I envied him. But until I did my research, I’d abstain.
“I said that you can’t be eating all that candy every night.” My mom chuckled and swatted him with a towel.
They were so cute. Ridiculously in love. They couldn’t stand to be away from one another for long, and I’d always admired their relationship.
The family they’d created together.
“You’re right.” My father wrapped his arms around her from behind. “I’ve got all the sweetness I need right here.”
Swoon.
“Oh, man.” Liv made a gagging, vomiting sound and shook her head as she walked through the kitchen. “It’s too early for all that. Plus, as your offspring, we don’t want to see that. It’s too much. Get into a fight or something. Eat some pistachios, Dad. The way you chew them always annoys Mom.”
I fell forward with a laugh and shook my head. “Leave them alone. They’re sweet together.”
“If a man told me I was all the sweetness he needed, I would junk-punch him. I don’t need to be anyone’s sweetness. Sweeten your own life, dude. Not you, Dad, but if another man said it to me, I’d be disgusted.”
My dad rolled his eyes. “I wouldn’t worry about anyone saying that to you.”
My mom and I both chuckled, and Liv rolled her eyes.
I glanced down at my phone to see a text.
Chewy
I’m heading to Tokyo. Was scrolling through my phone and found this photo of the first time we flew on a plane together. Remember the summer our families went to Maui? I miss you already, Miney.
A picture of me and Finn on an airplane, when we were ten years old, came through. He was wearing a Hawaiian shirt with a baseball cap and a big grin. I had on a white summer dress, two braids in my hair, and I was rocking quite the gap between my front teeth.
“What are you looking at?” My dad took the seat beside me and glanced down at the phone.
I handed it over, and my mom and sister both took turns looking.
“That was such a fun trip. Didn’t Cage get stung by a jellyfish?” my father asked.
“Oh, yes, he did. And he did not take it well. He had an epic meltdown,” Olivia said over her laughter.
“Yes. Finn was chasing him around, telling him he needed to pee on his foot,” my mother said with a big smile on her face. “So, he’s off to Tokyo. What happens after that with you two?”
“Inquiring minds want to know,” my sister said, waggling her brows.
“We’re taking it one day at a time. I’m going to move my clothes over to the rental house today and get settled. Georgie said it’s fully equipped. They just use it now for family and friends that are visiting, but they agreed to let me rent it for as long as I need it.”
“It’s silly to pay for a place when you can live here for free.” Dad sipped his coffee.
I wasn’t going to go down this road again.
“I love you guys, but I’m twenty-nine years old, and I need my own place. Plus, they gave me the same deal they gave Brinkley, which is a dollar a month, and I pay the utilities.” I shook my head and laughed.
There wasn’t much else to say.
I’m also having a baby that’ll be here in less than nine months.
I had no idea how far along I was, so I definitely needed to go see someone and start planning for the future.
“Well, I’ll grab my truck and help you move your things over,” my father said as he pushed to stand and leaned over to kiss my cheek.
“Moving is so not my thing.” Olivia shivered dramatically. “I’ve got to prep for an interview, anyway.”
“I hardly have that much to move over. I didn’t bring a ton to Finn’s house.”
My chest squeezed at the mention of his name. It was the first day in a while that I didn’t wake up to his handsome face. To his smile. To taking a ride down to the water right after we got up and moving.
“You’re leaving Millie over there?” my mom asked. She’d been unusually quiet since I’d come home last night, which meant she was stewing, trying not to fire off rapid questions and have me shut her down. Or maybe Alana had told her Finn and I were taking a break. I wasn’t offering anything up because I wasn’t totally sure what would happen over the next few weeks.
“Yep. I’ll go ride her every day before work. I’m going to head over there now and take her out. I’ll meet you there in an hour?” I asked my father.
“I’ll be there, sweetheart.”
I grabbed my keys and my coat and made my way out to my car. I drove around the corner and pulled over, letting the tears fall again.