It doesn’t feel like I’ve had that much until I stand up and realize I’m pretty buzzed. Which is fine.
But then we move onto dessert and Dean busts out a Mason jar of moonshine he got from one of the guys on the construction crew. He pours everyone but Quinn—and the kids, of course—a shot.
“I don’t think I want to try this,” Charlie laughs, apprehensively sniffing the shot glass in her hands.
“Me neither,” Danielle sets her glass down.
“You’ve had it before,” Dean tells her. “And liked it. I got a second jar for you and Logan.”
“Oh, uh, thanks.” Her face starts to turn red. I’ve never wanted a baby or got anyone pregnant. I can only imagine how much it would hurt her and Logan to find out they were expecting only to lose it again, and I understand completely why they don’t want to tell the whole family out of fear they might have to go through everything all over again.
So I do the only thing I can think of. Down my shot and reach for Danielle’s.
“That is good.” I set the empty shot glass down. “Strong, but good.” Fuck, I’m so fucked. I can see Charlie looking at me again, and I do my best to act like I’m super interested in the last bit of food left on my plate.
Danielle gets up to help Mom with the dessert she brought from her bakery, and Logan catches my eye from across the table. He gives me a curt nod, thanking me for taking Danielle’s drinks and saving her from having to explain why she’s not drinking. Dean pours us all another round, skipping Danielle this time since she’s not at the table, and that third shot goes down a lot smoother than the first.
The moonshine hits me right as I’m digging into my chocolate cake. Leaning back, I let my fork fall to the plate and reach for my water instead. Moonshine isn’t supposed to be drank like shots.
I’m drunk.
Things move in a bit of a blur after that. Everyone else eats dessert and Logan comes up with an excuse to take me outside. I do my best to hold it together, but it’s obvious I won’t be able to drive Charlie home.
I told her I changed, but as far as she can see it, I’m just the same as before.Chapter 15CharlieOwen closes his eyes in a long blink and picks up his keys from the breakfast table. I don’t know why I even entertained the thought of coming here with him. That he might be different than before.
Changed.
More mature.
Not getting stumbling-through-the-kitchen-drunk at a family dinner. And stealing drinks from Danielle? What the hell was that? I snatch the keys from his hands before he can even say he’s good enough to drive us home.
“Get in the car,” I snap, narrowing my eyes. I turn and plaster a smile on my face so I can thank Mrs. Dawson for dinner. My heart is in my throat, and I fear I might throw it up on the floor at any moment.
Because it felt so good to be back here.
To be around this amazing family…and Owen.
Sitting there with the Dawsons, seeing them all married and happy and with babies…it gave me a stupid sense of hope. It brought me right back to college and beyond, when Owen was all I needed, and I thought—without a doubt—that we’d be married with babies of our own not long after graduation.
He was everything to me.
My first kiss. My first love. We lost our virginity together, but it was so much more than that.
Owen was my world.
If only I was his…
“I’m okay,” he says, but doesn’t try to take the keys back from me.
Ignoring him, I turn. Quinn is right there, telling Emma to put her shoes on. She looks over my shoulder at her brother, and her brows pinch together with concern.
“I’ll take him home,” I tell her before she has to ask.
“Are you sure you don’t mind? He can come back with us. Or stay here.”
I shake my head. “I don’t mind. And I kind of want to get home to check on Tulip.”
“Your cat, right. Don’t blame you there.” She bends over and helps Emma slide her feet into her shoes. “Don’t judge him,” she blurts, looking up at me. “He’s not usually like this, and I think he’s nervous being around you again. He won’t admit it, but we all know he’s still in love with you.”
Her words break my heart even more, because it reminds me how much I love this family. They believe in each other one hundred percent and will do anything for each other.
“If things were different,” I start, looking down at Quinn. Things have changed so much. She used to be like my little sister, and here she is, with her life together and living her dreams, giving me advice.