Fell In Love With My Roomy Chapter 71

I press my lips together and close my door. I change into jeans instead of leggings and put on some concealer to hide my red spots from crying. I try to look brave because I'm going home for Mom's enchiladas. The world is not small; it's huge and full of possibilities.

I open the door a few minutes later and see everyone in the living room, waiting for me to show up.

We all get into Kent's car and head home. I'm excited to be back. I sit behind Kent in the backseat and smile while thinking about the two of us this afternoon.

The strange thing is, when I think about Kent, I stop thinking about my mess with Dane. Maybe I never had feelings for Dane, perhaps I just kept pushing Kent aside to try and enjoy another relationship. Maybe I thought things could be the same with Dane.

Kent parks in my driveway, and I smile, leading everyone to my front door. It's not a big house, but Mom is used to accommodating a large family for dinner.

"Hello?" I call as I kick off my shoes. Mom comes out from the kitchen, wearing her apron.

"Juls," she grins, giving me a hug, which I appreciate after my tough morning. "I'm glad you're here. Are you okay?" She asks, and I nod.

"I'm okay. Thanks for having everyone," I whisper, pulling back. "Mom, this is Abby," I smile, and Mom grins, extending her hand.

"I'm Colleen. Pleased to meet you," she smiles.

"And, of course, you know Mark, Kyle, and Kent."

"I'm glad you could make it," she says. "Come in; dinner's almost ready," she smiles, waving us inside, and I walk through the kitchen. "Henry! Come say hello!" She calls, and Dad comes in from the dining room.

"Hey, Juls," he smiles, walking over to give me a hug. "Woah, it's been a while since I've seen you bring any friends home," he chuckles. "Henry Macey, how's everyone doing?"

"Hungry," Mark admits, and Dad smiles.

"Well, good thing, Colleen's been cooking all afternoon. Come sit at the table; we'll bring out dinner."

"It smells so good in here, Juls," Abby insists, linking her arm through mine, and I smile. Dad has set up the table for eight.

"I know; I love enchilada night," I say, enjoying the comforting smell of being home.

"Come on, Jess, come to your sister's home, come have dinner with us," I hear Dad say from the hall.

"You have a sister?" Abby whispers.

"Brother, Jesse," I explain, and she nods, looking less confused.

"They're all university students; what am I going to talk to them about?" Jesse moans, and I snort.

"Take a seat," I tell everyone, resisting the urge to smile. I sit with Abby on one side, and Kent sits on the other. Kyle and Mark continue down the line toward the kitchen door, and Mark and Kyle grin.

"I'm so excited, Juls," Mark says, and I smile.

"Just... sit there," I hear Dad say, pushing Jesse into the dining room.

"You don't want to join us?" I tease, and he sighs.

"I will, but only because it's enchilada night," he sighs, looking nervous. Jesse is confident, but he's a lot like me, uncomfortable in new situations with new people.

"You can sit with me," Abby says, pulling out the chair next to her, and my brother's eyes widen slightly. Abby is pretty, fun, carefree, and she has this ease with new people that makes them feel like they've known her for a hundred years. And the chance to sit with a hot college girl? Jesse practically leaps into the chair.

"Y-yeah, okay," he says excitedly, and I smile. The other guys all chuckle a bit, and so do I.

"Alright," Mom says, carrying in the first tray of hot enchiladas. "Henry, come here!" She calls, and Dad enters the dining room, rubbing his hands together with excitement. "The dish is hot, so pass me your plates, and I'll serve them... Mark, I'll start with you. How many would you like?"

"As many as you'll give me," he says, which makes everyone laugh.

"How about four?" She asks kindly, and he nods.

Chatter starts to flow around the table. Abby is asking my dreamy-eyed brother about which colleges he's considering. My parents are chatting while serving supper, and Mark and Kyle are expressing their gratitude multiple times.

"This looks incredibly delicious," Kent whispers, and I laugh.

"Do you understand why I used to be overweight now?" I ask with a smile, and he scoffs. "You can laugh; it was a joke."

"This is really nice," he says quietly, shaking his head and changing the subject. "My parents never cook; they don't do nice, quiet family dinners."

"This is my favorite thing about visiting home," I whisper.

"Kent? Can I have your plate?" Mom asks, spatula in hand.

"Of course, Miss Macey," he says kindly, and she smiles as he hands it over. "Thank you for having us; I was telling Juls how good dinner looks."

"You're very kind," she smiles. "You're welcome to join us again sometime. How many?"

"Three, please," he answers, and Mom serves them up.

"Juls, do you want two?" She asks, and I nod.

"Yes, please," I smile, passing the plate back. She serves everyone and then takes the empty tray back to the kitchen.

"If anyone would like more, there's plenty," she assures us. "There's also rice if anyone prefers that."

"Looks great, hon," Dad smiles, and she grins, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

"You can say that again," Kyle groans, and we all laugh. Everyone digs in, and it's like the second we do, everyone shuts their eyes.

"Wow," I hear Mark mumble.

"This is amazing, Colleen," Abby insists, and Mom's face lights up. Mom was friendly but lonely and didn't entertain enough. She was so happy to have a house full of people here telling her how good her food was. "Where did you get the recipe?"

"It's my mother's," Mom answers.

"Colleen's mother is from Mexico," Dad adds, and I smile.

Abuela was someone I loved dearly. I didn't see her often because she lived in Florida now, but every time she came home, she and my mom cooked until they dropped. She was my favorite.

"No wonder it's so good," Kent says kindly, and Mom grins.

"Well, don't let it get cold," she instructs. "Dig in."

My whole day turned around because of dinner with my parents and my friends. It was comfort food, the kind I loved, and with people who were important to me. By the time we'd eaten so much that none of us could think about moving, Dane felt like a distant memory.

The cheating hurt, and so did his words about my physical abilities. But this made it all better. I enjoyed sitting next to Kent at my family's dining table. It made me wish it happened more often.