Page 19 of Grumpy Spring Sunshine
My jaw dropped.
I know it wasn’t right, but I just didn’t know what else to say or think. Or do.
“Don’t get me wrong, they were discreet, had to be in a place like this. But they were comfortable with that. Not too manypeople in the family know, but it left a horrible taste for me. Sure, I had aunts and uncles who were happy and together, but it wasn’t my normal.
“I vowed that relationships just weren’t going to happen for me. I didn’t want to find someone and have them ask me to have other partners. So, yeah, it left a pretty big chip on my shoulder.”
“Keith…that’s pretty huge. Okay, I guess that gives you a right to be dickish every now and then.”
He smiled again as he took a sip of his beer and I almost swooned. It was dangerous how sexy he was like this. Laid back, drinking, smiling, and not a complete asshole. Maybe I was wearing off on him a little?
Actually, I kind of hoped I was. Because even though neither of us did relationships, I was kind of wishing this might travel that way.
Chapter 11
Keith
“What are we doing?” she asked, four days later as her hand wrapped my arm as we drove the way back to my house. I had told her we were having dinner, but I never said where.
And somehow, I thought it was a good idea to take her to my family dinner.
Why?
I had no clue, but at the time that I suggested dinner, it seemed good. Now, the closer we drove to my house and the ruckus that was about to ensue, I’m not sure I wanted to subject her to all of this.
“Keith, this is the way to your house.”
“Yes, it is. Is there a problem?”
“Tell me you are not taking me to this famous Sunday dinner or something?”
“You get to officially meet the whole family. All the cousins that own the shop and like to cause trouble in my life. Last week’s dinner was priceless.”
I pulled up to the house but all she did was cling to my arm even tighter.
“Brittani, it will be okay. I’ll let Tim tell you about last week. Come on.”
I climbed out of the truck then walked around the front end, opening her door for her. She gave me her hand, and I walked to the front door.
She was shaking and so was I.
This seemed like a relationship thing, right?
And yet I wasn’t in it for that.
Okay, maybe. A little. Not a lot though, not at all. Because we didn’t do those. Though we never defined what we were.
I swung the door open, and stepped in, the other people stopping their conversations to stare at us. I took a breath, giving them an eye, walking into the kitchen.
“Stop with that bullshit. Brittani is my friend and I can invite her.”
“Well, yeah,” Kayla said, leaning against Tim, “but you made her mad, and now you’re walking in as friends? What did I miss?”
“I apologized,” I offered.
“Wait, I’m sorry, my cousin did what?” Kory asked and I glared at him. “Man, you don’t apologize. This isn’t like you. What can I say?”
“People do it all the time, why is it hard to believe I could?”
