Page 54 of All Yours

“Oh, nothing,” I stammered. “I misspoke.”

She shook her head. “No, you didn’t, but it’s okay. I didn’t know there were things you wouldn’t talk about with me. My mistake.”

I stared at her in disbelief. “Are you sure you don’t have any Jewish ancestry? Cause you got the guilt part down pat.”

“Catholics got guilt too.” She grinned.

“I’m glad you’re here with me,” I whispered. “Hope it’s all not too overwhelming.”

“So, you’re just gonna try to blow right past it, huh?”

“Well, I was hoping you’d let it go. My childhood here was great…”

“But?” she asked, shifting against me.

“I never said but.”

“I heard it.” She planted a kiss on my neck, sending a jolt of electricity through me.

“Sweetie, you already know it.” I sighed as her lips moved up my neck.

“What is that?” She murmured against me.

“I was the only half Jewish kid in school. My relatives are literally the only Jews in town and all girls after Jeremy’s family moved away in second grade. So, I had a tough time for a while.”

“That mattered to other kids?”

“Some.” I nodded. “I hid that part of me for the longest time. I’ll admit, it’s no getting shipped off to boarding school.”

“Don’t you dare downplay it,” she scolded, wiping her eyes.

“Oh, now don’t you go crying on me. It’s not that sad. I’m over it now.”

“But it still came up when you thought about your childhood.”

“True. But I know who I am now, and I’m okay with it.”

“And who is that?” she asked, grinning.

“A man who wants you in a bed that’s not in a house surrounded by people.”

Sloane snorted. “That just makes you a horny man. There’s nothing self-actualized about that.”

Chapter Nineteen

Sloane

I gathered up the dishes from the table, scraping the remnants of the delicious meal onto one plate. The chatter about the room had all morphed into a roar that bits and pieces of words fell out, but I couldn’t follow any one conversation. I’d survived the interrogation by the cousins. They’d all taken turns throughout dinner, peppering me with questions about everything from my past to my relationship with Jonah. I think I’d fared well. His cousins all looked very similar, and I struggled to keep them straight, except Franny. She’d remained silent throughout dinner and now assisted with clearing the table while giving me some serious stink eye. Only Jonah’s parents knew that our relationship was supposed to be for the camera and my reputation. As for the rest of the family, we were in an actual relationship. So, she didn’t like me. Or maybe it was the me on the television and in the gossip blogs that she didn’t care for. Not that I blamed her. I wouldn’t want my family member dating a train wreck of a human, either.

“Jonah says you’re a writer now,” Franny said, picking up a handful of silverware.

“I am,” I nodded, stacking the food filled plate on top of the empty ones.

“Anything I’ve heard of?”

“Who wants coffee?” Jonah’s mom called as she exited the living room, heading to the kitchen. “I’m making decaf.” A chorus of responses followed her. “Sloane, you don’t have to clean up,” she said when she spotted me with a stack of dirty plates.

“I don’t mind at all, Ms. Greenburg.” Following Franny, I pushed through the swinging door to the kitchen. “I write romance. Do you read romance?”

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