Chapter 66
But it was no use. She continued her lecture and even though I’d heard it a million times, it had never been directed at me before. It was clear they weren’t going to give in on this matter, and I promised I would come home as soon as I’d finished breakfast.
I took a few moments to calm down after we hung up. It was definitely time to think about moving out. My own room over the apartment was suddenly not enough.
Beckett was scrolling through his phone when I came back into the kitchen, and he looked up at me. When I threw myself down on the chair next to him, he draped his arm over my shoulders and pulled me close.
“Was she upset?” he asked and pressed a kiss on top of my head.
“Mhm.”
“I’m sorry.” His hand stroked my arm, up and down in a soothing motion, making my frustration bleed away.
“It’s fine. What are you reading?”
He held out his phone so I could see the screen.
Ah. The horoscope. Sierra-Hotel-India-Tango.
“Uh, I need to tell you something,” I said. Only one person knew about the horoscopes, Dave the senior editor at the magazine. But I didn’t want secrets between us. Even benign ones.
“Okay?”
“Those horoscopes you love so much?”
“Yes?”
I swallowed. Let out a sputtering breath. “I write them.”
He stiffened. Put down his phone and turned toward me with eyes wide. “What?”
“I, uh, write the horoscopes. It started out as a stupid joke, but it’s fun and now they’re really popular…” I continued to tell him the story of how I’d been invited to a Christmas party at the online magazine. One of the staff writers kept blabbering about astrology and quoted horoscopes to us. I blurted out that anyone could write stuff like that, but she got annoyed and stomped off, leaving me and Dave by ourselves at the table. And I’d followed through. Made up a stupid dirty horoscope and Dave had laughed so much he’d sprayed beer all over the table. Then he’d spent a couple hours convincing me that I needed to write them for the site, and eventually I’d gotten tired of listening to him and agreed. And now I enjoyed it.
When I finished my story, a smile bloomed on Beckett’s face, “You? You’re writing them?”
I nodded.
“Fan-fucking-tastic,” he said, threw his head back, and howled with laughter. When he calmed down, he grabbed me around the waist and hauled me over until I straddled him. “You’re full of surprises, Levi Byrne.”
“Is that good or bad?”
“Oh, it’s very good,” he said and took my mouth in a scorching kiss.
I surrendered. I’d just have to tell my parents that breakfast ran late. 9: Beckett
Pisces (February 19—March 20)
Today you’ll have excellent energy for decision-making, so take this opportunity to finally make up your mind about something you’ve been dodging. Maybe it’s time to let your boyfriend truss you up like a Christmas turkey and stuff you full? Whatever it is, don’t put it off any longer!
* * * *
I was invited to Sunday family dinner at the Byrnes. It was far from the first time, but this time felt different. I wasn’t there as Matt’s friend, but as Levi’s boyfriend, so this was basically a meet-the-parents moment even if I’d met them many times before.
We’d been dating for four weeks when Levi had told me my presence was requested by his mom. The idea made me nervous and I had tried to object. “It’s too soon. Isn’t it too soon to meet the parents?”
Levi’s only reply had been a displeased face, telling me in no uncertain terms that I was being an idiot. To erase the annoyed wrinkle between his eyes, I’d attacked him with kisses and one thing led to another and we’d ended up in a tangle of sweaty limbs, thoroughly distracted from the topic.
The next day Levi had informed me he’d told his mom we would both attend the dinner, so here I was. Seated next to my quiet boyfriend, with one Hell Sister on each knee, trying to eat my soup, which was easier said than done even though they were both still and quiet. I was starting to wonder if the tales about the wild and untamed Hell Sisters had been an exaggeration.
“Who are these little angels sitting so nicely on Beckett’s lap?” Mrs. Byrne asked.
“And what have they done to our daughters?” Mr. Byrne filled in with a wink. The girls giggled but didn’t say anything.
“Next time I’m on babysitting duty, I’m calling Beckett for reinforcement,” Abel, Levi’s fourteen-year-old brother, said.
“Mhm. He’s like the Hell Sister whisperer,” Samuel agreed.