Not Even Close (A New Generation) by Elizabeth Reyes (books to read in a lifetime txt) 📗

He turned to Savannah feeling his insides heat almost instantly.“Is that your ex-Richard?” She nodded and even as both girls stared athim a bit wide eyed, he blurted out the next more demanding question withoutthought. “What’s he doing here? I thought you said you don’t stay in touch withhim anymore.”

“I don’t, but Chava does,” she explained squeezing his hand. “Itold you he was my cousin’s friend for a long time before anything happenedbetween him and I. They’re still friends.”

“Chava didn’t tell anyone he was bringing him today.” Siennaadded then went on quickly. “They got here right before you two did. Otherwise,I would’ve given Vannah a heads up. B-but he has a new girlfriend now.”

“He does?”

Instantly Byron’s eyes were back on Savannah beyond annoyed ather obvious curiosity about this. “You wanna go ask him about it, Savannah?”

“Uh, I think I’ll go help mom,” Sienna said before her sistercould respond. Clearly, she sensed they might need some privacy. “You know whata hot mess she is in the kitchen.”

With her sister slinking away, Byron turned back to Savannah searchingher eyes and waited for a response. To his utter exasperation even this broughthumor to her eyes.

“This is funny to you?”

“No.” She shook her head adamantly squeezing his hand but grinned.Fucking grinned! “Okay, this is new to me too. I’m sorry and before youask, no I couldn’t care less about his new girlfriend. But I could tell mysister was trying to assuage the situation, and that was my way of followingher lead. Stupid I know, but I blurted it out without thinking.”

She let go of his hand and hooked her arm into his instead, wrappingher arms tightly and leaning against it. That he could go from zero to sixty ina second when it came to this shit, and then she could so easily bring himdown, spoke volumes about how he felt for her now.

“You can’t be mad at me for my cousin inviting his friend to thisthing.” She looked up at him with those big eyes that would be the end of him.“But you heard my uncle. Hasn’t seen him in years because it’s not like hecomes around often.” Her big eyes went even wider. “Only you can’t sayanything. No one except my mom, Nena, and Chava know there was ever anythingbetween him and I. Not even my brothers or dad. I was younger then, remember?Would’ve been such a bigger deal back then, than me bringing you here today nowthat I’m all grown up. And.” She leaned in smiling silly andkissed Byron’s bicep. “You also heard what Chava said when we walked out here.That no one told him anything. Which means had he known he wouldn’t haveinvited him, which also means he likely won’t in the future, and I’ll bemaking sure he doesn’t. So, this is probable the last I’ll ever see of him. Idon’t even plan on talking to him today.”

“Good.”

Savannah giggled squeezing his arm again. “You’re so silly. Ifonly you knew how insignificant what he and I had, feels now that I’ve metyou.”

This was music to Byron’s ears and if they weren’t in a yard fullof her enormous family, he would’ve kissed her. But he didn’t dare. He’d save thatfor tonight. She’d just confirmed not only that she had zero interest in evencatching up with her first everything, but that she didn’t consider whatthey had nearly as significant as what she had with Byron. She may as well havesaid the L word and that she was all for a serious relationship.

“You ready for more?”

The blissful relief Byron had begun to feel once again came to a screechinghalt when he followed Savannah’s gaze to see what she meant. Despite meetingher uncles being fairly painless thus far, his heart nearly gave out when heturned to see not just her two uncles, but Papa Bear himself walking straightto them with a purpose. Her aunt Sofia hadn’t been kidding when she mentioned toher husband that he’d get to see Savannah’s dad out there brooding soonenough. You’d think having a brother like Beast and Byron being such a broodyfuck himself this entire past year before Savannah, he’d know how to handle herdad. Yet, that menacing near glare, as the man approached them, had Byron tryingto calm his breathing.

“Oh, shit,” he muttered as Savannah tightened her hold onhis arm.

As usual, Savannah laughed under her breath. “Relax, they said theywanted to ask more about your brother. Oh.” She nudged him. “And it gets better.Just wait until tomorrow when all my other uncles, the hotheaded but alsohilarious Romero’s will be there. That’s gonna be so much fun.”

Byron turned to her once again flabbergasted by her tranquildemeanor when it came to this shit. Gets better? Fun? Was she fuckingkidding him?

Twenty-Three

The P.I. and the Influencer

Vannah

Okay, so yesterday hadn’t exactly gone on without ahitch. Byron meeting her uncles, and then Richard being there, was not anexpected addition to the already intense setting. But at least they’d gottenpast it all without too much drama. Richard hadn’t even attempted to approachor talk to Vannah, and even left early. Thank God. Now they had theeasier uncles to get past and she’d be home free. Though Byron didn’t seem toshare her optimism about this being as easy peasy as she was trying to make itseem.

They’d barely been at the restaurant a few minutes when Byron gothis first loud dose of the Romero’s. Vannah was still showing him around, andthey weren’t even upstairs yet in the banquet room where the party was takingplace when she heard the unmistakable wheezing laughter. It was followed up byequally loud and obnoxious snorting.

Both she and Byron turned at the same time toward the stairwellthat led to the banquet rooms. Uncle Max was at the bottom holding his wifeAunt Pat’s arm who’d apparently nearly lost a shoe on her way up. Uncle Mannyand his wife Aunt Aida were just behind them busting a gut over it.

“That’s why I don’t like stairs,” Manny said through hislaughter. “They’re always up to no good.”

More wheezing, as Pat turned to