Page 124 of Run
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The living room is a mess of wrapping paper and tissue paper, gift bags and packaging as we all give thanks and enjoy the gifts we’ve swapped.
“Oh, crap. Is that the time?” Sophie asks. “I have to get changed.” She gets onto her hands and knees and pushes herself up off the floor. “Gino is picking me up in a few minutes and I don’t want to be in pajamas when he gets here.”
She runs off down the hallway into the Millers’ spare room, and only minutes later we hear her hurried footsteps booming back toward us. “He should be here any second, he just texted.”
I turn and see Sophie has changed into a red velvet dress that stops at about the knee and wraps around her body, bunching at the hip and accentuating her chest. “Damn, Soph!” I say as Ari and I stand up. “You trying to give Gino a heart attack?”
She blushes. “This old thing?”
“Really, Sophie, you look amazing!” Ari beams from beside me as she heads toward the kitchen and her friend approaches the coat closet. “Have fun tonight! Tell Gino I said ‘Hi.’”
“OMG, save me some of the trifle!” Sophie yells after her.
“If there’s any left,” Larry quips as he passes Ari and enters the living room. He walks right up to Sophie and takes the coat out of her hands, holding it open for her to sink her arms into.
There’s a knock at the door and Sophie turns to go down the stairs, but Larry stops her. “You know what, Sophie, why don’t you go grab a bottle of wine from the kitchen to bring with you, wherever you go?” He starts descending the stairs toward the front door.
“Uh, OK. But I can let him in first.”
“No, no. It’ll just take a minute,” Larry interrupts her as he approaches the door. “Go on. Ask Meg which you should bring. I’ll let him in.”
“Okayyyy.” Sophie makes her way into the kitchen.
Larry looks at me and smirks. I know exactly what he’s up to. “You want in on this?”
“Hell yeah.” I cross my arms over my chest as I approach the door, as well. I stand, legs wide, in my best intimidation stance.
Larry opens the door. “Gino! Merry Christmas!” he greets the gentleman caller warmly.
“Good to see you again.” Gino extends his hand, and they shake as Larry pulls him inside. While Larry shuts the door behind him, Gino turns and sees me. “Merry Christmas, Ethan.”
Since I don’t unfold my arms, he just slaps me on the back, and the three of us stand on the landing where it’s close quarters. Gino looks between the two of us, then glances up the stairs. “Is, uh, is Soph inside, or …”
“What are your intentions with Sophie?” I blurt out.
Larry smacks his forehead, and I hear Sophie’s screech in the kitchen, followed by, “You’ve got to be kidding me!”
“Uhhhh … What?” Gino stammers, still looking between the two of us.
Larry turns to me. “You’ve got to ease into it! You can’t just blurt it out.”
I shrug, “Sorry, man. First time.” Then I crack my neck and give Gino the stare down.
“Kill me now!” I hear Sophie again, followed by Ari’s giggle.
CHAPTER 40
ETHAN
Just like the other two times I’ve taken Ari to visit my mom, she’s quiet on the drive over. I hate when she reverts back to the shy girl she was growing up. It makes me think she’s retracting back into her shell where it’s safe.
And she should know by now she’s safe with me.
I give Ari’s thigh a squeeze as we pull onto my mom’s street. “You know she loves you, right?”
Ari looks up at me, eyebrows raised. “Does she, though?”
