Family Ties — читать онлайн бесплатно полностью

”

She looked down and picked at the label on her beer bottle. After a moment she said, “But he was my fiancé.”

“But are you? My boyfriend?”

“That’s what I meant by making it official. So… are we? Boyfriend-girlfriend?”

“So do I. And now I guess it’s official.”

She beamed up at me, so I kissed her, long and lingering.

“Well, that was easy,” I said after. It even seemed a bit anticlimactic, but we’d been building up to it for a while. “Should we celebrate?”

“Wild sex on the beach? Run naked through the surf?”

She laughed.

“I’d like that.” She smiled and mused, “A beer with my new boyfriend.”

“Kinda has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

“I do.” She beat me to the punchline. “I know! Not yet.”

I reached into the cooler and pulled out two fresh bottles. We clinked

After we drank I said, “I meant what I said earlier. About things happening before we’re married.”

“In that case,” I said judiciously, “I’d tell you that sex is too important to leave to chance. I’m not going to marry anyone until I know we’re compatible in bed.

“But can’t you just look at someone and know if they’re right for you?”

“Don’t be silly. No they aren’t.”

“Yes, they are. I love Trip like a brother, but I don’t wanna have sex with him. I had sex with Gracie, but I didn’t love her.” Christy stiffened with annoyance. “Sorry,” I said quickly. “I should’ve chosen a different example.”

“Do we have to talk about your exes?”

“Mmm hmm. ‘Her.’” I sat quietly for a moment. “She loves you, you know.”

She nodded a bit glumly.

“What? You don’t love her back?”

She debated and then shook her head.

“You’re a lousy liar.” I chuckled. I stared into the distance and decided what to say next. “My mother has a lover,” I said, very quietly. “Like you and Wren. They were apart for a while, but I don’t think they ever stopped loving each other.”

“What does your father think? Does he know?”

“That’s a much longer story, but yes, he knows.”

“And he doesn’t care?”

“He cares very much… about my mother’s happiness.

She nodded and wiped a tear from her cheek.

“So it’s okay if you love Wren.”

“You aren’t jealous?”

“That’s good,” she said with a teary laugh.

“You don’t need to save anything else for marriage either.”

“But what if I want to?”

“I’m not talking about going all the way tonight.” I laughed and hugged her. “We’ll take things slow. Baby steps.