Page 79 of Broken Secrets
“I like that he makes you happy. I like that he’s been supportive through all the family changes without trying to insert himself where he doesn’t belong. He seems mature for his age.”
“He is. Sometimes I forget we’re only eighteen.”
“The good ones make you feel like that. Like you’re both older and younger than you actually are.”
After the dishes are done, Derek and I sit on the front porch steps watching the sunset paint the sky in shades of orange and pink. The evening air is warm enough that we don’t need jackets,and the sound of waves carries up from the beach two blocks away.
“That went really well,” Derek says, bumping my shoulder with his. “Your parents are great.”
“They liked you too. Robert doesn’t usually engage that much with my friends, and Mom was practically glowing during dessert.”
“Good. I want them to know I’m serious about you, about us. That I’m not just some guy you’re casually dating.”
“Are we serious?”
Derek turns to look at me, his expression more intent than usual. “I’d like to be. I know we haven’t talked about labels or anything official, but this feels like more than casual dating to me.”
“It feels like more than casual dating to me too.”
“So we’re officially serious?”
“We’re officially serious.”
He leans over and kisses me, soft and sweet in the golden hour light. It’s not our first kiss, but it feels significant in a way that earlier kisses didn’t; like we’re marking a transition from figuring out what we are to knowing what we want to become.
“I should probably head home,” Derek says when we separate. “Early soccer practice tomorrow.”
“Drive carefully.”
“Always do.” He stands and pulls me up with him. “Thank you for tonight. For letting me be part of your family dinner, for wanting me to meet your parents properly.”
“Thank you for being someone worth introducing to them.”
As Derek drives away, I sit on the porch steps for a few more minutes, processing the evening. Something has shifted in our relationship—not dramatically, but definitively. We’re no longer just two people who enjoy spending time together. We’re two people building something intentional and lasting.
My phone buzzes with a text from Emma: “How was Derek’s dinner with the family?”
I’d forgotten I’d mentioned it to her during our daily check-in call. “Really good. Mom and Robert love him. We’re officially serious now.”
“Finally! I could tell from your video calls that you two were crazy about each other.”
“Was it that obvious?”
“You get this dopey smile when you talk about him. It’s very sweet and slightly nauseating.”
I laugh, typing back: “Thanks for the sisterly honesty.”
“That’s what sisters are for. Speaking of which, I have news.”
My phone rings immediately.
“What kind of news?” I answer.
“The good kind. I talked to Dad about the possibility of finishing senior year in California, and he thinks it’s a great idea. He’s already looking into the legal aspects of temporary custody arrangements.”
“Really? What changed?”
“Mom and I had another fight about college choices. She wants me to stay in Michigan for school, close to home, where she can ‘continue to be involved in my life decisions.’ I want to explore options in California, maybe go to school near you.”
