Page 37 of I Think They Love You

“Uncle Orlando teaching Nic a new old-school dance,” Denz says.

“She didn’t know what the Electric Slide was!”

Denz takes another bite. “Mikah showing Dad his cartwheels.”

“Auntie Eva hating what I was wearing,” Kami says. “It was a Comme des Garçons sweater.”

Denz shrugs, amused by her irate expression. “And I bet Auntie C.C. wanted updates on everyone’s love life…” He trails off, not meeting Kami’s pointed gaze.

“Braylon?”

He stuffs the rest of the cupcake in his mouth. Fuck, he didn’t mean to go there. The family group chat has been nonstop since Saturday morning.Thanks, Mom. He’s surprised it’s taken Kami this long to bring it up.

“When? How?” she asks him. “Wasn’t he in London?”

Denz swallows. “Yes. But we ran into each other. At a bar.” Almost the truth. Thereisa bar at the coffee shop. Not the kind that serves alcohol, but… semantics. “Months ago.”

“Months?” She searches his face for something, a crack in his armor. Denz clenches his ass cheeks so hard he feels it in his nostrils. “You haven’t mentioned him. Or brought him around at all.”

“Youhaven’t mentioned or brought Suraj around.”

“Fair point.”

“You know how our family is,” Denz says, leaning back in his chair. “Especially abouthim.”

Kami nods. “You wanted time to enjoy it. For yourself.”

“Y-yeah.”

He hates the lying. Hates that tender piece on the inside of his heart that knows why Braylon was the worst option to begin with. Their history’s too complicated. Too tangled between the Denz he was and the one he is now. It’s the very reason he avoids relationships.

“Look at us.” Kami smiles at him. “Two Carters with secret romances.”

“Do you think Nic has one too?”

“Ha! Does the one she has with her phone count?”

“Bet the aunties and uncles have a side group chat just to talk about us.”

“Wouldn’t be surprised at all,” Kami says before finishing her cupcake.

“It’s not…” Denz pauses. “Weird, right? Me and Braylon?”

Deep down, Kami’s nothing like him when it comes to romance. She doesn’t wear her heart on her sleeve. He never caught her crying over Matthew. She probably did, but her focus and drive and one-relationship-doesn’t-define-me badassery outshined any tears.

She smirks. “What isn’t weird about our lives?”

He laughs hoarsely.

“Are you happy?” she asks.

God, Denz wants so bad to tell Kami he fell headfirst into this mess because he wantedherto believe he wasn’t who everyone says he is. Because he wants to believe it too. Instead, he says, “Braylon’s great.”

“Good.” She stands after checking her phone. “Sorry. Fourth video call this week with Emily Sedwick in five minutes.”

“But it’s only Wednesday.”

“She’s the youngest princess of a multimillion-dollar family who wants doves released during her entrance at an engagement party. Not wedding.Engagement party. She doesn’t care about my time.”

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