Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78007 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78007 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
I make sure I’m walking with enough space between us so we don’t look too close. Don’t call him puppy, don’t call him puppy, don’t call him puppy. That might be a little difficult to explain, which is maybe a sign that everyone who said I was different about Theo from the start is right, but I already have too much chaos in my head to contemplate that right now.
Theo opens the screen door, then the main one. As soon as he does, there’s barking and a chocolate Lab jumping all over him.
Theo drops his bag and kneels, giving him scritches while crooning, “Hey, boy. Did you miss me? I missed you too.”
“What? You didn’t tell me there’s a dog. I might never want to leave.” I join Theo in giving him love. “What’s his name?”
“Cooper.”
“Theo’s home!” a woman says, and I look over at her just as Theo stands, rushes over, and hugs her.
“Hey, Mama.”
I stand too. She has the same sandy-colored hair as Theo, strands of it falling out of her ponytail.
“I know it hasn’t been long,” Theo says, “but I missed you so much.”
“I missed you too,” she tells him. Seeing the two of them together makes me ache for my own mom. This is the longest stretch I’ve gone without seeing her my whole life.
“You must be Perry!” his mom says, walking over.
“Yes, ma’am. Nice to meet you.”
She waves me off. “Just Carrie. No ma’am needed.”
She pulls me into a hug too.
“Ew! Theo’s home,” another voice breaks in, a teenage girl coming in out of the hallway, followed closely by another.
“Be nice, brat.” Theo pulls her into a headlock and gives her a noogie, and the two of them start to wrestle around.
“That’s enough, you two,” Carrie scolds, but there’s no heat behind it. You can tell she’s just happy to see her kids together.
“Who’s the hot guy?” the older of his sisters asks.
“What the hell, Katie?” Theo snaps.
“What? I’m just asking.” She grins.
He turns to me. “She turned eighteen, and now she thinks she’s a grown-up.”
“I’m Perry. Theo’s friend.” I shake Katie’s hand before turning to his other sister.
“Sorry,” she says. “We’re not real civilized around here. I’m Sara.”
“Nice to meet you too,” I reply, but I think they’re great. I used to dream about growing up with siblings, not knowing that on the other side of town, I had Ty. God, I wish we could have grown up together. And now as an adult, I have my little sister, Ainsley.
“Where’s Dad?” Theo asks.
“They offered him overtime today. It’s not a full shift. I know he’s excited to see you, but it’s not like he could turn down the extra money.” Carrie squeezes Theo’s shoulder.
“I know. I get it.” Something about his voice tells me he’s feeling guilty, like somehow this is his fault or he’s contributing to it. Part of it I assume is because they help him with his expenses. But with school already being difficult, could he handle a job too?
My fingers twitch to reach out and comfort him in some way, but that will scream boyfriend, so I have to fight myself not to do it.
“Perry, are you thirsty?” Carrie asks. “Please have a seat. Tell me a little about yourself. Did you two meet at FU?”
I sit down like she asked, while Theo says he’ll get me a drink. “No, I don’t go to college. I’m from Massachusetts. My brother goes to FU, and I moved to San Luco to get to know him. We have different moms and didn’t know about each other growing up. I met Theo at a party.”
He sits beside me and hands me a glass of water. “We hit it off right away. We hung out the whole night, and I took him out to lunch the next day.” Theo gives me a big, toothy smile that looks a little too proud boyfriend for us to pull off this friend thing.
“Yeah, he’s a good buddy.” The last word tastes wrong on my tongue, and from the frown on Theo’s face, I think hearing it feels wrong for him too.
This is going to be interesting.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Theo
I’m pretty sure my family is just as in love with Perry as I am—and keeping it real, I’m still a little stressed out that I am in love with him. But he’s literally been petting and snuggling Cooper, played a board game with Sara, and let Katie paint his nails. I didn’t know nail-painting is something he does or that I would think it looks hot on his masculine hands, but I totally do.
He also made cookies with Mom and barbecued with Dad. It’s like he’s seamlessly falling into place as a member of my family, and all I can do is look at him in awe.
Speaking of incredible, he looks over at me from where he’s sitting at the table, talking to my dad, and gives me a smile that if I wasn’t already sitting down, totally would have taken my legs out from under me. How is he mine?