Sterling by Willow Summers

Author:Willow Summers [Summers, Willow]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Sixteen

Cynthia could barely breathe as she led Noah into the house. Everyone else was probably already eating—her mother would’ve made sure she wasn’t disturbed. She hadn’t meant to talk to Noah for so long on the porch, but his insistence that his feelings were genuine, plus his truth bombs about his past, had kept her riveted. And hopeful.

Now, she didn’t know what to think about the rumors she’d heard back in the day. And honestly, she really didn’t care. That was in the past. If people held her accountable for all the crazy things she’d done in college, she’d likely be single forever. The important thing was what was happening right now. And right now, Noah was coming to Thanksgiving dinner with her nutso family. He was asking to date her. To be exclusive.

He’s asking you to go back to Sacramento with him!

She felt queasy from all the emotions rolling through her. Excitement, joy, anticipation of feeling his body again, fear of what was in front of them, worry about basically living with a man so soon after re-meeting him, and the certainty of Ellen’s wrath.

Somehow, it was the last that was the worst. Ellen would be so pissed. No, beyond pissed—she’d be incredulous. Noah, Mr. Silver Spoon, Mr. Popular Jock, who all the girls had wanted and couldn’t land, was going for the weirdo black sheep in the family? The sister who wandered around in superhero shirts and occasionally decided not to bother brushing her hair? The girl who could spill someone else’s ketchup on her white shirt? Who looked poor even though she came from this neighborhood? That sister had landed Noah?

Cynthia could actually hear Ellen’s voice in her head.

Schooling her features into flat nothingness—an expression she’d mastered to hide her daydreaming during long, boring meetings—she entered the loud dining room. Two spots stood open at the end of the table, as far from Ellen as possible. That had been by design, and for once, Cynthia and her mom had been working together to make that happen.

“You have to sit next to me, I’m afraid,” Cynthia murmured as the conversation, which in this group entailed everyone nearly shouting in order to talk over each other, started to die down.

“That’s it. I’m out. This isn’t what I signed up for,” Noah teased, and rubbed his hand down her back.

Goosebumps covered her skin and her stomach did somersaults. “I’m the least of your problems, as you’ve probably gathered.”

“Noah!” Uncle Art, sitting at the head of the table on the opposite side, raised his fork in hello. A glob of cranberry sauce went flying, landing on the cream-colored table cloth.

“Art!” Tamie’s eyes had followed the offending piece of food to its final resting place. Even though she was in the middle of the table, she half stood and pushed forward, reaching over Ellen to dab the spot with her napkin. Her arm hit a serving fork resting in the bowl of salad, and it catapulted toward the stuffing.

“Mother,” Tera said through her teeth, grabbing the salad fork and looking suspiciously at the stuffing.

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