Page 108 of More For Me

“You don’t have to do that.” Everly’s family gets together for lunch most Sundays and she rarely misses it. “You can go to lunch.”

She throws me a sharp look. “Ican go to lunch? What about you?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. I guess I thought you’d want to go without me?”

She narrows her eyes. “You always come with me.”

“I know, but—”

“You spent all morning telling me how things weren’t going to change between us.” She crosses her arms. “What, are you embarrassed to be around my family now?”

“I didn’t say that.” I cross the room and take her in my arms. “I just didn’t know if you were ready for all that.”

She’s still scowling. “Just because you figured out how you felt earlier than me doesn’t mean I’m not on board now.”

“I know that.”

“Do you? Because it sounds to me like you think I’m the type of person who would be embarrassed to have my boyfriend around my family.”

“Boyfriend, huh?”

She glares at me. “Stop smiling like that, I’m annoyed with you.”

“You just called me your boyfriend, love. You can be annoyed all you want, I’m still smiling.” I kiss her forehead. “I don’t think you’re the type of person who would hide someone you care about from your family. I just wasn’t sure if you wanted more time to get used to things.”

She makes a disgruntled noise against my chest. “Like everyone doesn’t already know anyhow. I’m sure the entire family was made aware of our little couch make-out session two seconds after Fox walked in on us.”

“Good point.” I pull back to look down at her. “So. Family lunch at your parents’ place?”

She straightens her shoulders like she’s preparing herself for battle. “Family lunch at my parents’ place.”

* * *

For all ofmy bluster about not being embarrassed, I can’t help but feel nervous when we pull up in front of Reed and Paige Ransome’s sprawling Pacific Palisades mansion an hour later. The circle drive is full of cars, a few more lining the street, which means everyone is here already.

These people are your friends, I remind myself as I go around to open Everly’s door. If nothing else, Paige will be thrilled to see me. And maybe Everly’s dad just won’t notice that we’re holding hands?

“Did he get taller?” I mutter to her once we step into the backyard. Her dad is manning the grill over on the patio, something about the way he’s brandishing the spatula strangely intimidating. “Have his biceps always been that big?”

She gives me a devilish smile. “His height and muscles don’t really matter. What you should be concerned about is the shotgun collection.”

“What?” I yelp, and she laughs.

“Such a sucker.”

“You’re mean,” I hiss as she leads me further into the backyard. “Very, very mean.”

She tosses me a grin over her shoulder. “Not what you said last night. Or this morning.”

Damn it, nowthat’swhat I’m thinking about. As her mother approaches. Awesome.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Paige says, brushing right past her daughter to pull me into a hug. I smirk at Everly over her mom’s shoulder. “We missed having you here last week.”

“Sorry about that,” I tell her.

She pulls away to study my face. Finally, she smiles and pats my cheek before turning to her daughter. She says something in Everly’s ear as they hug. When they break apart, Paige is beaming.

“Come and sit down,” she says. “Bodhi, what can I get you to drink?”