Page 142 of Right Number, Wrong Man
If somebody walked through the place with a UV flashlight, they’d call a biohazard team to torch everything.
Three days of sex, movies, food, cuddles, deep talks, and sleep. And walkies with Gracie while we hold hands.
Sometime in between, I send Andrea a text. I tell her that Colt and I made up, but she orders me to enjoy my hot new boyfriend instead of texting her. We agree to catch up properly after her honeymoon.
Colt calls Cody to tell him the news, too, and I hear his enthusiastic congratulations halfway across the room in the kitchen. According to Colt, Cody plans to retire next year and might become our new neighbor.
Now there’s only one part left. The most awkward.
Telling our parents.
The video call connects and my momappears on my laptop screen. She’s got a deeper tan than the last time we spoke, her sunshine grin competing with the bright colors of her tie-dye dress.
“Hi, honey! You look lovely today. So radiant! How was Andrea’s wedding?” she asks, leaning forward on the sofa.
I smile, my stomach fluttering with nerves. “It was great. Everybody had an awesome time.” I clear my throat. “Is Dad with you like I asked?”
“Tommy! Hailey is on the video chat thingy!” she shouts past the screen before she looks into the camera again. “He’ll be here in a minute. Are you alright? Your text said you had something important to tell us.”
“It’s nothing bad, but I’d like to wait until Dad can hear me, too.”
“Gosh, Lee,” Dad’s baritone voice drifts from somewhere out of sight. “You’re making this old man worry.”
A baby blue shirt with short sleeves and a neon yellow pineapple print occupies the screen before Dad sits down next to Mom. He hands her an orange cocktail with a paper umbrella in it and keeps another for himself.
Despite my anxiety, I giggle. They’re really living the high life.
“We’re ready for your important news,” Dad says, one hand on Mom’s thigh while he sips his cocktail.
“Actually, the Walkers are here with me, too. I’m sitting in their dining room right now,” I say.
Sara Jean and Earl step into the frame behind me and Colt sits on the chair next to mine, scooching closer.
“Hey y’all!” Sara Jean says, waving.
“What a surprise!” Mom says and her smile brightens even more. “Hi! It’s been too long!”
Sara Jean laughs. “When are y’all coming to visit usagain? I miss our coffee talks, Linda. And I know Earl would love to play a few rounds of golf with Tommy.”
“Or we could chase the sun and head down to Florida for Christmas,” Earl says quietly to not wake Gracie, who sleeps in his arms.
He grabbed her the second we arrived and hasn’t let her go since. It’s adorable, that massive, weathered veteran with a tiny dog in his arms. Almost as adorable as seeing Colt hold her.
Mom nods enthusiastically. “We could have a big family celebration. Christmas Sunshine State style!”
Everyone I love—except for Andrea—is here. As nervous as I am, they deserve the truth. Well,mostof the truth. A sanitized version that won’t land anyone in prison.
Colt and I want our relationship to be official, minus the fratricide part. For our sake and for the sake of our families, we swore to keep that secret.
I glance at my boyfriend—oh my God, I can’t believe he’s really my boyfriend—and Colt gives me a small smirk. It’s more of a lip twitch and if I hadn’t gotten to know him better during the past weeks, I might’ve missed it. His hand finds my leg underneath the table, gently squeezing my thigh.
“Guys, could we leave the Christmas plans for later, please?” I interrupt our mothers’ chatter about festive recipes.
“Where are our manners! Here we go blabbering away when the children want to talk to us about something important,” Sara Jean says, giving me an encouraging smile. There’s something in her eyes akin to recognition and when I raise my brows, she nods subtly.
What the hell? Does she know already? How? No way!
Colt coughs, and all attention turns to him. “Mr. and Mrs.Morgan,” he says calmly, straightening. “I’m in love with your daughter and I’m going to marry her.”
