Page 60 of What If I See You

“Your family. Do you think they liked me?”

I nearly choke on a laugh. “Are you seriously asking me that question?”

When she doesn’t answer me I know that means yes.

“Layken, they adored you!” I assure her. “One hundred and fifty percent. You were a fucking natural with my family. They bought our story. All of it. I could feel it in my soul.”

She smiles but doesn’t say much. Then she leans her head to the side and watches out her window, nodding. “Good.”

Not sensing the confidence in her statement, I narrow my eyes and steal a few glances her way. “You okay?”

“Yeah. I’m good.” She answers one way but her sudden melancholy demeanor says otherwise.

“Hey,” I say softly, sliding my hand over her thigh.

“Hmm?”

“What are you thinking about over there? You got really quiet.”

She shrugs and shakes her head. “Nothing really. You’re just…” She sighs. “You’re really lucky. I loved meeting your family today. They were…I don’t know...it was all so unexpected and not at all what I’m used to.”

“But good, right? Good different? You felt good?”

I’d be heartbroken and dismayed if she said otherwise.

“So much good, Griffin,” she says, her voice still a little off. “And I felt amazing the entire time. Like I actually belonged somewhere.” She turns her head back toward her window and murmurs, “It makes me want to never introduce you to my parents.”

“I’m sorry, Lake. I’m sorry things aren’t the same for you.”

“Yeah. Me too. Though until today, I didn’t know what I was missing for all those years growing up.”

Fuck.

Hearing her say that rips my heart out and I don’t know what to say.

“Will you stay?”

Okay. I guess I’m saying that.

The words come out of nowhere and have Layken’s head turning my direction.

“What?”

“Will you stay? At my place. Tonight?” I swallow the lump in my throat. “I know you mentioned when we got to my parents’ that your building is open now and you know I’ll drop you off there if that’s what you want but…”

Her place was actually fixed a week ago.

I know this because Bodhi mentioned it to me when I talked about Layken and me one night. He assumed she had gone back home.

She’s been so busy working on her book, I wasn’t about to tell her to leave and if I’m being honest with myself, I really like having someone to come home to.

Fuck. I don’t want her to leave me.

I like having her around.

I like her.

I like Layken.

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