She sits down and I take the knife and proceed to cut a small sliver of all eight pies and load them onto my plate.
Then while she’s talking to Juliet, I switch her plate with mine.
Karli turns back with her fork and freezes. The smile she rewards me with is pure gold.
“Now you’ll know which one is your favorite,” I whisper.
“I already do.” Her eyes bore into mine but she doesn’t say anything more. She tries each and every pie, a smile lighting her face with each one.
Someone turns on a holiday show, I’m not sure what it is, nor do I care. I only want to sit on the couch and hold Karli.
But Grant and Lennox look ready to topple over as they make Emmett’s bottle so I take the baby from them, for safety reasons of course.
Karli’s eyes light up when I bring Emmett near and she snuggles into my side, gently brushing a fingertip over his hand as he drinks his bottle. His eyelids flutter closed and Karli sighs into my shoulder, draping a hand on my arm.
For a split second, I see my future. I might not have been sure what I wanted out of life when she asked me on the side of that dusty highway, but now I am. Everything I want starts with family. It starts with Karli.
The movie ends too soon and Grant takes his baby back, saying something about him never sleeping tonight.
“Hey everyone, don’t forget about French Toast Friday,” Mom says.
“I could never forget,” I say, rubbing my still-full stomach. Tomorrow there will be plenty of room.
“Karli,” my mom addresses her, “will you be back tomorrow?”
“Oh, I don’t want to impose,” Karli says.
“Says the woman who invited herself to Thanksgiving.” I chuckle under my breath.
Her body grows stiff under my arm.
“You could never impose. We will see you tomorrow,” Mom says matter-of-factly.
Karli nods. But the second my mom turns away, her smile droops. That’s the first time all night. Is she overwhelmed? My family can be a lot and I’m sure she’s tired.
But this is what she wanted. Right?
Chapter 27
Karli
Myheartisbreaking.I can feel it, tearing itself to shreds piece by piece. Why did he have to say that? I was doing so good at pretending. But I can’t fake it anymore. I don’t want to.
It’s time for me to put an end to the charade. I’m old enough and independent enough to stop butting into people’s lives without their consent. I don’t want to be an imposter anymore. I want to belong, for real.
I know, Trent didn’t say those words exactly, but I can’t continue to force myself on him. He says he wants to date me, and maybe we will date, for a time. But it won’t be the same. Our trip home was like we were stuck in a snow globe. No, it wasn't beautiful, but it was only the two of us, and now his family wrapped up in nothing but holiday bliss. But that protective bubble is about to shatter and the rest of the world will come crashing in. Trent will realize I’m not as amazing as he thinks and find someone who doesn’t irritate him so much and I’ll…buy a new van?
No. I don't need it anymore. I won’t end up like my mother because I’m not her. I’m my own person who can make difficult decisions.
The first one being that I need to let Trent go.
Forced proximity, or whatever, is all this has been. It would be impossiblenotto feel anything for a man I nearly died with. But time has a way of making those traumatic experiences dim, and soon we will both forget these feelings and move on. The sooner the better.
Which is why I won’t be back tomorrow.
It’s nearly ten, but I feel like my clock is about to strike midnight anyway. My carriage is turning into a pumpkin, it’s time for me to leave this fairytale and move on.
I yawn and release Trent’s hand. “Hey, I think I’m going to head home. I’m exhausted.”
