Page 31 of Not Quite Perfect

Our mom rolled her eyes and pushed back from the table, gathering her and Richard’s empty plates. “I swear, sometimes I wonder about you kids …” she muttered as she headed toward the kitchen, her husband trailing behind her.

Theo spun the stem of his wine glass between his fingers, Drew was staring at Theo, and Alex was staring at David, who cleared his throat uncomfortably. “She was getting suspicious,” my oldest brother explained.

“About Drew?” I asked.

Theo shook his head. “No, about your reaction to David’s divorce, you nincompoop.”

I flicked my eyes between David and my brother, feigning innocence. “What reaction?”

Theo’s eyes flashed with a mixture of exasperation and fondness while David winced. “Really, Victoria. Your face went white and you ran out of here like you couldn’t get away fast enough. It pinged mom’s spidey senses.”

For the first time since I’d re-entered the dining room, I let my gaze land on David.

“I told her we’d been talking.”

My jaw dropped open. “You did what? Why?”

“Relax,” he said, pushing his plate to the side and linking his fingers on the table in front of him. “She thinks I’ve been giving you book advice.”

“You have,” I answered, my lips twitching.

“She was impressed I knew you hated Faulkner.”

I gasped. “You didn’t tell her about the ferry, did you?”

“What about the ferry?” Alex was glaring at David again. After our talk out in the living room, I thought he’d chill out, but it seemed he was back to being the overprotective hulk he always was.

David looked at me, his eyes pleading. “Do you think we can have this conversation somewhere private?” His head bounced between my three brothers. “No offense guys, but this isn’t about you.”

“No offense taken,” Drew said, jumping out of his seat and practically skipping to the kitchen. I hadn’t noticed before how heavily his secret had weighed on him, but now that his sexuality was out in the open, it was like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He looked almost giddy with relief.

Theo and Alex weren’t so easily placated, however.

Theo stared at David for a few moments. If Drew was fun loving and impetuous, and Alex was stern and foreboding, Theo was calm and unflappable. Except right now he looked … flapped. Like he wanted to say something, but didn’t have the slightest idea what.

“It’s okay, Theo. I got this.”

His gaze swung to me. “You sure, Vick?”

I nodded. “I’m sure.”

Alex grunted, and pushed back from the table. “Come on, man. Let’s go raid the liquor cabinet.”

With one last steely eyed glare at David, Theo nodded and stood. “Yeah, I could use a drink.”

When it was just David and me alone, I didn’t know what to say. I pushed my hair behind my ears and tugged on the bottom of my blouse. I fidgeted with my earring. Eventually, David reached for my hand, and I stared down at where our fingers were clapped together, too scared to see what was on his face.

“Victoria.”

“Mmm-hmm.” I kept my eyes locked on our hands as his thumb brushed a path over my skin. Back and forth, back and forth. I tried not to melt under his touch.

“Look at me, please.”

I filled my lungs and swallowed down my trepidation before raising my eyes to find him staring at me, the look on his face so open and earnest. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I wanted to, but …”

“It’s okay. I get it.”

He shook his head. “No, it’snotokay. I should have said something that first night, but you looked at me like … “ He blew out a breath. “Well, like no one else ever had before, and I didn’t want to be a disappointment. I didn’t want to chase you away.”

---