Page 65 of Play to Win

“No,” everyone says at once.

Silence swells again.

“I’m so happy to have Théo living so close.”Aline speaks with determined cheer.“And especially now he’s married!I’m looking forward to getting to know you, Lacey.”

I smile at Aline.

“What do you do, Lacey?”Riley asks.

“Well, I’ve had a lot of different jobs,” I say.“I’ve worked in the hospitality business, also as a freelance makeup artist.I even worked as a budtender for a while.”

There’s a beat of silence as everyone takes that in.

“I need some good weed,” Harrison says.“Can you hook me up?”

“As if you need her help for that,” Everly says.

“You better not be smoking dope!”Bob bellows.“That’sreallyagainst the rules.”

“Come on, Dad, it’s legal here now,” Harrison says.

“I don’t care if it’s legal!”

“So, Emma, what do you do?”Aline interjects swiftly.

“JP, apparently,” Everly mutters.

I hide my smile in my napkin while others all choke on laughter or maybe outrage.

“Everly.”Chelsea chides her daughter, her fingers rubbing her throat, eyes darting around the table.

Everly’s lips tighten.

“It’s okay.”Théo speaks up.“It’s fine that JP brought Emma to dinner.”

“Don’t be such a pussy, boy,” Bob snaps.

All the women at the table straighten.

Théo, to my surprise, grins.“Grandpa, that’s not really an insult.Pussies are amazing.”

I turn my head and stare at him.

Aline drops her head, fingers to her eyebrows.

“Yeah, Grandpa, that’s not really woke,” Harrison offers.

“Woke?What the hell?”Bob frowns.

“If pussy means weakness, that’s just not right,” Everly says.“A woman’s vagina is incredibly strong and resilient.”

“Not to mention powerful,” Riley adds.“It has the ability to control men.”

Asher and Noah snort.

“Seriously,” she adds.“Pussy can make men do things like nothing else.And don’t tell me differently, after the dumb things some of you have done for women.”She levels a look at JP with raised eyebrows.

Théo clears his throat.

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