Page 47 of The Girlfriend Goal
"What? It's true. But we're not talking about your sexual frustration right now. We're talking about Thanksgiving."
"I'm fine staying here."
"Absolutely not. You're coming to Boston. No arguments. Mom's already planning the menu. She does this thing with cranberry sauce that'll change your life." He sat up, suddenly serious. "Look, I know my family can be a lot. But they're good people, and they love you."
"It's not that."
"And yes, Matt's coming, but I promise to keep the sexual tension to manageable levels."
"But you said there's no sexual tension."
"Please. We could power the eastern seaboard with our sexual tension." He paused. "But again, not the point. The point is you're not spending Thanksgiving alone eating dining hall turkey that tastes like sadness."
I was formulating another excuse when my phone rang. Lance's name on the screen made my heart do a stupid skip.
"Don't answer that," Jared commanded.
I answered anyway. "What?"
"Hello to you too." His voice was warm, amused. "Quick question. What are your Thanksgiving plans? I have a proposition."
"I'm hanging up."
"Wait! Hear me out. I'm going home to California. Malibu specifically. And I need a buffer, between me and my father. And his new wife who's five years older than me."
"That's disturbing."
"That's Thanksgiving with the Fletchers." His voice lost some humor. "Look, I know it's weird to ask, but I genuinely need someone there who won't let me commit patricide. In exchange, you get a free trip to California and all the beach time you want. Before you say no, consider. It's seventy degrees in Malibu right now."
I looked out my window at the grey November sleet. Damn him.
"Plus," he continued, "you'd be doing me a massive favor. My dad's less likely to be a complete ass with witnesses. Matt and Jared are coming too."
I blinked. "What?"
Jared looked just as surprised as me.
"Yeah, apparently Jared invited him to Boston, Matt counter-invited to California. Matt just agreed to Malibu, but Jared doesn’t know it yet. So now, they're both coming to Malibu with me." He paused. "It'll be like a dysfunctional family sitcom. You love those."
"I do not."
I could hear his grin. "Come on, Fox. When's the next time you'll get a free trip to California? Consider it research for your sports management career. Networking with my dad's Hollywood connections."
Jared was making frantic gestures, mouthing "say yes" while doing some kind of excited dance.
"I don't know."
"Did I mention the beach? And the seventy-degree weather? And that my dad's house has an infinity pool?"
"Material bribes don't work on me."
"What about the fact that I really do need you there?" His voice went quiet, vulnerable. "I haven't been home in years. Last time didn't go well. Having you there would make it bearable."
Damn him and his sincerity.
"This isn't a date thing," I said firmly. "And separate rooms."
"Obviously. My dad's house has like twelve bedrooms. We could each have our own wing."
