Page 104 of The Pretender

“It took us a million years to get here.”

I shrug. “We like the solitude.” Especially since our new-found fandom. We might like to be on camera most days, but we certainly like our privacy.

My sister rolls her eyes but then kisses me on the cheek as she heads inside.

“Where’s Emmy?” I ask.

Calista nods to Vee’s father who has Emmy’s sleeping body over his shoulder while he grabs the bags his wife is trying to bring in.

“I got it,” I tell him, making my way over and taking the bags from him. He gives me a terse nod of approval.

“You are too sweet!”

I smile at Vee’s mom. If it weren’t for the height and the eyes, they could be twins. She gives me a squeeze. “And you wanted to kill him when he moved our little girl away from us,” she says to Tim, Vee’s dad.

I chuckle and let her go. I’m used to Milah’s ribbing and Vee’s father’s threatening stares. I’ve never done anything to piss him off. Except for the reason he’s here, but he gave me his blessing and that’s the only thing that matters to me. The fact is both of Vee’s parents have been good to me. Actually, Vee’s mom was an integral part of me rebuilding my relationship with my family. She referred me to this great therapist, where my parents join me on occasion, as I work through some of my issues. I don’t have to go very often anymore, but it’s still nice to know I have support when those demons try and worm their way back into my life.

Once all the family is out of their cars, Vee is a gracious host and gives everyone a tour, leaving me and my dad to put away enough groceries to feed a small country.

“I’m proud of you, Son,” he finally says when we get everything unloaded. I know he doesn’t mean he’s proud of me putting away the groceries.

He’s proud of what I’m doing tonight and why they are all here.

To celebrate.

* * *

“Come on,”I tell Vee. “I already have your iPad and blanket setup outside.”

She tugs on my hoodie and whispers, “What about our parents?”

I wave her off. “They’re all asleep. Don’t worry about it.” But I am worried about it. This isn’t exactly how I wanted things to go down. But alas, it’s out of my control. I’m just rolling with it.

Pulling Vee down the hall, we slip out the back door and I move one of the patio chairs in front of it, just in case someone decides to come out for a front row seat. We race through the evening air, holding in our laughter, until we get to the dock.

“Oh my gosh. I never thought I would be sneaking out of my own house at twenty-six,” she says through heaving bouts of laughter.

I take her hand and lead her to where we once laid and watched a scary movie on her phone. This time, it isn’t her Uncle Theo’s dock, but ours, and that makes this all the more special.

Vee gets to the blanket first and drops to her knees. “What are we watching? Did you decide?”

I’ve resorted to watching horror movies with her. They aren’t terrible and if I can cop a feel while she watches them… yeah, I definitely don’t mind the nightly movies.

“I thought we could watchThe Ring,” I tell her, watching as she shines her phone’s light over to the iPad and stops.

I can just barely make out the quick intake of breath. “Sebastian.”

I kneel on one knee. “Open it.”

She picks the black box off the iPad, setting her phone down so the light shines around her. She hesitates. “I promise nothing is going to jump out at you.”

She grins and then looks at me on one knee and starts crying. “Is this why our families are here?”

I nod. "They were supposed to come tomorrow and celebrate with a dinner. At least Aspen and the guys followed directions.”

“Oh, Sebastian,” she says, crawling over to me and taking my hand. “You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

This woman.

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