Page 106 of Bound to You

The place that I now get to call home, and nothing has ever felt more right.

My parents call every once in a while now, my mom more than my dad. He’s still sour that I ended up being right about Brandon.

My father walked into the staff room a couple of months ago to hear Brandon bragging about how he swindled his way into his position before speaking about me in a less than flattering way to one of his coworkers.

My dad fired him on the spot, but he hasn’t gotten over himself enough to call me and apologize yet.

I’m just happy I don’t groan at the sight of my mom calling me anymore. Me being away has been really good for ourrelationship. We talk on the phone now almost more than we talked in person when I was at college in New York.

Miles has been to visit a couple times since he left in the summer, but not for long as it’s been in between flights in the major cities. But seeing him at all is better than what I got at home.

We have never talked about the Marina thing. He hasn’t run into her here, and I didn’t want to scare him away from coming back, so I just never mentioned it. And Marina never brought it up again after the fundraiser either, leaving me wondering what ever went on between them, but I know it’s not my place to ask.

I can almost feel the way that that’s going to come back to bite me, but for now, I’m okay with playing dumb if it means spending more time with my brother.

I walk over to the kitchen where Vanessa is pulling her peach and almond crostata out of the oven. Good god, I hope she’ll give me her recipes one day. Her baking is essential to my existence.

“Here,” I say, putting a mat down where she can place the hot tray.

“Grazie.”

“That smells incredible,” I groan.

“It’s one that I always bring out when everyone’s around. Doesn’t take long for it to be nothing but crumbs,” she winks.

“Is that what I think it is?” Leo walks over to us, his hand instinctively reaching for the crostata.

“Hands off!” Vanessa smacks the back of his hands before he can pull them away.

“Ah!” He quickly retracts his arm.

“That’s what you get! It’s not finished just yet,” she says before walking over to our pantry, but not before pinning Leo with her bestI’m watching youlook.

He holds his hands up in innocence as I laugh under my breath.

“Aren’t you getting hot in this?” He tugs on the sleeve of my onesie that’s been shoved up my forearms.

“It’s definitely getting warm,” I admit.

“Go change into something else then. Everyone’s had their time to appreciatethis.”He laughs as he looks me up and down. “Plus, Marv’s still rocking it.”

I look over to where Marvin is prowling around, weaving between everyone’s legs as he shows off his outfit. I knew he’d love it.

“Alright, Santa. I’ll go change, but if that crostata comes out while I’m not here and you don’t save me a piece…” I point to him as I’m backing away.

He salutes to me. “I’ll guard it with my life.”

I brushmy hair down with my hands, trying to tame it into position after the hood of my onesie messed it all up.

I put on the red dress. I couldn’t help it after what Caio said earlier, and the dress is too gorgeous not to wear.

The deep burgundy color is rich against my skin, and the silhouette is just perfect, cutting off just above my knees, with thick straps tied together in bows over my shoulders.

I run another hand through my hair one last time before I walk back out to find everyone sitting around the couch, talking in hushed voices. The crostata untouched on the bench.

“Hey, where’s Caio?” I ask the room.

“He just went looking for another Christmas album. Can you go find him? He’s been ages,” Marina says.

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