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Chapter Thirteen

It’sSaturday and we have two more days here. We’re leaving on Monday morning. What the heck am I supposed to do? I have no problem being an ass when it’s just the two of us together, but I don’t want to come off as a jerk in her home and in front of her family. The thing is, biting my tongue has never been a skill I mastered. It’s going to be a very long weekend.

Once I get back into the house, I find everyone gathered in the kitchen and just about to sit down. I’m instructed to wash my hands by Serena and comply before taking my place at the table, the only free spot between River and her mom.

Long weekend indeed.

I really like her parents, Serena and David. They are the complete opposite of mine. They make me feel at ease and as if I belong. As if I have as much right to be in their home and eating their food as they do. It’s a welcoming feeling and a troubling one too. I’ve been adrift too long, without a real home or a place to belong to.

Up until this moment, I had no idea this was something I was missing. That I needed this. The thought scares me. It tugs deep into my chest. This unnamed thing that has always been there but I didn’t have a name for. But now I do—longing.

Longing for a life I’ve never had, longing for what I see around me at this table. I glance over at River. Maybe I can have it too.

When I look up, Serena’s eyes are on me and a small, sad smile graces her face. I can almost swear she knows what I’m thinking.

Logan’s voice gets my attention back to the conversation.

“You’ve been married for twenty-five years? That’s great! Not a lot of people make it that long.”

“True,” River says. “Most of our friends have divorced parents.”

Skye nods in agreement as takes a bite of her omelet.

“What’s your secret?” Logan asks Serena.

Serena grins. “Men are simple to please. You keep their bellies full and their balls empty and they’re happy.”

“Mom!” Both Skye and River protest while I choke on my orange juice and Logan’s face turns red.

David, their dad, jumps in.

“Agree one hundred percent. Already worked on the latter, now I’m working on the former,” he says, pointing to his almost empty plate.

Breakfast is interesting to say the least.