Family Ties — читать онлайн бесплатно полностью

”

“Like me being your future husband?”

“And tonight, when Danny asked if you were missing a ring? You said ‘I wish.’”

“What were you scared about tonight?” I waited while she worked up her courage.

“Losing you. Again.”

She nodded and wiped her cheeks. “After I broke up with Simon, I hoped… Well, you know.”

“Yeah. And then you were such a jerk, and… I started those horrible rumors to get back at you, and… I was so miserable.” She laughed sadly and wiped her cheeks again. “At the start of the summer, I even told Wren I didn’t want to see or hear your name ever again.

“Ah. Okay. That explains why you didn’t know I’d broken up with Gracie. I wondered… I knew Wren had sent you letters, but…”

“Yeah. I was trying to pretend you didn’t exist.”

“I probably deserved it.”

“You did,” she said with a teary laugh. “I knew I couldn’t avoid you forever, though. Then I saw you again, and you’d changed so much. You

were quieter. More intense. Less self-absorbed. And you were so nice to me.

“Except when I wasn’t.” I sighed darkly. “Sorry about that.”

She shrugged. “I wasn’t very nice to you either. Like when I said I’d never sleep with you.”

“But I was just scared, ’cause I was falling for you again. Only… I didn’t want to. So I said that because I wanted it to be true.”

I nodded and worked through the Christy-logic to make sure I understood.

“I got scared again when Wren told me about Gina and the wedding. But I promised myself I wouldn’t be mean or do anything dumb.

“At the party I guess I got scared that you might not like me the way I liked you. So I said what I did when I introduced you.” She paused and drew a deep, shuddering breath. “And then tonight. I had fun with you all day, even though I barely saw you… I knew you were with me, if that makes sense.”

“But then I panicked and thought you might not like my family or something. So I said that stupid thing about the ring.”

“It wasn’t entirely stupid. I thought it was kinda cute, actually.

“But you didn’t think it was cute what I said at the party.”

“Um… no. I thought you were moving way too fast.”

She nodded. “I wanna take it slow too. I just forget sometimes.”

“That’s okay. I do too.” I rested a hand on her knee. “Do you think it’d be moving too fast if I kissed you?” She shook her head, so I followed through.

“And I think we’ll be okay if we make out a little.”

“Do you mind if we do it under the blankets? I’m freezing.