgave up inviting her.

Thatwasn’t long after my dad passed.

YetwhenImentioned earlier toQuinnthat we didn’t have to stay long after finishing dessert, she looked disappointed.Quinnwasn’t just joining in with the laughter around the dinner table; she was the reason behind it with her animated storytelling about her travels across the country.Evenpromising toLottieto show her the van when it’s fixed.

Everyoneis drawn to her.

Thesensation building in my chest asIwatch her play with my niece, has to stop.Thisis fake.Temporary.Wantingher isn’t an option, because she’s too good for me, so why even entertain the idea?

Anudge to my arm has me turning to findJolooking at me curiously. “How’sit going between the two of you?”

Eventhough my mom andGeorgearen’t in earshot,Ikeep my voice low. “It’sfine.Ithink.It’sjust…I’mabsolutely in over my head.”

“Howso?”Patrickpeers aroundJohanna’sshoulder.

“There’sno way people are going to believe we’re actually together.”Isigh.

“Wordon the street is that you two were caught in quite a heated moment at the bakery yesterday,”Josupplies with a playful smile. “EvenMrs.Stewartwas overheard talking about it.Itdidn’t come across as unbelievable to her.”

Thatsurprises me butI’mstill not convinced. “She’sso different fromJenna.Whichisn’t a bad thing.Farfrom it,”Irush out. “She’sso different from me too.”

“Ascliché as it is, opposites do attract,”Patrickadds. “Now, let’s say this wasn’t fake, would you be doing anything different than you are now?Minusthe roommates situation.”

WouldI?

Probablynot—though,Ican’t see myself ever having found the courage to talk to her.Ispent the better part of the summer drafting out multiple texts to her, only for me to delete each one.MostlybecauseI’dconvinced myself any interactions with her would be awkward and tumble weed inducing.

Butthey’re far from that.They’refun, genuine, purposeful.

---