Sugar and Ice - RJ Scott Page 0,60
thing to Mom, shaking hands in all seriousness with Dad. By the time we reached the convoy of cars in the parking lot, Vlad might as well have changed his last name to Collins.
We were in Logan’s SUV, me wedged between Lizzie and Bella, and Vlad taking shotgun. It wasn’t as if his huge ass would fit in between my wriggly nieces, and this way I got to hear all about princesses and parties and how brilliant it was that I was here for Lizzie’s birthday and was I okay to dress up as a prince. Given that I would do anything for my nieces and nephews, I immediately said yes.
Then I heard Vlad and Logan talking, and I zoned out on princess parties and focused right in on Vlad’s questions about me.
“…so that is why he has a scar on his knee.” I heard Logan finish, and groaned. I so didn’t want Vlad to hear about the time I was on roller skates and ended up on my ass in a bramble bush in our old house. In my defense I’d been two at the time, and Logan had shoved me, but I bet he’d never added that part.
“I have another question,” Vlad said.
Logan laughed loudly, “Is it about why he can’t watch horror movies and the whole Woman in Black thing?”
“Stop it Logan, that movie was scary sh—” I stopped myself swearing, but Lizzie glanced up at me with her nearly six-year-old wisdom and raised an eyebrow. Damn this family!
“No,” Vlad said, “But we can come back to that. I wanted to know why do you call Tate this name, Tot.”
I saw my brother side-eye Vlad. Fuck my life.
Logan snorted a laugh. “Because he’s a Tate-r Tot.”
“Tater Tot,” Vlad said, all serious, but I caught his gaze in the mirror and he was smiling. “Like those squishy potato things?”
“Best food EVER!” Lizzie shouted.
I groaned dramatically, and closed my eyes. I swore after this break, Vlad would never be able to look at me the same way again.
“Did Tate ever tell you about getting drunk and wanting to adopt all the legless kittens of the world?”
“No, please tell me more.”
It was like that all the way back to Mom and Dad’s place, and by the time we arrived I didn’t think there was a single embarrassing story left to share.
Dinner was loud, chaotic, a mess of love and hugs, and news about schools and work. Vlad and I didn’t come out and officially say we were a couple, but the adults knew, and it wasn’t safe to have PDAs in case one of the kids went to school and said something. I knew we were being paranoid, but that was what secrets did to a person. At least we sat next to each other and our knees bumped as we ate.
Logan tapped a fork on his glass and one by one every person fell silent.
“I wanted to raise a toast,” he began, and I helped Mitchell fill his sippy cup with some of the special juice that my sister had placed next to him. I didn’t know what we were toasting, but all of the family should be involved. Even Vlad picked up his water glass. “To Tate,” he began, and everyone stared at me as I blinked back at them in surprise. Then my brother, god damn his heart, looked right at Vlad. “And to Vlad.”
“We’re so happy for Vlad and you…” Mom began.
“… that the Raptors are doing so well,” Dad finished, as if they’d rehearsed it.
They were toasting us as a couple, making it so it wasn’t obvious, and I wanted to thank them but all I could do was raise my glass in salute, the same as Vlad.
“We will get a wildcard place,” Vlad announced.
I didn’t disbelieve him, and by the nods around the table everyone else was utterly convinced.
“There’s something else,” Josie said, before the table was reduced back to its chaotic state. She put her hand under the table and David, her partner, put his arm around her shoulder. She held up her hand to show the shiny ring, and then held up a hand when we all began to congratulate them. “And we’re expecting.” More congratulations, and then everyone went quiet when she suddenly burst into tears. “It’s twins, and I’m so happy.”
Mom bustled around to hug her, and the two of them hugged it out.
“She is happy,” David confirmed, “but she’s like super emotional. Last night she ate an entire tub