Page 38 of Fate in Motion
She’s always like this, especially when I bring a cute guy around. Makes sense, though. She’s single, finishing up her PhD, and hasn’t had time to date. She finishes this year, so that’ll definitely change.
Carter walks in way more chill than I expected and says, “Sup, fam?”
I beam. One by one, my siblings introduce themselves, coincidentally in order of age.
Carter looks at Evan, then back at me.“Wow, you twodolook alike. But I can one hundred percent tell the difference. Evan, your face is more oval. Nate’s is rounder.”
“Thank God,” Evan says. “Having a twin is stressful. I grew up with people constantly asking, ‘Which one are you?’ Do you know how fucking annoying that is?”
Carter laughs as he pulls out a chair and joins the party.
One by one, they start grilling my boyfriend.
“What are your plans with Nate if you don’t get a new contract?” Bex blurts out.
“Um, good question. I, I assume I’ll get another contract,” Carter stutters, clearly thrown.
Then Rachel jumps in. “What’s it like being famous? Do you have boys trying to suck you off daily?”
“Woah,” I yell in Rachel’s direction.
Carter laughs. “I mean, not yet. But after I come out? It’s pretty much guaranteed there’ll be men all over me.”
Before anyone can respond, he shoots Rachel a playful grin. “Don’t worry, sis. There’ll be enough to share.”
Rachel smirks. “Well, hopefully, some are bisexual. I need to get laid, like yesterday.”
Evan, who’s been quietly taking in the last ten minutes, clearly thinking of the perfect question, finally jumps in. “So, Carter, thoughts on Nate opening a cafe?”
I glare at Evan, but Carter looks at me with these ridiculous puppy-dog eyes and says, “Well, Evan…about that. I tried investing in your brother’s cafe, but he’s too proud to accept my investment offer. I keep telling him I’m rich and that it’s not a handout but rather an investment. He continuously denies, denies, denies.”
Evan claps. “Good boyfriend. Good answer. I’ve been telling him for years to take out a loan and bet on himself. He won’t do it.”
“When did this turn into a roast of my life?” I ask, arms crossed.
Before anyone can join the roast, Ian suddenly throws a finger up and yells into his phone, “Hello?!”
Evan whirls his eyes at Ian and gets up to answer the door. “Ian, hang up. I’ll let him up.”
“Don’t be lazy, Ev. I’m ten years younger than you, and I’d walk down a flight of stairs to make the delivery guy’s life easier,” Ian hisses.
Evan actually listens and grabs the food from the dark-haired, scrawny man and runs back upstairs.
Carter leans over and whispers, “I love your family. They’re hilarious.”
Everyone immediately dives into their food, unwrapping sandwiches like it’s a holiday. Carter and I exchange halves like always. Thank God the restaurant listened. No Mayo, anywhere.
About twenty minutes in, Evan says, “Carter, what’s your plan? Are you ever going to tell the world about your lovable bae?”
Carter freezes, caught off guard. He looks between Evan and me and says with a hint of sass, “I’m working on it, dude.”
He’s explained before how guilty he feels sneaking around, barely going out together. It’s only been around six weeks, and I’m not really bothered or in a rush.
In Carter’s defense, I say, “Fuck off, Evan.”
Carter raises a finger. “Don’t worry, babe. He’s right. He just cares about you.”
Evan nods in approval and goes back to eating.
