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“I’m okay,” she replies, wrapping her arms around my neck. I have to lower myself so she can reach. “I’m going to stay sober in case Julianna needs help with Julian. You can enjoy yourself, though. I can see that Corey is.”
I look over and see my sister downing a shot, a separate drink in the other hand. I spoke to my mom about reaching out to her, but all she said was that if Corey wants to speak to her, then she will. She has this old-school mentality where the child should reach out to the parent, which is so ridiculous. Corey deserves better. She shouldn’t be the mature one in the relationship trying to fix things, with my mother acting like she hasn’t stepped a foot wrong.
I hope she realizes this before it’s too late, and she misses out on knowing such a wonderful human.
“At least she’s drinking here where people can watch over her,” I grumble, picking an olive and cracker from the...what did Bella call it? Grazing platter.
Corey wanders over to us and smiles. “That tequila is good tequila.”
And then heads back inside.
Probably to make out with someone in the hallway.
I’m going to mind my own business this time and pretend that she’s not even here.
“So when are the two of you going to get married?” Romeo’s mother comes up to me and asks the second Bella goes inside. I haven’t spoken to Aunty Victoria since last party, and I notice this time she’s not drinking as much.
“Next year,” I tell her. “I know you didn’t mean to tell me what you did last time, but I’m thankful you did. It feels good having everything out in the open.”
She smiles sadly. “I’m sorry it came out that way, but I agree. And I want you to know that I only ever felt love for you. I never held anything against you—you were just a child.”
“I know,” I reply, nodding. She always treated me the same as Romeo, but she never treated him all that great to begin with. “And it is what it is. I just hope we don’t have any other family secrets, because I think that one is more than enough.”
She laughs but doesn’t bother to state that we’re all good for now. Because that would probably be a lie.
I go inside to grab a beer and run into Julianna and Damon. Damon is holding Julian and laughing at something Julianna said. The respect the men show Julianna is impressive—it’s like she’s their queen. And it’s so nice to see a woman in power. Maybe soon they will change the rules so women can be official members, too. I can see why Damon would want more men, and more his own age. The older men are slowly phasing out, and depending on how many cousins he has, the numbers might be dwindling.
“When is our wedding?” I ask Bella as she comes out of the bathroom with Corey. I still don’t understand why women have to go in packs. “I’ve been asked, and I don’t know.”
She laughs. “I don’t know either. We’ll have to sit down and decide on a venue and date. Do you want a church wedding? I think I’d like our wedding to be at the lake where you took me swimming that first time.”
“The lake sounds good,” I say, smiling at the memory, and cupping her face with my palm and bending down to kiss her. “As long as I’m marrying you, I don’t care where we are.”
“Get a room,” Corey comments, and I grin and nod toward our bedroom.
Bella shakes her head, gray eyes dancing with amusement as she gently bats me away from her. “The night is still young. Don’t worry, we will end up there eventually.”
She’s right.
After a few hours, we end up in bed, tearing each other’s clothes off.
Is there any other way to end a party?
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Bella
“You’re not pregnant anymore, so admit that you’re just obsessed with pickles,” I say to Julianna, when I find her eating them for breakfast.
She grins and shrugs. “Yeah, okay, fine, I got used to them, and now they’re my comfort food. By the way, I had another message from Rosalind, asking if she can meet Julian, and I told her no and blocked her number. The audacity.”
“I don’t understand why she’d think you would be okay with that after everything she did. She sounds batshit crazy. What is she doing with her life?” I ask.
Julianna shrugs once more. “I don’t know, it sounds like she’s doing nothing. My parents put her in therapy, which is probably for the best, especially after what happened to Mark. And I think they spend most of their time with her. I know Veronica is in college now and has moved out of home, so it’s just Rosalind there.”
“What do they say about her meeting Julian?” I ask, serving myself some cereal and milk.
“They think I should let her, because what can go wrong if we are all there?” she imitates, scowling. “I am not letting my child near her. Knowing what she is capable of makes me sick. And over a guy she casually slept with? I know his dick is good, but come on, there’s plenty others out there.”
