Page 112 of The Teacher of Nothing
He was friendly enough when he saved us from the detectives, so that’s one less family member to stress out about.
Gemma turns to study me. “That leaves Jude, and well, he’s Jude. He doesn’t really like anyone, especially not himself. You won’t even land on his radar.”
“Why doesn’t he like himself?”
Her smile falls and she avoids contact. “You’ll see.”
“And your parents?”
“Mom will be happy that Callum’s finally happy,” Gemma says with a sad smile. “Their drama goes way back to high school.” She waves off the rest—thankfully, all of which Callum already told me—and huffs. “But Dad? He’s probably going to be annoyed and push Callum’s buttons. It’s kind of their thing. Every dinner, every gathering. There’s always this tension. We’re used to it, but it’ll probably be awkward as fuck for you.”
Heavy footsteps thud into the bedroom and then Callum appears in the bathroom doorway. He’s dressed down in dark jeans and a tan Henley, but it somehow makes him even more hot than usual. My mouth waters and my skin flushes.
“What’ll be awkward?” Callum asks, dark brow arched in question.
“Your face.” Gemma snorts out a laugh and then screeches when Callum launches at her. “Do not touch me, you freak!”
He manages to grab hold of her and tickles her. All her carefully applied mascara melts away as she cackles with laughter, while tears stream down her cheeks. Finally, he lets go of her, grin wide and eyes glimmering with satisfaction. My heart warms. This is how a sibling relationship should be. It’s what I always craved and never knew.
“Fixyourface,freak,” Callum says, smirking.
He takes my hand and tugs me out of the bathroom. My stomach is in knots with anticipation of dinner with his entire family, but with him by my side, I feel confident we can handle this together.
Gemma’s house is modern and gorgeous. Where Callum’s house appears to be more lived in, Gemma’s is showroom ready. I feel underdressed and like if I sit on the pristine light gray sofa, I’ll somehow leave a mark. Callum walks us toward the sound of voices and Gemma struts ahead of us. We eventually make our way into a cavernous dining room with far more seats at the table than guests. I breathe a sigh of relief at seeing Dempsey. Hugo bailed him out of jail the same day he got arrested, which was great, but I still haven’t had an opportunity to thank him for taking the heat rather than letting Callum take the fall.
“‘Sup,” Dempsey says, grinning at me. “I guess this really is a thing.”
Thisbeing me and Callum.
“We really are,” I admit, my voice breathy and slightly high. “Are you okay after…”
“Dad handled it,” Spencer assures me. “He’s fine.”
“Where is your dad anyway?” Callum asks.
Spencer gestures down the hall. “Study.”
Gemma disappears into a door that must lead to the kitchen. Seconds later, she reappears with a woman of her same height and build. At first glance, they could be the twins, not her and Dempsey.
“You must be Callum’s girlfriend. Willa is it? Gemma has such great things to say about you.” She offers a dainty hand. “I’m Jamie.”
Callum is stiff beside me. On principle, I want to deny the handshake for what she did to him all those years ago. However,their family dynamic won’t allow for it. She’s still Dempsey and Gemma’s mother. I can’t be rude to her.
“Nice to meet you,” I say, though I don’t necessarily mean it.
“Dinner is about ready to come out of the oven,” Jamie chirps, smile bright and welcoming. “I hope you like Italian food. I’ve made baked ziti. It’s a family favorite around here.”
Hugo enters the dining room and commands all eyes with his presence. Like Callum, he’s tall and muscular, but there’s also something authoritative about him.
“Hugo,” he says, smiling at me. “Nice to officially meet you.”
“Willa Reyes.”
Hugo darts his gaze between me and Callum for a couple of beats as if he’s trying to understand our relationship before launching into friendly chatter. I let out a gush of breath, relieved to have passed whatever test he just gave me. The atmosphere is an easy one. Everyone seems nice, though I’ve yet to meet Jude or Callum’s father.
“We have a guest, Dad,” Gemma says, drawing everyone’s attention to the older man who’s quietly crept into the dining room unnoticed. “This is my friend, Willa.”
The man isn’t quite as big as Callum or Hugo, but there’s a formidable nature about him. Callum doesn’t stiffen like he did with Jamie. Instead, his chest bows slightly and his arm finds its way around me.
