Page 114 of Tempting Me

It’s not until I’m closing the door that it occurs to me that maybe I should have knocked. This is Ruby’s house now. Walking into your sister's house is not the same as walking into your parents’ place.

As if she knew I was talking about her, Ruby walks out from the kitchen.

The smile she wears as soon as she sees me and Shay is one I haven’t seen in a really long time.

“You came,” my sister says as she rushes to hug Shay. “I was hoping you would.”

“It was getting hard to tell Luca no. He’s asked me every week for a few of them now.”

“I know. He would complain each Sunday that you didn't come.”

Shay turns to me, her brows shooting up to her hairline.

“You’ve been talking about me to your family this whole time?”

I hold my hands up in surrender.

“They figured it out on their own, and once I knew they all knew, I swore them to secrecy.”

“He really did,” Ruby says. “Come on. Everyone is out back.”

We follow her through the kitchen. It’s a warm summer morning, so breakfast outside is refreshing.

Two kids whiz by as soon as we open the door.

“Max, Susie, go wash your hands,” Ruby says. “It’s almost time to eat.”

“And don’t say you don't need to. I saw you both digging for worms in the garden,” Declan adds.

Ruby lets out a huff and walks back into the kitchen.

“I didn’t know you were coming,” I say to Declan and shake his hand.

“Yeah, neither did Ruby,” he says, then looks at Hudson.

“What?” my oldest brother asks. “I truly didn’t think she would care. Max and Susie are becoming little best friends. It made sense in my mind. I didn't know she couldn't stand him. Like really,reallycan’t stand him.”

“I told you that the other day,” Declan adds.

“I thought you were being dramatic.”

Declan stares at Hudson as if he has no idea how to reply to that. I get the sense that Declan isn’t a dramatic man.

“Well, we are happy to have you,” I say and take a seat at the table with Sadie and my dad, pulling out the chair next to me for Shay.

“Shay, hun, it’s so good to see you again,” my dad says. “I’ve missed having the Parker family around.”

Guilt hits me instantly, and I know without looking at Shay that it’s going to hit her, too.

I reach for her hand and hold it tight.

“I’ve missed you, too, Mr. Asher,” Shay says at the same time.

“Does this mean that when your folks are back, we can all get together like the old days?”

Shay and I share a look.

A conversation I've been avoiding for years is finally here.

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