Page 103 of Caught Looking

“Switch?” he mouthed.

I nodded. “I’m going to go refill my plate. If you’ll excuse me?” I didn’t wait for an answer. Seth and I crossed paths at the table.

His hand squeezed mine.

I went to the buffet and grabbed more food, then wandered into the middle of Mr. Butler’s conversation with Mrs. Butler. “Do you watch much soccer, Mr. and Mrs. Butler?”

“Please call me Cookie,” his mother asked again.

“And I’m George. We’re going to be family one day. We should act like it.”

My heart skipped a beat. “I’m sorry. I won’t make that mistake again.”

“To be honest,” George went on, “we don’t know much about the sport. So Seth had us watch a show calledTed Lasso.Then he had us watchWelcome to Wrexham. I think we’re starting to understand. Is the sport very different over here? Or is it similar?”

We spent the next twenty minutes going over the differences between American soccer and the sport everyone else called football. George listened carefully while Cookie asked a few very good questions.

“We’re looking forward to watching you play tonight. I started following your Instagram account. You have quite a hard schedule. I always thought Seth playing so many games was hard, but the amount of practice and training you put in for a single game is so stressful.”

I laughed. “It is very different. Seth hits the field almost every night while we get a single game to lay it all out there.”

“It’s more like American football,” George mused.

Seth’s life was so different from mine. But so close at the same time.

Like he knew I was thinking about him, he slipped his arm around my waist and dropped a kiss on my temple. “You three look good together, just saying.”

I glanced across the room, finding it empty. I wasn’t surprised. My parents were probably exhausted from all the talking and wanted to nap before heading to not one, but two loud stadiums for the rest of the day.

Still, it hurt that they didn’t say goodbye.

Seth squeezed my hip and gave me a brilliant smile. “I’ve got some interesting news.”

When his eyes sparkled like that it was always interesting…in a good way. “Oh?”

“Just got a text from Marcus Mayfield.” He glanced at his parents. “We’ve agreed on a price for the house.”

Cookie practically vibrated she was so excited. “It’s really happening?” Then she grabbed my hand.

Seth kissed my cheek. “It’s really happening. Annalise and I are about to be proud homeowners. That is, as long as you’re still okay with being stuck with me.”

“I’m pretty sure I’m stuck with you no matter what.”

“Babe.” He pulled me into his arms. “I love you.” The hope in his eyes was impossible to miss. “Buy a house with me. Buyourhouse with me.”

Cookie choked out a happy sob.

I threw my arms around Seth’s neck and kissed him because I could. “I love you too, Seth Butler. Let’s buy our little love shack and make it home.”

His eyes danced as he kissed me back.

“I can’t wait to pick out our room!” Cookie sobbed. “I’m making mac and cheese our first night to celebrate.”

Seth kissed me one more time then pulled me into his side. Cookie and George clutched each other a lot like we were, grinning at us like we’d just given them the best Christmas present in the world.

And as Seth made plans for their first visit the little bit of loneliness I never could quite chase away vanished. My parents would never bubble over with the enthusiasm I craved, but Seth and his parents would more than make up for it.

“You ready to grab our shit?” Seth grinned down at me.