Page 104 of Exposed

Jacob snuggled into my side to stare at the page.

I looked at Brooklyn who was sitting on the other side of him. She smiled at me.

This felt so…normal. And I’d meant what I said. They were enough. I cleared my throat and looked back down at the page. “And the duck goes…”

“Quack,” Jacob said.

I smiled and kept going. “And the lion goes…”

“Roar.”

“And the turkey goes…”

“Gobble gobble. Can you do the monster one?”

“The monster?” I skipped a few pages ahead. And then a few more. I didn’t see anything but normal animals.

“Daddy always does the monster.” He stayed snuggled into my side. “Can you do Daddy’s part?”

“Oh…um…” I skipped more pages. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what he wanted me to say. But I wanted to do it right.

“And the monster goes…” Brooklyn said, saving me. “Rawr!” she tickled Jacob’s side and smiled at me.

Jacob giggled until she stopped her tickle attack. “Now I want Coach to do it,” he said to me.

“And the monster goes…rawr!” I tickled his side, sending him into another fit of giggles.

Somehow we all started rawring and jumping around the bed. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d smiled so hard.

Chapter 32

Friday

Brooklyn

Matt pulled the car over to the curb. “We’re here.”

I stared at the entrance of Mason and Bee’s apartment building. And by apartment I meant…hotel. She and Mason lived in a freaking 5-star hotel. I was already nervous enough to hang out with her. She was going to be my future sister-in-law. And I’d shown up to her 5-star hotel dressed in worn yoga pants.

“You okay?” Matt asked.

I stared out the window. “You didn’t tell me they lived in a hotel.” When I’d agreed to get ready for the prom with everyone, I wasn’t expecting this. It felt like I was in high school all over again. Like I was standing on the outside looking in. Dating Matt meant I’d be thrust into the world of the elite again. I hadn’t fared well the last time that had happened.

“It’s just a normal apartment. Or maybe it’s technically a condo? I’m not really sure.” He smiled at me.

“But it’s in ahotel.” I knew everything was different this time with Matt. We were both adults. But I still didn’t feel like I belonged in this world. Penny and Daphne had been lovely the other night. And the one time I’d met Bee, she had seemed nice. But I’d been so distracted at that football game.

What if Bee didn’t like me?

What if I didn’t fit in?

What if I lost everything again?

“Maybe I should just get ready at home,” I said.

“I thought you’d be nervous.” Matt unbuckled his seatbelt. “Which is why we actually came an hour earlier than everyone else.”

“Wait, you’re coming in with me?”

---