Page 24 of One Night to Fall
“It’s fine,” I tell him, because even though they’ve all prepared for the worst here, I can’t help but think Elora Sterling might just be my favorite person in the room.
17
JESSE
“Well, that didn’t go as planned,” Lake says, handing me a bottle of water as I stare at the guy I’m casually hooking up with laughing and talking with my mother as she shows him around the lodge.
“What is happening?” Reid asks, his eyebrows somewhere in his hairline.
“He’s fine,” Harlan says. “I mean, at my first family dinner, you had your hand on my dick under the table as your uncle was asking me all about how I was settling into Wintervale.”
Reid’s face flames as he gapes at his boyfriend. “What iswrongwith you?”
“Me? Nothing. I mean if we’re gonna get razzed all the time about cameras in the barn, I think we should be able to have some fun with it.”
“You’re going to put me in an early grave,” Reid laments as Harlan’s lips twitch at the corner before he pulls Reid into his arms and presses a lingering kiss to his forehead.
A pang of jealousy sweeps over me as I watch them. It’s not the first time I’ve seen a display of affection from them. Hell, Harlan can’t keep his hands off my cousin most of the timeanyway—simple gestures of comfort or acknowledgment that have never bothered me before.
So why now?
“All right, everyone, let’s take our seats,” my father booms as he emerges from the kitchen with a steaming tray of French toast.
My stomach grumbles as Adrian returns to my side. “Hungry again? I fed you this morning,” he teases, and this time it’s my face that’s going hot.
“Knock it off,” I whisper, my eyes widening as I meet his gaze, mischief dancing there as he follows me to the table.
“Your mother is very nice. I’m not sure what everyone was so worried about.”
I want to tell him that we’re living in an alternate universe because a day hasn’t gone by that my mother hasn’t asked about whether or not I’d foundthe one.
Except today apparently.
With plates piled high in front of us, my father stands at the head of the table and smiles. “Thank you all for coming. I know that it was short notice for a Saturday morning, but we received some very exciting news.” He pauses as he scans the room. “As you all know, we’ve been running the Wintervale Tree Farm for the last couple of decades, and late last night, I received confirmation that our offer has gone through.”
“You’re kidding,” Lake says, leaning closer as our father smiles.
“Paperwork will all be signed at the end of October, and we’ll announce it officially at the winter festival in December.”
Whoops and shouts of excitement go around the room as everyone gets up to exchange congratulations.
Finally.
Leaning over to Adrian, I whisper, “Our family has been running the tree farm for a long time. Dad has been trying to buy the land outright, but the town hasn’t budged.”
“Well, this is big then,” he says with a lifted brow, “and I feel really out of place now.”
“Oh no, Mom’s already adopted you. You’re stuck with us.”
“Jesse…”
My name on his lips is full of trepidation, but there’s no use in reading into it now—Adrian is here and we’re friends.
Just friends.
“Come on, food’s getting cold and I have no doubt that Reid’s spreadsheets are gonna come in handy after all.”
“I have no idea what that means.”
