“No,” Matt says. “But I didn’t try to pretend we were just friend’s did I?”
“And I’m not pretending,” I insist. “It is possible for two people of the opposite sex to be friends you know. I mean I’ve brought Bernie here before and there was no fanfare.”
“I’m not saying it’s not possible for you to be just friends with a woman Seb. I’m saying it’s not possible for you to be just friends with Kimberley,” Matt teases me.
The doorbell goes and mum hurries off to answer it.
“Stop it now. Both of you,” I hiss when I hear my mum greeting Kimberley.
“Hi Kimberley,” Matt says, standing up to hug her. “I can’t believe Seb didn’t pick you up.”
Kimberley raises an eyebrow.
“And there was me thinking it’s not the 1900s and I’m perfectly capable of driving myself somewhere. How silly of me.”
Matt laughs and Kimberley grins at him. She can handle his taunting so much better than I ever could. Matt introduces her to Callie. Callie hugs her and Kimberley sits down beside her. They chat away like they’ve known each other for years. I was a little worried Callie would be cold to her after she said she doesn’t sound like a nice person, but obviously Matt has convinced her I’m the asshole rather than Kimberley.
I can’t help but watch Kimberley as she chats. My eyes are drawn to her and I’m hyper aware of every little move she makes, every time she laughs. I catch myself staring and look away quickly, but not before Matt and mum have noticed.
I am saved from any further embarrassment for now when Chance comes in.
“About time,” dad says to him, finally putting his paper down now everyone has arrived.
“Hey it’s not like I was out socialising dad,” Chance says. “I’ve been in the office working on a new design.”
“No work talk,” mum cautions him.
He holds his hands up and laughs.
“Right, well then call dad off,” he says.
“Carlton,” mum says in a warning voice. “You work him too hard. How will he ever meet a nice girl if he’s tied to the office all day every day?”
“Well Sebastian managed it,” Matt says.
The heat didn’t stay off me for long. I glare at him and he laughs.
“Right. Enough. Dinner before you all end up killing each other,” mum laughs.
We go through to the dining room and mum brings the food through. There’s enough for double the amount of people as always. Kimberley is talking to my dad, telling him about how she managed to land her job. I notice mum doesn’t tell her off for talking about work, but I don’t comment on it.
“Is this the first time you’ve met Kimberley?” mum asks Callie.
She nods her head.
“Ah she’s like one of the family. Growing up, her and Sebastian were inseparable. They practically lived at each other’s houses.”
“Ok, enough,” I say.
Mum ignores me and carries on.
“We were planning on going away one Christmas. Kimberley’s parents wouldn’t let her come because they said Christmas was for family. Sebastian refused to eat for days until eventually, we just gave up on the idea and didn’t go away.”
“Mum, really. No one cares,” I say, feeling myself blushing. “We were just kids then.”
“But now you’re both all grown up and you’ve found your way back to each other. Just like I always knew you would.”
Everyone is listening to mum reminiscing now and I feel myself blushing more.
“Do you think we could talk about something else? Like literally anything else?” I say. “Isn’t it about time you started bothering Callie to make you a grandma or something?”
It’s Callie’s turn to blush and Matt glares at me. I give him an innocent smile. My mum smiles at my dad.
“That’s why Carlton built us this house. He said it was too big when I told him about the home I dreamed of, but I insisted it wasn’t. I wanted it to be big enough so that when you three grew up and had kids of your own, there was always enough room for everyone to stay over. I wanted the house to be full of love and laughter and children.”
“I think you might be waiting a while before that happens,” Matt laughs. “Callie and I are happy as we are for now, Chance is married to the job. And well, Sebastian is single.”
He puts single in air quotes which I choose to ignore. Kimberley tenses up beside me but it’s only for a second and then she relaxes again and I think maybe I imagined it.
“Would you excuse me for a second?” Kimberley says, standing up.
I didn’t imagine it. I glare at Matt as Kimberley leaves the room.
“Nice,” I say.
“Oh come on Seb. She can’t be upset because I said you were single when the two of you are both pretending you’re not back together.”
I keep glaring at him and he shakes his head.
“Let me go talk to her,” he says.
“No. I’ll go,” I say.
I get up and head out after Kimberley. I find her coming back towards the dining room.
“Are you alright?” I ask.
“I’m fine,” she smiles. “I just needed to use the bathroom. Any reason you felt the need to follow me?”
“I … I thought you were upset because Matt said I was single,” I admit.
Kimberley laughs.
“Matt doesn’t think you’re single. He just wants to hear you admit it,” she says. “And no, I’m not upset by his comments. Seriously Sebastian, you have to stop letting him get under your skin the way he does. That’s why he winds you up.”
I smile and shake my head.
“Yeah. You’re right. Come on, we’d better get back before they plan our whole wedding and name our first born,” I say.
Kimberley laughs and follows me back to the dining room. We retake our seats. The atmosphere in the room has changed. No one seems to quite know what to say. Kimberley kicks me under the table and gives