Page 107 of On My Side
I stand on my tiptoes and press my lips to his, heart pounding in my chest.I love you. My heart screams in rhythm with my heartbeat.I love you, I love you, I love you.
He turns us, pressing my ass against the keys and creating the worst sound I’ve ever heard in my life.
But I can’t find it in me to care, because he’s kissing me like he loves me, too.
“Ren, are you in… oh, shit.”
Ren and I spring apart like we’ve been electrocuted. “Hey, Dad,” Ren says sheepishly, hand going to his chain as we turn to face his wide-eyed father. “You remember Audrey? My…” He trails off and looks at me. “Girlfriend?”
“Right. Right.” Mr. Quinn is nodding vigorously, like he knew we were dating, which, to be fair, he probably deduced from our prior interaction. “Right. Right. Right. Audrey’s your girlfriend.”
Piper comes sliding into the room in her socks. She wasted no time in making herself at home, and I love her for it. “What thefuck? It took you like fifteen years to tell me you were together and you tellhimright away?” She glares at Mr. Quinn like he’s the bane of her existence. “I don’t evenknow who he is!”
“This is my dad,” Ren says. “Dad, this is Piper, Audrey’s daughter.”
Somehow, this seems to break Mr. Quinn out of his ongoing frantic nodding and he beams at Piper, who scowls at him, arms folded across her chest. “It’s nice to meet you,” he says, holding his hand out for Piper to shake. “I’m Sean.”
“I don’t care,” Piper says, making no move to shake his hand.
I give her a death glare, but am taken aback when Sean throws his head back and howls with laughter. Ren and I look at each other in confusion.
“I like you,” he says to Piper after quieting his laughter. “You’re funny. Have you met Nic? Nic hates people too. Nic!” he yells over his shoulder into the house. “Come here.”
A short woman, around Piper’s height, with Ren’s complexion and a curly pixie cut comes into the room, a scowl etched on her face. “I wasbusy, Dad.” she complains, crossing her arms across her chest so her posture mirrors Piper’s. “What?”
“This is Piper. She’s scary like you.”
“You’re short for a full-grown adult,” Piper says to Nic.
“Fuck you,” Nic responds, and Piper grins at her.
“I like you,” Piper says decidedly. “I’m Piper and my mom is fucking Ren.”
“No… that isnothow we’re introducing ourselves now, birdie,” I stammer.
Piper ignores me, setting her eyes on the woman. “Who are you?” she asks.
“I’m Nic. The guy who’s fucking your mom is my annoying little brother,” Nic responds flatly.
“Can we not reduce Audrey and I to our sex lives? Is that a possibility?” Ren asks, raising his hand.
“No,” Nic and Piper say simultaneously.
Nic eyes Piper. “Goddammit,” she sighs. “I think I like you too, kid. This sucks.”
Nic and Piper wander off, yammering about how annoying it is that they like each other which… okay. That leaves Ren, me, and Mr. Quinn lingering in the parlor.
“Do you want something to drink?” Ren asks, turning to me before his dad can say anything. “Wine, beer…”
“A white wine would be great,” I say.
“On it,” Mr. Quinn says with a salute. He zooms further into the house toward the kitchen.
Ren takes my hand and leads me into the family room, where a pink-haired woman sits with her legs tucked under her next to a redheaded woman with some of the most intricate tattoos I’ve ever seen covering her arms. They immediately stop talking when we enter the room. “Hey, Mills,” Ren says, and the redhead waves back without looking at him. “This is my girlfriend, Audrey. Audrey, this is Millie and her best friend, Poppy.”
“Hi,” I wave awkwardly. “You probably don’t remember me, but…”
“Of course I do. You’re the reason I didn’t sleep for a week, and why I tattooed Ghostface on my arm when I was eighteen,”Millie points at me in a way that feels slightly threatening. “Thanks for that.”
