I stand in Reid’s kitchen with crazy butterflies in my stomach.
Why am I nervous to meet his sister? It’s not like I’ve never seen her before, even if we’ve never spoken.
Reid turns around and slides a latte towards me. He’s wearing a little frown that I know has him wondering why I’m on edge.
“Thanks. Shouldn’t she be here?”
“Anytime now, why?”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to go? She’s visiting you, and she doesn’t even know me.”
“She used to live here, too.”
“That was ages ago.”
“Mila, it’s fine. You’re not in the way. You and Phoebe will get along.”
I sip my latte, feeling very much in the way. I do want to get to know Reid’s family. He’s important, which means they are, too.
The doorbell rings, and I almost jump out of my skin.
My eyes widen when Reid puts his drink down. “Hey, I’ll go out the back door. She’ll never even know I’ve been here,” I tell him.
“You’re aware that you’re not my mistress and my sister isn’t my wife, right?”
Get a hold of yourself, you fucking idiot.
“Well, obviously.” I take a breath and wave my hand. “Let her in then. You’re being rude.”
He double takes, and then goes to open the door.
I hear muffled voices after a moment, and I get up so I’m ready to greet her. Phoebe always seemed cool, though she’s older than me so we never hung out.
Phoebe walks ahead of Reid, smiling when she sees me, as if we’re long lost friends. “Mila, hi.”
She has the same shade of dark brown hair as Reid, only hers has highlights through it. His eyes are darker, too. I love his eyes.
“Hey, Phoebe. How’s it going?” I ask.
“Good. Reid tells me you’ve been working with him.”
“Well, it’s more like him working with me.”
He rolls his eyes. “Yeah, that’s exactly what it’s like.”
“Hey, I prevented you from reading so much shit when you opened submissions, mister. Do you know how many writers out there think they’re the next Stephen King? Too many.”
“You write as well, don’t you? Have you submitted to Reid?” Phoebe asks.
“I do, but hell no. My stuff isn’t to his taste anyway, but I don’t think I could take him seriously now.”
“What does that mean?” he asks, frowning.
I hold my fist out and raise the first finger. “I know you don’t like romance.” Another finger. “I know you prefer it when there isn’t a happy ever after. I know you can’t edit every round on a screen. I know—”
“Okay, I think we all get the point.”
I turn to Phoebe. “He’s a good editor, though.”
“Thanks for adding that. Coffee, Phoebs?”
She glances over her shoulder at him. “Please. I’ve missed your lattes.” Turning back to me, she adds, “He turned into a coffee snob.”
“After Starbucks, he told me. To be fair, it is better here, but you try and get one while you’re out with him. It’s like telling him to eat mushy broccoli.”
“I could leave,” he mutters to himself while pressing all sorts of buttons on the machine.
“What do you do, Phoebe? He hasn’t told me.”
“I work in retail. I’m a manger for an independent clothing boutique… or I will be again once my maternity is over.”
“That’s cool. I’ll have to come and shop with you.”
“You would look amazing in everything we sell. Reid never said you’d gone total babe.”
I drop my jaw and glare at him. “Why are you not telling people that?”
He folds his arms. “Sorry, hadn’t noticed.”
“You arsehole! I have nothing to throw at you!”
Laughing, he shakes his head and goes back to making Phoebe’s drink.
“Oh, he’s totally noticed. You know how many people he allows in his office? None… besides you.”
“Yeah, but to be fair, I didn’t give him a lot of choice.”
“‘It’s easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission’. A quote I’m certain Grace Hopper stole from Mila,” Reid says.
“Tell me about him as a kid.”
Phoebe’s eyes light up.
“No way!”
“Has he told you about the time him and his mates tried to form a band?”
“Oh my God, no!” I squeal.
Reid cringes and hands Phoebe a mug. “I hate you,” he tells her.
She waves him off. “They were about twelve, so this was before we moved here.”
“They were so bad your old town kicked you out?”
“Fuck’s sake,” Reid mutters.
Phoebe laughs, clearly loving this. “That wouldn’t surprise me. Nothing to do with Dad’s job at all. Anyway, they did one gig, choked, and gave up.”
“What was the gig?”
“Our cousins sixth birthday party.”
I throw my head back and laugh.
“In fairness, Reid has a decent voice.”
I turn to him and press my hands together. “Please sing for me. Please.”
“Not a chance.”
“Let’s take this into the living room. I have so much to tell you, Mila.”
Reid catches my wrist when I go to follow Phoebe. My skin burns deliciously under his touch. “Yes?” I ask.
“You’re loving this.”
“More than you could ever know.”
His eyes turn darker. “Mila…”
“Don’t worry, you can come for dinner at mine tomorrow and get your revenge.”
I walk away, leaving him with wide eyes and parted lips.
It takes but a second to realise what I’ve done. Dumb arse here just invited Reid to dinner with my parents. With. My. Mum.
Phoebe sits on the sofa, taking the spot Reid favours. I want to tell her to move, but that’s insane. I sit beside her, leaving a space between us so it doesn’t get weird.
“Do you travel, too?” I ask.
“I’m sorry?”
“I’m just wondering what inspired Reid’s desire to see the whole world.”
“Oh, that.” She smiles. “Well, he’s only travelled for the past three years. Callum and I usually have one trip abroad a year, although nowhere particularly exotic.”
“Why the last few years?”
“I’ll leave that one for him to answer.”
“Okay.” My mind races. Something made Reid want to travel three years ago. Something made him want to read fourteen years ago. They’re things that Phoebe doesn’t feel comfortable telling me. “So, what’s motherhood like? Do they really pee on you daily?”
She laughs. “Not daily. You’re going to love it… but love it in about ten years’ time.”
“Oh, it’s so not happening before then. I can’t keep a plant alive.”
“You’ll be fine. Babies cry and let you know when they need feeding.”
Reid joins us and scowls at his sister.
“Calm down, we’re not talking about you,” I tell him. “Phoebe’s telling me the difference between kids and plants.”
“Good, because that’s not instantly clear.”
“I’ve told Mila to wait to have children.”
Phoebe says that as if she’s talking directly to Reid. As far as I’m aware, he has no intentions of impregnating me.
“Good, she doesn’t even look when she crosses the road.”
“Not every road, and you can hear cars, Reid.”
“Can you hear electric cars, Mila?”
My teeth snap together when Reid arches a brow.
“Point proven.”
“You’re acting like I run across the M25.”
“Oh my God,” Phoebe coos.
Reid and I look over to see her wide eyes and goofy smile. “Have you spent much time with Mila’s parents then, Reid? I heard you’re going for dinner.”
Oh, she’s not subtle.
“Tomorrow will be the first time.”
That’s right, because I’ve invited him to dinner, and Phoebe is making this weird with her insinuation that Reid and I will have children.
“Cool. Do you know how many girls Reid had over for dinner in high school?”
“Tell me.”
“Stop talking, Phoebe.”
“Three. Each one of them dumber than the last.”
“They were not dumb.”
“Academically, they may not have been, but they couldn’t see that Reid wasn’t into them.”
Reid rolls his eyes. “They weren’t that into me, either.”
I pout. “Poor Reid.”
He gives me a sideways glance. “I was fine.”
“He was never a womaniser. Reid is loyal.”
“I know,” I reply. He’s trustworthy. I don’t know what it is about him, maybe the fact that he reads and has only ever helped me, but I trust him with my life.