Page 80 of Follow Your Bliss

Abby cast wide worried eyes at me and asked Antoine a question. I had no idea what.

Jason was keeping me a secret from his family.

I hadn’t even realized how closely I’d been holding the tender things Jason said to me until Antoine’s words upended them onto the floor, suddenly worthless as the scratch-off tickets littering the parking lot after St. Dorothy’s spring fair. Mrs. Betty didn’t seem to even like me. She would never approve of me dating her son.

Jason was across the room talking to his brother. Laughing with him as if my heart’s hands weren’t sifting through the litter, both desperately hoping to find and not to find an accidentally discarded winning ticket. Maybe he’d said those things to Antoine before we met. He’d been through a lot with Kasey, and it made sense that he’d be gun shy and worried about pleasing his mom.

Maybe we didn’t even have a chance.

Or maybe I was jumping to conclusions with very little information.

I excused myself from Abby and Antoine to get some water and center myself. Jason was a Level Two. I didn’t need the parental approval of a Level Two man. Level Two men were about friendship and fucking.

So why was my heart beating out of my chest?

The vibrator buzzed again, and I paused to let it pass, pretending to admire a hideous black and gold sculpture of—what in the fuck were these? They kind of looked like tall, spindly unfortunate souls from the animated version ofThe Little Mermaid.

Whatever. I was so wet and aching with need, how were my little lace panties even holding the vibrator in place? Maybe I just needed my Level Two boyfriend to fuck me in a dark corner, and everything would be okay. A server passed with a tray of champagne flutes. On a whim, I grabbed one and quickly sipped the whole thing down.

Whoof.Tingly. I shivered and dropped the glass on an empty tray. Let’s get this party started.

Jason

All I wanted was to go home, give my girlfriend the leg-numbing orgasms she deserved, and then curl up on the sofa and make more ribbon roses for her. But this party felt never-ending. At least Becca and Brad were finally about to open their gifts.

Rose walked by with her mom and sister near where I was helping Mom plate up an appetizer.

Ms. Dahlia looked between her daughters. “Did you both set your intentions for the full moon in Pisces?”

“When is it?” Lily asked, sipping her drink. “And remind me what this moon’s for?”

Rose’s easy laugh sounded a little off. “It was Thursday, Lils, but I always sneak ‘em in late anyway. What’s it gonna hurt?”

“Pisces is about being in touch with your feelings and intuition,” their mom said. “Do you have aquamarine and fluorite?”

As the three of them walked away, Mom leaned into me, rolling her eyes. “I’m so glad our family won’t have to see the Guidry girls much after the wedding. I’ve had my fill of their pagan nonsense.”

“Rose is still my renter, Ma.” Maybe I could soften her up on Rose to make the bomb I’d drop later less painful. “And different people are allowed to have different beliefs about God.”

She dramatically dropped both shoulders and hands. “Jason, honey, you need to be more careful, having that girl living on your property. Making that table with her, taking all those photos with her—she’s going to get the wrong idea, and so is everybody else.”

My heart sank. “I’d be flattered if anybody thought we were together. She’s beautiful. A fantastic person.” Mom’s face betrayed nothing. “And her family’s always been good to us. You used to feel differently about them. Remember? And you just greeted all three of them like they were family less than an hour ago.”

“I’m sorry I haven’t been around yet to see the damage to your property up close,” she said, completely ignoring me. “I drove by last week on my way to Charlene’s to try out a new hairstyle for the wedding. It’s just terrible. The damage, not the hairstyle. What part of the rectory did it fall into?”

“Right through Rose’s bedroom,” I said, completely forgetting I was supposed to be distancing myself from her.

Mom’s face went pale. “Where is she sleeping now?”

“Spare room behind the chapel.” The lie unwound from my tongue more naturally than I was comfortable with. This wasn’t me. I had to stop lying to her.

Mom nodded. “Good. Keep that distance, and don’t let her needle her way in. You’re such a sweet boy, and I’d hate for you to be taken in by a girl like that.”

I rolled my neck. “Jesus, Mom, don’t be like that. They’re good people, and you know it. Besides, aren’t you supposed to love thy neighbor?”

“Jason Colin Soniat, are you quoting Scripture to try and win an argument with me?”

I grinned at her. “Maybe. Come on, though. Can you please make an effort to stop being so ugly to them? I’ve gotten to know Rose really well. If you did, you’d love her.”Too, I wanted to add.

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