Page 88 of The Senator: Raphael

But in all honesty, I don’t know what to do.

“Am I going crazy, or is Dad feeding the birds?” I ask my mom while I watch my father in the garden throwing seeds at a bunch of Scrub Jay.

It’s been ten days since Raphael surprised me with their arrival. I cried, went into shock, and cried some more before I believed they’re real, physically in this house. I made peace a long time ago with the fact that I wouldn’t ever see them again. Watching them walk through that door was more overwhelming than anything I’ve experienced in my entire life.

“Yourfiancébought a huge bag of seed yesterday because Dad was going nuts,” my sister answers, walking into the room.

“Your father isn’t used to staying inside all day. He wants to go hiking and fishing,” my mom explains as she chops some vegetables.

My heart squeezes in my chest. There are so many things that I don’t know anymore about my family. My sister, for example. I left her when she was a scrawny fourteen-year-old and now she’s a twenty-two-year-old woman who just graduated from the University of Washington. She’s smart and funny, and she’s done a lot of things I know nothing about. Like, she was a cheerleader in high school and chose to major in Computer Science and Engineering. She likes to hike with Dad but also cook with Mom.

Three entire lives I’ve missed, and nobody will ever give them back.

“I’m sorry to drag you into this mess. Again,” I murmur, and my mom looks up and smiles.

“Sweetheart, you didn’t drag us into anything. We supported you eight years ago; we’ll support you now. You didn’t ruin our lives. We were well aware about what we were going to face, and we decided to do it without any regrets.” She tries to reassure me, but I still feel the guilt in my chest.

“And now you’re engaged to a hot, rich senator. I mean, that alone erases anything you’ve done or will do in your life,” my sister chimes in and my mother chuckles, shaking her head.

“So, I just became the hall pass?” Raphael asks, entering the room.

I turn around and watch him stroll toward me in sweatpants and a t-shirt, barefoot and sexy as sin. I didn’t realize how much sexiness he exudes until I’ve spent time in this house with him and my family. I live in constant fear that my parents will see on my face all the filthy things he does to me.

He grabs my chin, tips my head up, and kisses me. It’s just a peck on the lips, but it’s enough to make me hot. “Hello, gorgeous,” he whispers.

“Oh, come on! You can’t be all mushy in front of a single woman. Not fair!” my sister whines and we all laugh at her expenses.

“You’ll find someone too, I promise,” I reassure her.

She turns toward Raphael and puts on a sweet smile. “Do you have a friend you can introduce me to?”

Raphael pretends to think about it. “Nope, they’re way too old for you.” He gives her a meaningful look and my mom nods in approval.

“Oh, come on. How old can they be?”

“Like thirty-five?” I point out.

“You’ve met them? Who are they?”

“I don’t know. Harrison Bates?” I play dumb and enjoy her reaction.

Her mouth hangs open, eyes wide, as disbelief covers her entire face. “Are you freaking kidding me?TheHarrison Bates? The hottest man in Hollywood?”

“Hey! Five minutes ago, I was the hot guy here!” Raphael jokes.

“You’re taken, you don’t count,” she fires back.

“He’s still way too old for you,” my mom points out.

My sister crosses her arms over her chest and pouts. “You’re not making my life easy. We’re stuck here; you could at least call some of your friends.”

Raphael raises an eyebrow. “Who do you think I am? Tinder?” He laughs.

“Okay, enough!” my mom interrupts. “You’re still my daughters. I don’t want to hear about hookups or Tinder or friends with benefits. I’m openminded but notthatopen. I don’t want to hear about your shenanigans.”

“Yes ma’am,” Raphael stiffens next to me. I turn to find him blushing a bit.

Is he afraid of my mother? He looks almost…cute. I thought I’d seen every facet of him, but I guess you never stop finding new ones.

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