Page 145 of The Plan

No, I can’t believe he remembered I even wanted this specific dog. I walk over to let him back in. As soon as I open the door, I hug him again. “Have I ever told you how perfect you are?”

He hugs me back, and I feel like no one can touch a hair on my head with his arms around me like this.

“No, go ahead.”

I laugh and look up at him. “You”—I pause for suspense and get on my tippy toes—“have a few flaws you can work on.” I pull away, and he breaks into a laugh as he pulls me back into him.

“Well, I don’t thinkyouhave any flaws.”

I look up at him with a small smile. “I disagree. No one’s perfect.” I shrug my shoulders, and without intending to, my voice comes out a bit sad. When I look up at him, he gives me a soft look.

“Last week was a fresh start, Vid. No more blaming ourselves for things.” I nod once and hold my head higher, deciding to listen to him. He smiles at whatever look is on my face and plants a soft kiss on the corner of my mouth.

We end up taking Athena to the park, and by the time I’m back home, it’s dark out, and we’re all tired on the couch.

“I’m going to head home, okay?” Sire lets out a yawn, and I glance down at him. He’s lying on my stomach, but when heblinks away the tiredness from his eyes, I don’t want him to leave.

“Can’t you stay here?”

His eyes cut to mine, and a smile slowly grows on his face. I can’t help but smile at how happy he is that I asked, and before I can tease him about it, he leans forward for a kiss.

Chapter Thirty-One

Sire

Do you notice anything different?”Vid puts her hands on her hips, and I give her a once over, but she looks as good as always; nothing looks different. I scan her slower, and at the sight of something on her scrub top, I walk over for a closer look.

“Is that supposed to be me?” I lean over at the sticker on her top and burst into a laugh at the big head version of me. It’s like those cartoon drawings the twins and I got at Times Square.

“Yeah.” Vidia chuckles, and she rubs her finger over her sticker. “August ordered them from some site. He said you said they were stupid?”

“Because they are.” I laugh again when I look down at it. “It looks cute on you, though. You should always wear me around.” I smirk down at her, and she playfully pushes me out of her way as she walks for the door.

“I’m only wearing it today, so don’t get used to it.”

I shake my head at her with a smile and follow her out. We ride to my game in comfortable silence until Vid gets a phone call. It sounds like she just answered a Facetime call, but when I hear her mom's voice, I quickly steal a glance at Vid.

“Cion, Mami.” Her mom replies with something in Spanish, and a smile stretches across my face because her mom has the same beautiful accent as Vidia. They get lost in their own conversation, but I tap Vid’s lap because I feel rude for not saying hi.

She turns to me, and I whisper for her to let me greet her mom. We get to a red light, and she glances at her phone and says something in Spanish before turning the phone to me.

“Hi, Ms. Gomez.”

Vidia cringes, but I don’t know why. Her mom just watches me with a bored look for two whole seconds that feel like an eternity.

“Hola.”Fuck. I should’ve said hi in Spanish.I only smile in response, and I’m grateful at fuck when someone honks, pulling my attention away from her. Vidia turns the phone back to herself, and they start talking again.

I have absolutely no clue what they’re talking about besides when Vidia says,Mamiandpor favor, but it sounds like they’re arguing about something, although neither of them is yelling. Her mom actually sounds very calm, but her tone seems passive-aggressive.

When Vidia lets out a sigh and looks up to the ceiling of my car while mumbling something, I put my hand on her leg again. She rests her hand over mine, and after they exchange a few more words, she ends the call.

“You okay?” I steal a few glances at her as I drive, and she doesn’t look okay.

“She’s so stubborn.”

When I look back over at her, she’s looking out her window.

“Good to know you get that from her,” I tease, but my attempt at lightening her mood doesn’t work. She shakes her head, still turned away from me. “Hey…” She doesn’t look at me, so I hold her chin and turn her face to me.

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