Page 70 of Too Hostile

“Hush,” Blair says as she cups my face in her small hands. “I just missed you.”

I laugh as she presses a quick kiss to my forehead. “I saw you last weekend,” I say and smile. “But I missed you too.”

“Hey, son,” Rhys says as he walks into the foyer. “Ronan.” He actually half-smiles at my boyfriend, and I’m taking that as a win.

Ronan greets him, and then Bree comes in to give us both hugs and complain that we aren’t eating yet. Max and Ian run past us in a blur toward the dining room, and we follow the chaos that’s my family, walking with our hands joined and sitting down next to each other at the table.

We eat the meal Blair had catered, and we laugh and talk about Bree’s experience in New York and how I’m transferring schools soon. Grayson and Rhett are talking about adding more to the lake house and how someday, they really want it to be their permanent home.

It’s all so very normal.

And then Ian tosses a roll at Max from across the table, and instead of Blair getting mad, this woman... she scoops up some mashed potatoes in her spoon and flings it across the table at Ian.

It hits him square in the cheek, and Rhys groans, but he’s happily amused. “Really? Can we not have one dinner that doesn’t end up on the floor?”

Blair then hits Rhys right in the face with potatoes, and then it’s on. Most of our holiday dinner winds up everywhere, but no one is mad. Everyone is laughing like crazy, having a blast and not taking life too seriously.

That’s what Blair taught us.

That love makes you stronger and that life isn’t that hard or serious, it’s what you make of it.

I hold up a roll that’s already been buttered and threaten Ronan with it, and he shakes his head at me. “Don’t you dare.”

“Why? What are you going to do to me if I do it?” I say, waggling my eyebrows.

He laughs and grabs my hips, shaking his head at me. “Don’t do it.”

“Will you still love me if I do?” I tease.

His face goes completely serious now, his intense eyes on mine. “I’ll always love you. No matter what.”

I lean in and kiss his lips softly, but then pull back. “Good.” I smash the roll onto the top of his head and run, but he catches up with me quickly, catching me, and smashes some potatoes on top of my head. We laugh and kiss as the chaos ensues in the dining room.

I never thought I’d be here. It seemed so dark and lonely when I was a kid. I never thought I’d have happiness like this or anything even close to it.

But because of Blair... Because of my family. And because of Ronan, I now know what being blissfully happy means.

It’s not easy. It’s not supposed to be. You have to fight for what you want in this life, and I’m happier than I’ve ever been.

I’m not that scared kid anymore, and my smile isn’t fake. I don’t have to try to convince the world I’m happy.

I just am.

The End

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