Girl Gone Viral (Modern Love #2)(93)

Jas cleared his throat. Now he was the one who sounded hoarse. “You didn’t let me finish. I know I’ve disappointed you by not communicating with you as well as I could have. I’m going to be better, more honest. I want to be in your lives more.”

Gurjit coughed. His eyes were suspiciously misty. He squeezed Jas’s shoulder.

“If you do come to the parade, I got you some really good noise-canceling headphones,” Andrés said gruffly. “So it won’t be too loud. And I already cleared it with the committee to keep the backstage area clear so you can watch from the wings. You won’t have to be in the crowd. We’ll have a car waiting by the back door so you can leave if you need to. Any other accommodations you want, I’ll do. If I can’t do them, I’ll find someone who will.”

If his grandfather could get multiple people to help him pull off a ruse like this, Jas didn’t doubt he’d move heaven and earth in this community to get Jas every accommodation possible. “That sounds great,” he managed.

“If that’s still not enough for you, I would love it if you would come home anyway then. We can have a small party after. Family only.”

The pressure lifted off his shoulders with those words was immense. “In that case, I’ll come. I promise.”

“I love you, you know. I don’t say it enough, because I assumed you knew I love you. But that’s the problem. Sometimes we think a person doesn’t need to hear something because it’s obvious, because they know what’s in our hearts. But that’s not how the world works. We have to say the things.” He cleared his throat. “So, I love you. I want you to be happy.”

Jas swallowed the lump in his throat. “I love you, too. I am still extremely mad at you about this ruse.”

“Fair.”

“I don’t quite understand how you pulled this off. Is this legal?”

“Pshaw.” His grandfather puffed out his chest. “I am the Peach Prince. Favors have been called in for this.”

Jas glanced around. “Do we need to leave?”

His grandfather grinned. “It was lots of favors. We can stay here for a minute. Open that drawer, son.”

Jas opened the nightstand drawer and couldn’t help but chuckle at the bottle of scotch inside. “Grandpa, honestly.” He glanced up when there was no response, to find Gurjit and Andrés exchanging a look.

“Haven’t heard you laugh in a while,” his dad explained.

Aw, jeez. Jas had something in his eye. “You’ll hear it more, I think.” He pulled out the bottle. “Who wants a drink?”





Chapter Thirty


“I LOVE YOU.”

“No, I love you.”

“I love you more.”

“Ugh.” Jia dropped her phone on her stomach and glared at Katrina and Rhiannon. “Being sober around drunk people is so annoying. Is this how Lakshmi feels when she’s around me?”

Katrina laughed and rested her head on Rhiannon’s shoulder. They sat on their patio, enjoying the cool evening air and relaxing after dinner. Katrina had grilled burgers for them. Then they’d opened the wine. Then they’d drunk the wine.

And now she and Rhiannon were ensconced side by side in a chaise lounge, the chair too small to really hold both of them, but that was okay. Katrina did love cuddling.

“How is the internet doing, Jia?” Rhiannon’s words weren’t slurred yet, so Katrina figured they hadn’t drunk enough wine.

“Pretty good, actually. The internet is amazing.” Jia twirled a thread on the hem of her dress between her fingers. She wore a flowy embroidered caftan this evening. She looked like a garden princess.

“Amazing,” Katrina echoed sardonically, but she was amazed at how quickly her statement had been embraced. Think pieces upon think pieces had been furiously written all day.

She was sure there was an ugly section of the internet that had sneered at her earnest plea for privacy, but she wasn’t living for them. She had a web of people who had protected her, even if some people hadn’t. Her family. People who, even if she was exposed, would shelter her.

“It helps that those Japanese zoo escape drills went viral.” Rhiannon tucked Zeus under her chin and scratched the kitten. Doodle was happily snoozing in the garden. “You couldn’t hold anyone’s interest, really, when up against a man in a panda suit running away from tranq guns.”

“So glad I’m less attractive than a six-foot-tall man-panda.” Katrina stretched her legs out. “I hope the couple and Ross don’t get too much hate, though.”

“Ugh, Lakshmi’s right, you’re so nice,” Rhiannon said.

“I’m not nice. There’s nothing wrong with giving people the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps they’ll learn from this and grow.”

“Too. Nice.”

“For what it’s worth, I’m on Rhiannon’s side. You are too nice.” Jia came to her feet. “I’ll get you guys some water.”

Rhiannon set the cat on the ground. “I don’t mean anything bad when I say you’re nice, by the way. I think it takes a certain kind of strength, when the world is hateful or mean, to come out on the other side with your heart and your kindness and your humanity intact. I honestly don’t know how you can be so optimistic after everything you’ve been through.”