at Milo’s parents, wondering what they’ll think about the PDA. Either they didn’t see or don’t care, since no one is looking at me like I shouldn’t have let him kiss me.
“I took care of dinner, we can just give them a call when we head home so they’ll know when to deliver it. Oliver, I figured you might want to call your parents, we talked to ours while you guys were gone.”
Ollie groans from behind me, but peeking at him, I see the easy grin on his face. “I’m going to get hell for not telling them sooner. Just so you know, Ares, I plan on telling my mom it was all your idea.” It sounds vaguely like a threat.
“I assumed,” Ares answers dryly.
We spend another hour or so in the room. I don’t think anyone is in a hurry to stuff ourselves back into the car for the ride home. Ollie tells us little stories about all the athletes and their families to keep us entertained, while Ares continues to work on his laptop. Milo’s parents took up seats with him at the table not long after coming in. It’s been so much easier than I could have ever imagined meeting his family. I can only hope meeting the others will be just as pain free.
Ollie called his dad from the room and told his family Ares was throwing together a little congratulations dinner for Milo and wanted them to be there. I hope they like surprises, ‘cause they’re sure in for one.
Eventually we do pile in the Suburban. Ollie, Dante, and I are in the back, with Milo, his mom, and Ares in the middle, and Phil and Matt up front again. I keep my legs tucked in close to give the guys as much room as possible, but I’m actually more comfortable back here than I was in the middle row. I think it has more to do with me being next to Ollie and Dante, and not sitting next to Linda, than the ride itself. Lowering my head to Dante’s shoulder I let the low conversations and the smooth ride lull me until I’m almost asleep.
I excuse myself to Ares’s room not long after getting home. Being around all these people for any length of time is exhausting, and half of them aren’t even here yet. Mia greeted Milo’s parents like old friends. There are no awkward, stunted conversations or behavior with her—she fits in with them like she was meant to be. That might actually be more about me being petty than the truth, but that’s how it feels seeing her ingratiate herself with them all so easily.
I know I won’t have much time before someone comes looking for me. Ares said dinner should be here soon, but even a few minutes alone is better than sitting there feeling like an intruder among these people who have known each other forever.
“Hey, bae.” Ollie enters the room without knocking. I lift my head off the bed, staring him down. “Yeah, I didn’t think that one would fit,” he says without an ounce of regret.
“That has to be the stupidest pet name I’ve ever heard, bae,” I scoff, dropping my head back to the bed melodramatically.
“Uh oh, someone is cranky,” Ollie singsongs. He grabs hold of my foot and slides his thumb up my instep and I squirm. It doesn’t really tickle, but it feels funny.
“I’m not cranky.” My voice sounds like a pout, even to myself.
Ollie chuckles with my foot still held captive. “It’s okay, I’d get crabby, too, if someone deprived me of my awesomeness all day.”
Peering up at his cheekiness, I can’t help but grin. “You got me,” I confess. His hands warm up as he circles the bottom of my foot with his thumbs. Ollie bites the corner of his lip, the silly banter evaporating as the atmosphere shifts.
“If this is too much, tell us.”
I look away, feeling guilty about leaving them. “I’m just not used to being around so many people, well, people who are focused on me, anyway. I’m used to blending in, disappearing.”
Ollie’s hands begin to move higher up my foot until he’s circling my ankle. “Honey, I don’t think you ever disappeared. You might have wanted to, but people always notice you, even if you don’t realize it.”
Ignoring his comment, I fold my arm over my eyes and sigh, letting his magic hands and fingers knead away my worries. Ollie lifts my leg higher, and I feel the