Kiss My Cupcake Page 32

I give her a look that tells her I think that’s utter bullshit.

She throws her hands in the air. “Okay, I didn’t forget that they were crazy, but I felt bad that you didn’t have plans for Thanksgiving and no one should be alone on the holidays, so it was kind of a kneejerk reaction to invite you along. It wasn’t until we were on the way here that I really considered what it would be like for you, and me, frankly.”

“Right, okay. So what’s the deal with Skylar?”

“She’s harmless.”

“She’s a sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen.”

“She’s actually a total professional at work. She just enjoys getting under my skin and putting on a show.”

I point a finger at her. “Your job tonight is to keep her away from me.”

“I can try, but she’s persistent.”

“And what the hell is with you letting your family treat you like garbage?”

“They don’t treat me like garbage.”

And there’s the defensiveness I’ve been waiting for. “Your little bakeshop? When you get tired of the grueling hours you can work for the family? And they haven’t even come out to see your place.” I don’t know why I’m so pissed off about this. Maybe because I know how hard she works? I’m always fighting to keep up. I’m lucky that college kids are willing to pay money for things like throwing axes.

“It’s better they don’t interfere. Otherwise I’ll have to start serving hundred-dollar kobe beef cupcakes.”

I make a face because that sounds disgusting. Although she did make a Guinness and bacon cupcake that nearly killed me, it was that good, and I really expected to hate it. “Since when do you let other people dictate your actions?”

“I don’t; that’s the point.”

“But they should see how hard you work.”

Blaire sighs. “Look, Ronan, your irritation on my behalf is endearing, but you don’t know what you’re saying. You’ve spent less than half an hour with them and we’re already locked in a bathroom together and you have a million questions. Which I will answer. Later. On the drive home. But for now I need you to trust me when I say I do not want my family visiting B&B because it will inevitably mean they will try to take over. They are well-meaning but insane.”

I stare at her for several long seconds, digesting, accepting. “You are spilling the beans on the drive home.”

“There probably won’t be much to spill by the time we leave, but sure.” She shrugs and turns to open the door.

I stop her from leaving by pressing my palm against it. “Hold up.”

She sighs and her shoulders curl forward. “Can’t it wait?”

“What’s the deal with Matthew?”

She doesn’t turn around, but her head drops and she seems to deflate even further. “We used to date.”

“Excuse me?”

“We dated. It didn’t work out. He married my sister. Oh, and I think Skylar slept with him, too, before they started dating, but then she’s done that a few times with various boyfriends, so sometimes it’s hard to keep track.”

“Wait. What? Skylar slept with your ex-boyfriend before your sister stole him from you?” I feel like my head is going to explode from this information.

“Yeah. Can I go now, please, before we get accused of grabbing a pre-dinner quickie in the bathroom?”

I lift my hand from the door, and she slips out without another word.

Blaire’s offhand mention of a quickie is apparently an appealing idea to my man parts, so it takes me a minute to calm down before I’m able to relieve myself.

As I wait I decide two things: I’m not drinking any more alcohol tonight and I’m going to play up being Blaire’s boyfriend for the rest of our time here. It’s not like her family is going to see me again. I might as well leave them with one hell of a lasting impression.

chapter eleven

This Isn’t the Game

I Was Playing


Blaire

 

Hindsight. It’s a bitch. I should have warned Ronan about my family and how insane they are. But at the same time, he’s been messing with me since day one, and a little payback never hurt anyone.

However, I’m not excited about the prospect of Skylar mauling Ronan all night, as she likes to do with other people’s significant others. Between her and Maddy, I’ve lost at least four dateable prospects.

I realize it doesn’t say much about the guys I went out with, but Skylar will fuck a long john if she’s desperate enough. As for Maddy and Matthew, they belong together. They’re both vain, shallow, and entirely too wrapped up in taking staged photos with celebrities and enjoying the perks of the family wealth.

Despite all this, my family generally has good intentions. It’s just their execution is quite lacking. Also, the fact that my mother and her sister swapped husbands is just plain weird.

So, yeah. Thanksgiving dinner is turning out to be a bit of a clusterfuck. Dinner should be served shortly and we can leave right after dessert. I’m still standing in the hallway outside the bathroom. I don’t know that Ronan and I should return to the kitchen together, but I’m not certain he’ll be able to find his way back on his own. There’s also a significant chance that Skylar will be hiding around the corner, ready to pounce on him, so I wait.

Thankfully, dinner is ready to be served when we return and there’s too much commotion and passing of dishes for anyone to comment on our brief disappearance.

Ronan stays glued to my side, palm resting against the small of my back as we make our way to the dining room. Skylar has obviously been in here, tinkering with the seating arrangements because originally Ronan isn’t even sitting next to me, but he switches the name cards around and pulls my chair out.

Maddy makes a joke about being careful, since we like to play musical chairs in this family. I want to sink into the floor and disappear. And they wonder why I never bring dates over to meet the family. Dinner is a decadent affair, as usual. It’s family style instead of plated, but every dish looks like a work of art. The turkey is a deep-fried masterpiece.

My mother, aunt, cousin, and sister are all on some keto bullshit or other so they refuse all carbs or anything that might contain sugar but load up on fried brussels sprouts and whatever other keto-friendly stuff they’ve prepared. There are even cauliflower “mashed potatoes” loaded with cream and butter and lord knows what else. Skylar goes on about how all she had today was her detox tea so she could enjoy her dinner.

My dad, however, samples everything, dissecting the delicacy of the flavors. And beside me, Ronan quietly groans his food lust. “This is unbelievable,” he mumbles through a mouthful of turkey.

“Don’t forget to save room for dessert.” It’s sort of tongue in cheek since half the people at the table balk at dessert. Or there will be some kind of carb- and flavor-free option that tastes like sadness and cardboard.

Every single member of my family has their phone beside their plate and keeps checking messages between bites. “The manager at the LA location of Decadence wants to meet about the New Year menu. Maddy and I are flying out in the morning to hit up the one in San Diego. Do you want me to stop there, too?” Matthew asks my dad.

Source: www_Novel22_Net

Prev Next