Page 62 of Play With Me
I nod and then press my mouth to his once more before shoving him out the door. He needs to leave. If I ever meet his family—murderers or not—I don’t want this to be a black stain on my reputation. I want them to like me.
I stare at the closed door and then sigh, rubbing a hand down my face.
I’m already feeling sick from his absence.
“He gone?” Paulie asks, peering around the doorframe, his headphones around his neck.
“Yeah.”
His lips purse as he stares at me. “You look depressed.”
“I’m not.”
He sighs and then walks over to me, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “Let’s go see your family, yeah? They’re expecting you.”
I eye him, and he shrugs. “Knew you would be so fucking sad that he’s gone. Don’t know why, but you’re smitten.”
I grumble at that but can’t help admitting it. “Yeah. I am.”
“Come on. Pack a bag and let’s get on the road. Your mom has dinner waiting for us.”
My stomach rumbles, and I pull Paulie in for a hug.
“Thanks, man.”
“Anytime.”
“Oh, you look so broken-hearted,” my youngest sister, Desiree, says when she sees me walking up the driveway. “This is what young love looks like.”
“Nice to see you, too,” I say, and she grins. “Also, how do you know what young love looks like? You’ve never had a boyfriend.”
“Or so you think.”
She waggles her eyebrows at me, and I pull her in for a hug.
“Missed you last time.”
“Yeah, same. Sorry, I was busy with cheer stuff. But I’m here now. Mom gathered the troops. Paulie said you could barely get out of bed. Said you’ve been crying,” she teases.
I glower at my best friend, who is already at Hailey’s side.
I wasn’t crying.
Mostly.
“Never mind, come on in. We have all the things to make you feel better.”
I move in through the screen door and they’re all on me in seconds, asking an onslaught of questions.
“What’s his name?”
“Can we see a picture?”
“How hot is he?”
I brush them all off, trying to get out of answering, but then end up spilling the beans. Majorly.
Just word vomit.
