Page 74 of All Along

“So are yours,” she whispers back to me.

I hope so. I release her and return to my seat to give everyone else a chance to congratulate her.

“When did this happen?” I ask once everyone’s returned to their seats. “And why did Paisley know?”

“I know because I’m observant,” Paisley says.

“I noticed her ring but thought everyone already knew,” Weston says.

Sophia rolls her eyes at him. “Sure, you did.”

Weston steals a quiche from her plate and pops it in his mouth. She slaps him but he laughs before jumping up from the table and running away. Sophia chases after him.

I lean close to Caleb. “You okay?”

“Fine.”

“This group can get rowdy.”

“They’re your family. I expected rowdy.”

“I’m not rowdy.”

“Says the girl who highjacked the PA from the high school principal to announce her bullies all wet the bed until they were in junior high.”

I gasp. “No one was supposed to know it was me.”

“Bunny, I always knew where you were in high school.”

I sigh. “We missed so many years together.”

He kisses my nose. “But we’re not going to dwell on those lost years now. We’re going to enjoy our evening with your family.”

I glance around the room. Sophia is chasing Weston while Scarlett yells at him to stop running. Nova and Hudson areshouting at everyone to be quiet since the baby’s sleeping in Sophia’s childhood bedroom. Chloe’s telling anyone who will listen how they all owe her an apology since everyone assumed she was behind the PA stunt.

My gaze lands on Lily who winks at me.

Warmth fills me. This is my family. My parents aren’t my family. They haven’t been for a long time. I need to stop yearning for their love.

I’m going to try. Starting today.

Chapter 26

“If Maya wants me to act out her lumberjack fantasies. I’m all in. And I do mean in.” ~ Caleb

Caleb

“No fair,” Maya pouts.

“What?”

She waves her hand up and down my outfit. I glance down at what I’m wearing. I’m in a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt. I don’t understand what the big deal is.

“You’re going to chop wood and I have to go to work.”

I scratch my head. “You’re upset I’m going to chop wood?”

“No. I’m upset you’re going to chop wood and I don’t get to watch.”

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