Chapter 47

“Where are my parents?” I ask.

Philip motions me into our bedroom so his parents won’t overhear us. “Paula took them for a ride around the neighborhood,” he says, shutting the door. “I think they got uncomfortable when I started yelling at my parents.”

I turn to him.

Peeling off my damp coat and slinging it over the foot of the bed, I walk over to him and wrap my arms around him. “What’s going on?” I ask.

He reaches behind me and brushes the nape of my neck tenderly; it feels welcoming. “It’s a total mess, this trip.”

“What happened?” I ask.

As a few minutes pass, Philip calms down. “The holidays bring out the worst in families,” he says.

I pull away from him and stare into his eyes. “Tell me what happened.”

He releases a pent up breath and we sit down on the edge of the bed. Philip leans forward, his elbows grazing his knees. “My parents are having trouble accepting us.”

“I thought everyone was getting along.”