Page 81 of Glad You Exist

I feel it in the way she cups my hands over her face, moving my hands to her hips as she hugs me close. In the way she’s squeezing me like she never wants me to let her go.

Fat chance of that.

I feel her sigh into my chest, her shoulders relaxing.

I kiss her hair and reluctantly pull her back. I am still very much aware of the fact that my mom is stewing downstairs, and I don’t want to risk pissing her off now that she’s calmed down. I value my freedom too much to be grounded right now.

“I’m not going to push for more than you’re ready for, okay El? Right now, just take the time to figure things out. Hopefully you can start to see me not just as your friend but as a guy who is hopelessly in love with you.”

She sucks in a breath and opens her mouth to speak. I shake my head at her.

“Take your time, El. I’m not going anywhere.”

I jerk my head towards the door. “Dinner?”

Liz nods, slipping out of my grasp but she holds her hand out for me to take. I don’t even bother to hide the goofy grin that spreads on my face as I let her lead me downstairs.

Mom is going to have a hard time staying mad at me now.

* * *

Just as expected,Mom is practically over the moon when we walk into the dining room hand-in-hand, but she doesn’t press for details.

I don’t say much or contribute to the dinner conversation between Mom and Liz, mostly because I still fear my mom’s wrath. It was a really shitty thing for me to not tell her about what happened. Liz is like a daughter to her. The daughter of her best friend who just died. The sense of responsibility she feels must be overwhelming at best.

Mom has yet to bring up the Hunter thing, but I know my mom—she’s biding her time. Makes me wish Dad was here to back me up. He had to fly to the San Francisco office last night to prepare for the launch of his new streaming app.

During a lull in their conversation after they talk about Aunt Cat’s final novel that will be releasing postmortem, I realize what’s coming up next week.

“When’s Dad coming home?”

Mom looks up as she pushes her plate away from her.

“Wednesday next week, honey. He’ll be back for Thanksgiving—”

Beside me, Liz takes a sip of water smiling at me from over the rim when her eyes meet mine. I momentarily get distracted and don’t hear the rest of what Mom says to me.

“Well?” Mom barks out a short laugh and claps her hands together.

Liz and I both turn to look at her like we have just been caught doing something we weren’t supposed to be doing.

Mom gives us an indulgent smile before resting her elbows on the table. She props her chin in her hands and raises her eyebrows at me, silently waiting.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair.

“Mom. It was my fault. I never—”

Mom drags a long pull of breath, holding a hand up to cut me off.

“It happened in my house, right?”

I nod.

“At my son’s birthday party, yes?”

Fuck.Another nod.

“To Liz. My best friend’s daughter whom I consider my own, correct?”

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