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Not a good look

“We can grab breakfast on the way,” he says, and pecking ineer watching his latest creation hum to life

We’re on the road soon enough, only stopping briefly for a take-out breakfast, which is delicious

Everything here just feels better, tastes better Or ?

Either way, it helps settle my nerves but I still try one more time to see if I can’t handle some of this on my own

“Could you at least givebefore he simply takes my hand and kisses it while he drives

“What do you need time for?” he asks me directly “We don’t have to make love in front of them Just say hi and bye, you’re an adult”

I have to agree with him

If only it ith soh…

The thought of even seeing h Then there’s the whole Michael seeing where I actually live thing

Ugh

It’s unbearable on the one hand, but on the other like having a loose tooth out or a cast taken off Best to just get it over and done with, I’ll deal with the fallout later

The ride to oes a hundred tiet to the beach house

I give Michael directions once we take the turn off and I notice his disapproving look darken as we drive through the neighborhood, finally turning onto my street

“Oh shit,” I mumble to myself

“What is it?” Michael asks, filled with concern

“They’re already here”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Michael

I feel for Natasha, I really do

The effect this is having on her isn’t so good, and it’s hard to watch her grow so anxious

But I’irl anymore and the sooner her parents, Suzanna, and everyone else sees that the better

Okay, sofor her once we arrive isn’t ideal, but we’re all adults here

Aren’t we?

Natasha tells me to park a few houses down, and when I stop she asks me to wait in the car