Page 88 of Famous Last Words
I spear my mother with a mock look of betrayal, but she just keeps laughing and laughing, and I can’t help but laugh too because seeing her like this, so happy and carefree…it’s been a long time.
Fran stifles a yawn, and I squeeze her thigh, leaning in. “Seriously. Head on up to bed. I’ll help Ma get settled and then I’ll be up.”
When her glazed eyes meet mine, there’s something there, and I don’t know exactly what it is, but I feel it straight in my chest, right where my heart is.
“What?” I lower my voice, quirking a curious brow.
She leans in, her breath warm as it fans against my neck. “This whole nurturing side of you is really fucking sexy…” Pulling back just enough, her eyes dance across my face, down to my lips where it looks as if she’s about to kiss me. And there goes my dick.
“Bed.” I lower my voice, staring deep into her eyes. “Now.”
“Okay, bossy.” She smiles coyly, and I hold her hand, helping her up and standing with her to put myself between her and the fire.
“Goodnight, V,” Fran says, stopping by my mother and leaning down to wrap her arms around her. She whispers something in Ma’s ear—something I’m not privy to—and I notice the way it makes my mom’s features soften, her smile wavering as another emotion seems to come over her.
“Goodnight, baby,” Ma says, kissing Fran’s cheek.
“Alright, I’m outtie five-thousand!” Fran shouts, holding her phone in the air as “Any Way You Want It”starts playing from the device, causing her to dance up the steps, shaking her ass at the landing before disappearing inside the house.
Standing there, hands on my hips, all I can do is shake my head and laugh because who knew Fran Keller stoned could be so fun?
“You’re in love with her.”
Startled, I glance down at Ma to see her watching me with that knowing look in her eyes. The look she’s used on me since I was old enough to lie to her, thinking I’d get awaywith it without realizing that moms really do know best.
Looking at the glass door Fran just disappeared through, I swallow the lump that tries to wedge itself at the back of my throat, confused because the sheer mention of being in love doesn’t immediately make my balls shrivel up and retract inside my body like they usually do at the first hint of the L word. And I don’t know what to think about that.
“You’re a different man around her,” Ma continues. I meet her glistening eyes, and she smiles. “The man I always knew you’d grow up to be. It makes my heart full.”
I swallow another lump. Only this one is a lot harder to get down. Because I hate lying to my mom, but fuck I love seeing her happy.
Not even ten minutes later, I’m walking into my bedroom to find Fran sprawled across the bed, still fully dressed, snoring her little heart out.
Pulling on the back of my neck, I hesitate in the doorway, smiling to myself before continuing in. Crouching down, I slip off her Vans, and then I make my way up, crawling over her and unfastening the button on her jeans. She snorts, mutters something, but doesn’t wake as I tug them down her thighs.
Standing back, I stare down at her, and I know it’s all sorts of creepy because she’s literally passed out, but fuck she looks hot. But it’s not just that. She doesn’tjustlook hot. The sight of her there in front of me, at her most vulnerable, does something to me. Something I’ve never felt before. I don’t know if I love it or hate it, but as I look down at her sleeping blissfully, it’s almost as if I can’t bear the thought of her not being here with me. Like, if whatever this is between us comes to an end tomorrow, I don’t know if I could cope without having her around me.
I drag a hand down my face and turn, heading for the bathroom, but just as I’m through the door, I hear the soft, sleep-filled whisper of Fran’s voice. And I’m stopped. Dead in my tracks.
“Why did you lie to Andy about me falling asleep in your hotel room?”
Frozen in place, eyes wide, heart in my throat, panic consumes me.
Did she just say what I think she said?
Fuck. Me.
CHAPTER 35
ROBBIE
Well, driving to New York from Boston on less than two hours of sleep wasn’t what I’d originally planned, but here we are.
Like a pussy, I pretended I didn’t hear Fran’s question last night. Instead, I went into the bathroom, locked myself inside, and freaked the fuck out.
Fucking Andy. I swear to God. When the fuck did he tell Fran that? And why?
Yes, I lied when I shouldn’t have, but what the fuck did he go and tell her for?
