Chapter Thirteen
Tyler
Layla looks as if she’s about to cry. What the heck did I do?
“Hey, please don’t cry, Layla,” I whisper, and move her into the living room.
“You’re going to break up with me, aren’t you?” She sinks down into a couch cushion.
I smirk. “Um. No. I was going to say I think maybe we should come up with a plan. If you decide to come to my family’s party, and it becomes overwhelming, we can give each other a signal.” I settle next to her.
“Like what? Fake sneeze?”
I nod. “Sure. Although when you really sneeze it sounds like you sat on a little mouse. It’s cute. Remember Mrs. Rodgers’ class she kept flinching when you did it? It’s because she was terrified of mice. And on April Fool’s I put a caged pet mouse on her desk. God, her scream was priceless.”
Layla shakes her head. “I still can’t believe you did that, and didn’t get a single detention for it.”
“Please. Mrs. Rodgers loved me. She’d never punish me.”
“But enough about that. Can we talk about the party?” I ask.
“I don’t want to go,” she says as I tuck a piece of loose silken hair behind her ear.
I laugh. “Babe, that’s not a signal.” Then I realize she’s serious.
I drop my hand and scoot back. “It’s too much isn’t it?” I ask.
She nods. “I want to go but it just feels so uncomfortable already. I don’t want to be in a room with a bunch of strangers judging me.”
“But that’s everywhere.”
Layla sniffles. “No. It’s different. I like us, Tyler. How we are. Don’t you?”
“Of course, I like how we are. Going to this dumb party for two minutes isn’t going to change us.”
She arches a brow. “What if it does? What if your sister decides there is someone better for you elsewhere or she doesn’t want her brother dating a gold digger? What if your parents think I’m no good for you? You can’t tell me your parents will approve of us.”
I grab her hands in mine and drop my lips to hers.
I break our kiss then say, “No one can ever tell me anything different about you. No one. I mean it. Babe, we hated each other. I’ve seen all possible sides of you that should have me running for the hills and screaming in terror.”
She frowns and starts to dip her head. I slide my fingers under her chin and tilt it so that I can meet her gaze. “Layla, I’m not running. You didn’t scare me off. Not even when you were pissed off and throwing my phone across a room or slapping me in my face. Besides, no one else can handle all of this and still keep me in check.”
“And you just had to ruin it,” she said laughing while poking me in the chest.
I catch her hand and bring it to my mouth, placing a single kiss to her palm. “So, this signal, it needs to be subtle. I was thinking a cough.”
“I honestly don’t think I should go, Ty. This has really been stressing me out.”
“What has?”
“The whole meeting your entire family. Can we wait until we have been dating longer?”
I sigh. “If you really want to wait, I won’t rush you.”
“I do.”
I nod. The smell of spices wafts between us. A mixture of garlic, basil, curry, and butter. “What were you two doing before I got here?” I ask.
“Cooking. Crap. The water.” She rushes into the kitchen just in time to hear Juliet muttering to herself as she chops vegetables.
“Oh, I can help … Yeah right,” Juliet scoffs. “Not when Mr. Doe Eyes shows up. He comes first.”
“Who’s Mr. Doe Eyes?” I whisper, now behind her.
“I think she’s talking about you,” Layla says.
I smirk. “Is that what you secretly call me when you’re talking about me?” I tease Layla.
“Uh. No. I call you many things, but Doe Eyes has never been on that list.” She walks over to her sister and says, “Are you boiling noodles?”
“Potatoes. Don’t worry, I got it. Go make out or whatever with your boyfriend.” Juliet shoots us a menacing glare.
I’m all for making out with my girl. But I know with Layla’s shoulders currently slumping, she wants to be there for Juliet. So, I roll up my sleeves and walk over to the sink.
“What are you doing?” Layla asks.
“Washing my hands, and then we’re going to make the best damn meal anyone in this house has ever eaten.”
“Are you saying Juliet can’t cook? Because she’s awesome.”
“You ladies smell that?” I ask after I wash and dry my hands on a towel.
Juliet glances over at me. “Smell what? I’m not burning anything.”
“Not that. I smell a challenge. You two versus me.”
Layla laughs. “What do we get if we win?”
“Anything you want.”
Juliet and Layla have a little stare down before they nod. Layla smiles. “You have to decorate our whole house in Christmas stuff.”
Juliet nudges Layla. “Oh, right. It’s got to be you. Not some hired creeps.”
“Fine. But I get to bring one friend to help.”
Layla nods. “Deal.”
“If I win. Juliet, you have to go with Layla and me to a movie of our choice.” Layla frowns. “Oh yeah, babe. I see the frown. It’s going to be all action.”
Juliet shrugs. “Don’t worry, Layla, he’s not going to win.”
“Oh, you ladies are going down.” I head over to the pantry fully prepared to win this challenge. If I lose though, it won’t be so bad, I tell myself. But I’m Tyler Richardson, and I don’t lose.