“What are we doing for the break?” Trent says to the guys. “Other than the game on Black Friday.”
“Dinner at my house,” Preston says.
He asked Bex and her dad to come to his house for Thanksgiving dinner. I can’t break my tradition with my family, so I’m heading back to California for the long weekend.
Drake leans into my ear and says, “Will you be here for Thanksgiving?”
“No. My dad makes deep fried turkey. I never miss it. Already have my ticket booked.”
He looks somewhat deflated. “We can still FaceTime with each other.”
“Yeah, I don’t see why not as long as it’s just your face on the screen.”
He laughs and then lowers his voice, pressing his lips to my ear. “Why? You getting sick of seeing it already?”
I know he means his monster cock.
“No, silly, but if my dad happened to walk into my bedroom while you were, you know, I would literally die from embarrassment, and you would be dead. So face only if you want to do video.”
“I’ll save texts for the better ones,” he jokes.
I think he’s joking.
Who knows with Drake?
He’s such a weirdo.
A part of me believes he loves the attention he gains from his favorite body part. The other believes he has some serious body issues he needs to work out after what happened to him in high school.
We all bear scars, so I get it. Even though mine are minor compared to his, I hope we can work through them together.
Chapter Twelve
Drake
The Parkers living room is crammed with close to twenty people for Thanksgiving dinner. Tucker, Trent, and Ava are here with their parents. Tye, the second oldest of the Kanes, is missing this year. Jamie’s the only one of his siblings who showed. His older brother, Mike, runs the office for his father’s company in Silicon Valley and Grace heads the London office. Neither of them bothered to fly in for the holiday.
My sister, Chloe, hangs out in the kitchen next to my mom, chatting with Aunt Kennedy and Aunt Charlotte. Thank God Uncle Alex is cooking dinner. He’s the only one in this room who can make a mean turkey. None of my aunts can cook worth a damn, my mom worst of them all. If anyone is stupid enough to let her as much as stir in seasonings, we’re all doomed.
I walk into the kitchen to grab a few beers.
My mom stops me, holding her hand out in front of me. “What’s wrong, Drakey?”
Fisting a few bottles, I shrug. “Nothing. Just getting something to drink.”
She gives me a curious look. “No, that’s not it. You look sad, baby.”
“I’m hardly a baby anymore,” I quip.
She smiles. “No, you’re not. But you’ll always be my baby, and I can tell when something’s bothering you.”
“Probably a girl,” Chloe says, flicking her dark hair over her shoulder.
Chloe looks almost identical to my mom, where I am the spitting image of our dad. It’s funny how that worked out. We each look like the person we have the most in common with.
I sigh in frustration. She’s not wrong. I’ve tried to get a hold of Taylor all day and I’ve not heard a single word back from her.
“I’m fine,” I lie. “Just tired and hungry.”
“What’s your new girlfriend’s name?” Mom pops a chip into her mouth and smiles up at me. She’s so tiny compared to me, unlike Taylor, who compliments me perfectly.
“Taylor.”
My mom sips from her wine glass, studying the plate of snacks in front of her. “When do I get to meet her?”
“Yeah, we need to meet her,” Chloe says. “We have to make sure she’s good enough for you.”
“Actually, she’s a big fan of both of you.”
“Oh?” My mom smiles. “She reads our books?”
I nod. “She freaked out when I told her you’re my mom.”
“She obviously has good taste,” Chloe adds. “I like her already.” She sips from her wine glass and peeks up at me. “We love meeting new readers. You should bring Taylor over to the house sometime.”
Even though my sister can afford to live on her own, she refuses to move out of our childhood home in South Jersey. Me, I couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there. With how touchy-feely my parents are, I’ve had enough affection to last a lifetime. I’m surprised my dad isn’t over here now. The two of them are practically joined at the hip most of the time.
“I’ll think about it,” I lie as I exit the kitchen.
Taylor would love to meet them. Who am I to deny my favorite women from meeting each other?
When I enter the living room, all of the men are on the couches yelling at the football game. Bex and Coach Bryant are the only new additions to our normal festivities. Coach must know why he was invited to the house with Bex. He honestly can’t be that oblivious to the fact Preston and Bex are together. Not when it’s so clear to everyone else in the room.