“There’s no sides.” Mom shakes her head. “You both are my children and I love you both equally.”
I give her a pointed look. “Right, well I’m going to shower and you both can think about the way you treat me.”
“We will definitely do that.” My mom’s sarcastic voice sounds alot like mine.
Add in how much I love my family to how amazing my life has been. We’ve always been close, but now that I’m back to living here it feels better than ever. Even though I do want to find a place of my own sometime soon, I won’t be leaving Amity again. Amity is home.
CHAPTER 41
Lily
Parker pickedme up to go to the Amity Strawberry Festival. It was supposed to be the two of us in his truck, but Ethan threw a fit to join. Which resulted in him squeezing between us. My parents, Aunt Trish, and Parker’s mom Jackie will be meeting us there. Which is why I really wanted this extra alone time with Parker beforehand.
Maybe a quick make out session or quickie or something to get it out of my system. But that doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. And yes, I’m pouting about it.
Ethan has been talking a mile a minute the entire car ride, and I wonder if this is what it’s like with me some of the time. Parker handles it like a pro, laughing and joking with my brother like they’re best friends. It’s amazing to see. I know Ethan has struggled with making friends at school and has been bullied before. It’s not surprising at all that Parker was willing to step up and be his friend when he needed one most.
He's the best man I know.
And he’s mine.
Except right now because I’m having to share him, and I’m going to complain about it the whole time.
We get to the empty dirt area that gets transformed for this event every year. I see Sutton and Jameson walking toward the entrance and jump out of the car to flag them down. Of course that means calling out for my friend, loudly. She turns around, smiling, and I swear her pregnant stomach looks even bigger. That can’t be comfortable.
“Lily!” Sutton calls out, and I jog toward her, throwing my arms around her.
“Is Bailey coming?” I ask right before the noise from a loud sports car approaches answering my question.
Wes swings the car into an unmarked spot, and I hear Parker greeting Jameson and Sutton as he throws his arm around my shoulder. I smile at the easy contact from him. One I would have denied only a few months ago, but now I embrace it.
Sutton notices, giving me a wink.
Bailey also notices and gives me a nod with one of her signature close lipped smiles. Wes greets everyone but isn’t overly talkative. He never is, but you know he’s there since he’s so freaking massive.
While we’re walking toward the entrance we’re joined by my parents, Trish, and Jackie. I love having this group together like this. It only reaffirms how at home I feel being back here.
We find an open spot on the bleachers to watchthe small rodeo the festival has. I look over to Jameson “You not participating this year?”
He raises an eyebrow at me. “I could ask you the same thing.”
I scoff. “I haven’t practiced barrels in so long.”
“Me either.”
“Bet I could beat you though,” I challenge.
He laughs. “Bet you could.”
“Not even going to put up a fight about that one?” I narrow my eyes.
“You’re in your twenties and I’m pushing forty, I fully believe you’d beat me in a barrel race.”
“Damn.” I shake my head, disappointed I wouldn’t have a worthy competitor.
“If we raced, I’d still beat you,” Parker teases.
“Barrels? Yeah right, you could never get around the first corner.”