Hopeless Romantic | ✔️

47| Daddy's Little Boy & The Hunk of Meat

If Jesse thought he could embarrass me with the poster like I'd embarrassed him when he arrived in Georgia with Alex, then he seriously underestimated me. I was gonna own it. Find a way to flip it right around.

So I lifted my hand and started waving like crazy. "Hey daddy! Me and my hunk of meat can't wait to get very, very closely acquainted with you and your heaps of cash!"

Clay turned red, which I always considered a success. Meanwhile, Jesse was glaring at me, and Alex simply threw her hands in the air in defeat, turned around, and started to walk away.

"Job well done, Tyler Hamilton. Job well done," Jesse said when we got off the escalator. "You've managed to mortify me amongst a crowd of strangers who are now staring at me like I'm a legitimate weirdo. I appreciate you. So glad you're home."

"I know you love me to death, Campbell. The only reason you haven't proposed is because you're still faking straight," I teased.

Jesse shook his head and shoved the poster in the nearest trash can before leading us in the direction of the parking lot. He took Clay's carry-on, even though Clay insisted he could wheel it on his own, just because that's the sort of thing Jesse liked to do. Chivalry was not yet dead.

"Alex is going to kill you when we get to the car. She might be even more embarrassed than me," Jesse said.

I shrugged. "We're twins. She'll get over it."

Jesse turned around slightly to smile at Clay. "Good to see you again. Glad you haven't given up on our boy here."

"How could he? I'm irresistible."

"He's kind of great," Clay said.

Jesse looked at me and winked before facing forward again. "You've got a keeper, Ty. Someone who really feeds your ego. A very lovable quality."

I knew why he added the last part. I was gonna kick his ass for it. He knew all too well just how much I legitimately loved Clay, I was just taking my sweet ass time waiting for the words to come out of my mouth. Waiting for the moment it felt right.

We got to the car and Jesse helped load up the trunk with our bags.

"Be prepared to die," he warned me before we got into the car. I just chuckled, amused.

"Is Alex really going to kill you?" Clay asked.

"My twin sister is no threat to me, dear Clay," I said. "But you'll definitely see her try."

I opened the door and got into the car, Clay following behind me. My ass didn't even hit the cushion before Alex was spinning around, glaring at me, saying:

"Tyler Hamilton, you fucking ass–"

✿✿✿

Home was chaotic the moment we stepped through the front door; Jesse in the lead with Clay's suitcase, me behind him with my own, and Clay's hand in mine as he followed my guide. It was surreal, if I'm being honest, when Clay stepped into my house, knowing the journey it had taken us to get here.

My parents were quick to bombard us at the front door. My mom embraced me immediately, squeezing the life out of me, and my dad joined her. They liked to make it a group hug as often as possible. One of my hands was still gripping my suitcase, and I was slowly losing circulation.

"You know, my baggage is still a thing here, and if you keep hugging me like this, my hand might come loose," I said.

My parents pulled away, my mom squeezing my cheeks while my dad respected my boundaries and stepped away.