Page 94 of Forever Yours

“I trust you, but will you let me know if that changes or if he does anything that makes you uncomfortable?”

I appreciated that Julien wasn’t demanding that I stay away from David. He and Ash were becoming good friends. Friendships I hoped would continue through college.

“I promise.”

My arms slid from his hips and circled to his back. We held each other close and existed in the quietude of the moment.

Turning me around with his arms banded across my chest, he hobbled us back to the table to finish dinner. There was no more talk about David.

“Brad’s assistant called.”

“Your mom’s fiancé, Brad?”

“About RSVPing for the wedding, which I hadn’t done yet.”

He sipped his water, which reminded me that my soda was still on the counter.

“She couldn’t bother to visit you in the hospital. She hasn’t even tried to talk to you or call to see how you’re doing. Your egg donor is fucking unbelievable. I hope you told Brad’s assistant where to stick it.”

“Eh,” I hedged. “I told Dad I wanted to go.”

Julien plunked his fork down on the table. “Why?”

Because I was a masochist. Because I wanted my mother to love me. Because I kept hoping that one day she would.

“Would you like to be my plus one?”

He sat back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest.

“When is it?”

Lightning flashed in the distance through the glass of the sliding door that led out onto the balcony.

I racked my brain to recall the date Mom had said.

“October fourth.”

His face fell. “That’s the first Saturday of our fall break. We have an out-of-town game against UV in Virginia that Friday.”

That sucked.

“I can ask Jessi.”

She had mentioned, a bit too maniacally, that she’d wanted to go with me just to mess with Mom. I was a little afraid of, and maybe a lot intrigued by, what she’d do while there. She hated Mom.

Julien cut me a look. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t come. Let me figure out some things. I want to be there for you.”

Another flash of lightning, but this time, it was followed by thunder that rattled the windows. Julien stood up, a grin curving his lips, and pulled me out of my chair.

“What are you doing?” I asked as he led me outside onto the balcony.

The gust front hit right as he slid the door open, whipping my hair all around.

“I’m going to dance with my boyfriend in a thunderstorm.”

He remembered the story I told him about summer camp. Could this man be any more perfect?

“Then I’m going to break a few state laws and fuck him out on the balcony in a thunderstorm.”

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