Contessa (59 page)

“
So fast!
”
My brother kneels down and tries to push the car through the grass. It stops after a few inches.

“
We
’
ll try that on the driveway later, how
’
s that?
”
Jon asks.

“
Okay,
”
Trey says. Jon pats him on the head as we walk by him.

“
Ready?
”
I ask him.

“
Alright.
”

“
Everyone? This is Jon.
”

“
Hey, Jon,
”
a few of my cousins answer.

“
Okay... so, that
’
s Clara, Eli, Daniel, Stevie, and Andrew. You
’
ve met the rest.
”

“
We missed you,
”
Andrew says, his tone mocking. I realize quickly he
’
s referring to yesterday morning
’
s text message.

“
Ignore him,
”
I tell Jon as Andrew laughs and waves at my boyfriend politely.
“
He
’
s your age, by the way, but you
’
d never figure that out by his behavior.
”

“
Hey!
”
my cousin argues with me. I wink at him to make sure he knows I
’
m kidding.

“
W
hose
son is Andrew?
”
Jon whispers in my ear.
“
He looks like a younger version of your Dad.
”

“
Kelly
’
s. She
’
s my dad
’
s twin sister.
”

“
Wow. The resemblance is uncanny.
”

“
I know.
”

“
And Clara was your mom
’
s sister
’
s, right?
”

“
Right.
”

“
The hair
’
s a dead giveaway. She and Trey could be sister and brother.
”

“
And I look like no one,
”
I say sarcastically.

“
You look kind of like me,
”
Lexi says, joking with me.

“
Right.
”
She and I look nothing alike, but had always bonded over our adoption into the Holland family.
“
Lexi
’
s not blood-related, either,
”
I tell Jon.

“
But we still love you both,
”
Maddie says as she throws her arm around our shoulders.

“
Yeah, yeah.
”

“
It
’
s nice to meet all of you,
”
Jon says.
“
I hope you don
’
t mind me crashing the family gathering. You
’
re making s
’
mores?
”
he says as he sits down in one of the empty chairs.
“
Mind if I have one?
”

“
Be my guest,
”
Clara says as she nudges his shoulder and hands him a stick and the bag of marshmallows. She wastes no time turning on the charm. I know she
’
s harmless around my boyfriend, though. He doesn
’
t even look twice at her.

“
Would you like one, too, Olivia?
”

“
Sure!
”
He pats his thigh, suggesting I take a seat in his lap, which I gladly do. He puts two marshmallows on the end of the stick, and hands it to me to hold over the fire.

“
I like mine burned.
”

“
Me, too.
”
He puts his arms around my waist and pulls me closer to his body, holding on tight. After lighting our snacks on fire, I pull them to my lips to blow out the flame.

“
So tell me what my dad said to you. When did he invite you?
”

“
I got a call early yesterday morning. He just apologized for our Christmas celebration being cut short, and said that he
’
d like me to come out for the day. He said it would mean a lot to you.
”

“
It does,
”
I tell him with a smile.

“
Your dad
’
s not so bad,
”
he says softly. I nod as I put the marshmallows back on the fire.

“
So why does your boyfriend get to come, and mine can
’
t?
”
Clara asks.

“
We couldn
’
t accommodate them all,
”
Andrew answers her. We all laugh a little as she throws a graham cracker at our cousin.

“
It
’
s my house,
”
I tell them.

“
Kyle was invited,
”
Lexi speaks softly with a shy smile.
“
He was celebrating with his family, though.
”

“
Well that makes sense. You
’
ll be married to him in a few months.
”

“
I can
’
t wait!
”

“
Did you decide on the turquoise or green dresses?
”
Jackie asks. We
’
re all bridesmaids. Lexi
’
s mother, Renee, is going to be her matron of honor.

“
Turquoise.
”

“
I love that one,
”
Clara said.
“
Can my boyfriend come to the wedding?
”

“
If you can get him across the pond,
”
Lexi says.
“
Dates are welcome. We will have a reception at home, though, too, after the honeymoon.
”

“
Tell me about this church you
’
ve selected, Lexi,
”
Jon says.

“
It
’
s, like, more than eight hundred years old,
”
she starts.
“
They don
’
t know the exact age. It
’
s called Lady Chapel.
”

“
Is it in London?
”

“
No, Middlesbrough. It
’
s very small, on a hillside near some ancient ruins of an old abbey. It
’
s totally quiet there.
”

“
And what was so special about it?
”
Jon asks, genuinely interested.

“
Everything.
”
Her eyes widen.
“
When Kyle and I walked in, it was empty. It was as if we were the only two people in the world. I think we both knew it was where we were supposed to pledge our lives to one another. Although neither of us said anything about it until we were engaged.
”

“
Middlesbrough,
”
Jon adds thoughtfully.
“
I think there
’
s a modern art museum there. Yeah, it was designed by Erick van Egeraat.
”
He bounces his leg to get my attention.
“
You
’
ll have to make a day trip there or something. I want pictures.
”

“
Jon knows everything,
”
I say with a smile.

“
I might be a bit of an art and architecture junkie,
”
he says.

“
Well, then you
’
re dating the right girl,
”
Andrew says.
“
Do you go to school with her?
”

“
I sort of used to,
”
Jon says.

“
They met at the Art Room,
”
Clara says.

“
Ahhh,
”
Andrew says.
“
The poor kid
’
s art school. I
’
m guessing one of your parents is an artist?
”

“
My parents?
”
Jon laughs.
“
Not a chance.
”

“
Well, then how
’
d you meet?
”

“
I was a poor kid in Olivia
’
s class,
”
he says.
“
We shared a workspace. She shared her paints, too.
”

“
Olivia?
”
Clara asks with a smirk. I ignore her, focusing on Andrew again, who looks embarrassed once he hears Jon
’
s answer.

“
Oh, man, I
’
m sorry,
”
he says as Maddie slaps him across the chest.
“
I didn
’
t mean anything by that. I just figured... never mind.
”

“
It
’
s fine, Andrew. I might be poor, but I
’
m many other things, too. That word doesn
’
t define me.
”

“
He
’
s going to go to Columbia,
”
I tell my cousins.

Jon
’
s grasp tightens around my waist.
“
I
hope
to,
”
he corrects me.
“
Don
’
t jinx it.
”
He kisses my cheek.
“
Aren
’
t you finished with that marshmallow yet?
”
he says, changing the subject quickly.

“
Yeah,
”
I tell him, showing him the charred treat.

“
Here, Liv,
”
Clara says, handing me two chocolate and graham cracker sandwiches. Jon holds the stick steady while I assemble the s
’
mores.

We hear a car pull up as soon as we take our first bites.

“
Is that your dad?
”
Jon mumbles, his mouth full. I listen for Dad
’
s car alarm chirp, and finally hear it. I nod my head as Jon starts to nudge me into a standing position. I find a paper plate, taking his snack and putting both of them on it, placing the plate on our chair.

“
We
’
ll be right back.
”

“
Give me your hand, Olivia,
”
he says softly.

“
Don
’
t be nervous,
”
I tell him.

“
I
’
m not. Okay, I am. I can do this, though, with you here.
”

“
It
’
s fine.
He
’
s
fine.
”

“
I know, I talked to him yesterday morning. I just can
’
t help but think he may want a moment alone with me or something.
”

“
What, you think he
’
s gonna rough you up or something?
”
I laugh, halfway to the back door.