The dinner passes quickly, and my parents come to learn a lot about Indigo. And so do I. There was one moment she tensed, when Dad asked about her parents and she said they’d passed away. I truly felt like the world had slipped from under my feet.

And my hand went to hers again. I squeezed her palm, moving my thumb across her skin. Thought it might help her. Hope that it did.

Now we’re all on the couch, popcorn everywhere, and laughing until our tummies hurt. Mostly because Mom made us eat pork, salad, and chocolate cake.

We’re watching Dumb and Dumber, a movie my parents always put on for a good laugh. Whenever they fight, whenever they have a bad day, whenever they feel alone.

Indigo laughs until tears fill her eyes. I’ve never seen this part of her and it’s addictive. She looks up at me, straight into my eyes. We’re so close our lips are almost touching. My heart races in my chest as her tongue flicks over her bottom lip. I know that this isn’t an invitation, more like an automatic thing, but it takes my breath away.

This is a physical reaction, I tell myself. I won’t let it ruin this thing that’s going on between us.

So instead of kissing her lips, I lean down and tenderly kiss her forehead.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

INDIGO

“I think it’s time for me to go,” I say as I get up from the couch.

Lorelai looks a bit crestfallen, as Elias’s dad gazes up at me with curious eyes.

“Is everything alright?”

I scratch the back of my head, not ready to leave, but not willing to stay the night either. They’re fun and easy to be with, but it’s getting late, and I’d like to sleep in the comfort of my own bed.

“My grandma lives here and I promised her I’d stay tonight.” I let the lie slip out of my mouth and instantly regretted it.

Both of them nod in understanding with a little smile that doesn’t quite reach their eyes. They did nothing but try to make me feel at home. And I did. It makes me feel better than my home ever has.

“Oh,” Lorelai says, “I prepared Elias’s old room for you guys.”

“Maybe Indigo could stay over tomorrow night?” Elias’s dad asks.

I move my gaze from them to Elias, waiting for a way out of this.

“If your grandmother is fine with that, of course,” Tom adds, and I can see where Olivia gets her eyes from. Those warm eyes you can’t refuse.

It would be good to take a step back, run out of here. But I can’t.