Page 6 of Fourteen of a Kind
“No, you’re not. Stop it, Ella.” His arms tightened around me. “I know it hurts now, but you’re a strong woman, and I promise you’ll get through this. Your mom is really upset and wants you to come to dinner. So, dry your eyes and come over. In fact, spend the night.”
“I’m not spending the night.” I broke our embrace.
“Okay. Then, after dinner, we’ll light a bonfire, meet the family down at the beach, drink a few beers, play music, and have a good time. You know the beach always makes you feel better.”
“We’ll see, Dad. I’m going to freshen up. Tell Mom I’ll be over soon.”
He pressed his lips against my forehead. “I love you, kiddo.”
“I love you too, Dad.”
I went upstairs to the bathroom, grabbed the hairbrush, and ran it through my hair before fixing my makeup. The image of walking in on Landon and Penelope played repeatedly in my head, shattering my already broken heart.
I’d been dating on and off since I was sixteen years old, but I never let myself get serious with a guy because of my studies. Landon was the first guy I seriously got involved with, and he would be my last as far as I was concerned.
After changing my clothes, I walked to my dad’s house, opened the sliding door, and stepped inside.
“Come here, sweetheart.” My mom ran over and hugged me.
“Don’t Mom. I’ll start crying again, and I don’t want to do that.”
“You got this.” She cupped my face in her hands.
“Hey, sis.” My brother Nicholas walked into the kitchen. “Sorry about that asshole. I’m going to kick his cheating ass when I see him.”
“Thanks, little brother, but I’m pretty sure Uncle Christian already did.”
“Babe, where’s Willow?” my dad asked my mom.
“She’s at the dance studio practicing her dance routine. I told her it was okay for her to miss dinner tonight.”
My brother, Nicholas, and my sister, Willow, were both in high school. Once Nicholas graduated, he would go to Stanford to study medicine and become a plastic surgeon like our father. My sister Willow was an amazing ballerina who studied and trained under our mother.
“Everyone sit down. Dinner is ready,” my mom said.
I mostly picked at my food because I wasn’t hungry.
“Sweetheart, you have to eat something,” my dad said.
“Leave her alone, Dad. She’ll eat when she feels like it,” Nicholas said. “Okay, fam, I’m off.”
“And where are you going?” my dad asked.
“I have a date with Gretchen tonight.” He walked over and kissed the top of my head. “Don’t give that asshole another thought. You’re way too good for him, sis.”
I gave him a small smile, stood up, and took my plate to the sink.
“I just got a text from Jackson. The family is down at the beach,” my dad said.
“You two go, and I’ll meet you down there as soon as I clean up,” my mom said.
“I’ll help, Mom.”
“No, you won’t. Go be with the family. It’s mostly cleaned up anyway.” She smiled.
My dad grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge and handed me one. “Come on, sweetheart.”
We walked out the sliding door, and suddenly, humiliation filled me as my family stared at me from the bonfire.