Page 17 of Only You

THIRTEEN

I have a date with Remy. Tomorrow night.

A real date.

I honestly didn’t think I’d ever be going out on a first date again, let alone with a man. But the man part I’ve found just isn’t a big deal to me. Not at all. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen how easily Kellan fell in love with Phillip and never questioned it.

Maybe it’s just that I’ve always felt some sort of connection to Remy.

I don’t really know. And I’m not really worried about that part. What I’m worried about is screwing this all up. Remy doesn’t date. Remy doesn’t kiss. And he’s agreed to a real date with me.

I meant what I said. I won’t kiss him or even try unless he gives me the go-ahead, but that hasn’t stopped me from imagining what it would feel like to press my mouth against his. Would he take control? Or would he let me have the control? Would it be a battle?

A shiver runs down my spine, thinking about all the possibilities.

And I try to get a grip before I knock on the front door of Kellan and Phillip’s house.

Phillip yanks the door open, and I already see Braylen buzzing around in the living room before darting down the hall.

I can tell he’s been a handful this evening, and it makes me chuckle when Phillip sighs, shaking his head.

“You don’t have to knock. You have a key. ”

“Yeah, yeah,” I say, waving him off and walking into the house. I don’t see the teenagers of the house, but I see Kieran sitting on the couch, reading on his Kindle. “Where’s everyone else?”

Phillip closes the door behind me, then follows me into the living room. “Raegan is hiding in her room. Kellan and Cason went to grab pizza for dinner.”

I feign shock, covering my heart with my hand and gasping exaggeratedly. “Take-out pizza for dinner?”

Phillip sits down on the couch, next to Kieran, sifting through a laundry basket on the floor, and I see I interrupted laundry time. He tosses a sock at me, and I catch it with a laugh. “We do pizza nights sometimes.”

Not often. Phillip is all about healthy, balanced meals. It’s the social worker in him.

He huffs and starts pairing socks together after I toss it back to him. “Fine. It’s been a long week, and I caved.”

I grin and take a seat in one of the chairs next to the couch, giving a nod to him. “Don’t feel too bad, social worker. We all fail sometimes.”

He chuckles at me. “Shut. Up.”

I laugh with my head tilted back, loving giving him shit.

“You’re in a good mood,” he observes.

“I’m always in a good mood,” I say, looking over at him and watching him methodically pair all the different kinds of socks. Why the hell do they make socks in so many different colors and patterns? Mine are white with gray soles, and it doesn’t take me nearly as long to match them.

But I notice the smaller socks have different patterns, some with solid soles, and some just with different colors on the heels. I don’t get it. But whatever floats their boat, I guess.

“What’s up?”

I decide to just tell him. It’s not a secret anyway. “I have a date. Tomorrow.”

His eyes light up with intrigue now. “Really? With who? Do we know her already?”

I smirk. “Not a her.”

His eyes go ever brighter. “No. Way.”

Kieran seems to perk up now, listening in. That kid is smart and always observing, but he doesn’t say anything. Phillip drops the laundry and scoots closer to the edge of the couch, fully enthralled. “So?—”

But then the door swings open, and Cason and Kellan come through it with pizza in hand, both laughing at something. Probably giving each other shit. Braylen hears the door and rushes in, screaming, “Pizzzza!”

Raegan ambles in, her phone in hand, and it’s chaos because that’s exactly what this life Phillip and Kellan have created is. And I know they wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Hey, man. Hungry?” Kellan asks, kicking the door closed behind him.

“Kellan.” Phillip stands up from the couch and reaches for the pizza, taking it from Kellan’s hands. “Tatum has a date.”

Now Kellan’s full attention is on me, as is most of the rest of the brood. Braylen is already opening one of the pizza boxes Cason placed on the table and is helping himself. “You do?”

“I do,” I say, striding into the kitchen with them all on my heels as I sit down next to Braylen and playfully take his plate, acting like I’m going to eat his food. He squeals, and I give it back to him. He huffs and then hands me my own plate.

No one else makes a move to get their own pizza though. They all stand around the table, watching me. “What?”

“What do you mean what ?” Cason says. “Spill. You’re totally going to bang my principal, aren’t you?”

“Bang?” Braylen says, his nose scrunched up.

“Cason, shove some pizza in your mouth,” Kellan says, handing him a plate.

“Is it Remy you’re going on a date with?” Phillip asks, taking a seat across from me.

My chest flutters with excitement, just hearing the question. I feel light and giddy in a way I’ve never experienced before. “It is.”

Raegan groans. Cason laughs and then fake gags. Kellan and Phillip are beaming. Kieran looks bored, and Braylen is just digging into his pizza.

“Congratulations,” Kellan says as he slaps me on the shoulder and then takes a seat next to his man.

“Thanks. It’s just a date,” I say, feeling a little uncomfortable now because nerves are settling in. I need this to go well, I realize.

Phillip seems to be zeroing in on me now, his eyes telling me he wants to dig deeper like the social worker he is, but he keeps quiet until after dinner. The kids all get ready for bed and go into their own rooms, leaving Phillip, Kellan, and me in the living room.

“So? Nervous?” Phillip starts out, and it annoys me just how good he is at reading people. This is why I don’t like social workers, damn it. They’re nosey as fuck.

I shrug. “I’ve been out on dates before.”

“This is with Remy though,” Kellan points out. “That’s a big deal.”

“I know it is,” I say a little defensively and then immediately soften my tone.

“Yeah, I’m nervous. I don’t know if I’ve ever gone out with someone I cared this much about.

” I push my hand through my hair and lean back into the couch.

“No. I know I haven’t.” My eyes go straight to them both. “I’m scared shitless.”

“He’s going out on a date with you. That means something. He’s attracted to you too,” Phillip says.

“Can’t imagine why, but I think Phillip’s right,” Kellan teases.

I flip him off but smile. “He doesn’t date.”

“But he agreed to a date with you,” Kellan says firmly, like it’s significant.

“What if he just feels pressured to do that. What if he just doesn’t want to lose our friendship.” My stomach twists with the fear of it all.

“There are a lot of what-ifs in life,” Phillip starts, “But something tells me Remy wouldn’t have agreed to this date if he didn’t want to go. I think it’s a start to something really great.”

“Me too,” Kellan says with a sincere smile.

“What if I fuck it up?”

“Oh, you will for sure,” Kellan says with a devilish grin, and Phillip playfully smacks his shoulder and shakes his head, his eyes going straight to me.

“No. You won’t. You know him well. Take him on a date. Take it slow and easy. Have fun with it.”

I smile at that, thinking about every moment I spend with Remy. “That won’t be difficult. Everything with him is fun.”

“Jesus Christ, you have it bad,” Kellan jokes and gets another angry glare from his boyfriend.

“Shut up,” we both say in unison.

But he’s right.

That’s for damn sure.

I do have it bad.

Really fucking bad.