Valentina Mashall

“… People talk about me? That’s new. but I’m not going anywhere, Val, I love you,” he said without really even thinking about it. “You don’t have to worry.”

“You’re really making me believe you need a mirror for Christmas. You’re literally the sexiest man,” She reminded him as she ran her finger tips along his jaw line. “It’s not so much me being worried so much as I love making everyone jealous that you’re mine. I love you too.” It was a set of words she had never used for anyone outside her famiy ntil him. It still made her heart still in her chest when she thought about it.

Hey, if that’s how you want us to bond that’s how we can bond. 

I honestly don’t care. I just want to spend time with you which might be greedy of me, but I’ll be that girl.

Alicia’s made me hate watch them with her before. They’re all very strange.

I might have to make you watch them with me now

“Those cougars are related to you, Val. Or to me.” He laughed, shaking his head. “And none of them are hitting on me, so much as telling stories I didn’t need to know, so you have no reason to be worried.”

“Doesn’t mean that they’re the only ones that are talking about you though, my love. I do listen to what people are saying, and they’re all lucky I have to show some restraint with you. It’s hard enough to not wrap myself around you constantly for myself, but also to throw it in their faces that you’re mine.”

I know you are. Everyone else is too, but sometimes it’s a little much. At least when it’s my mom’s friends.

“Well you can tell those cougars that your girlfriend is fairly possessive of you,” Valentina reminded him warmly before leaning up to kiss him briefly. 

You know, my uncle gets on my case about that too, I don’t ever have an answer for Josh about it either. It’ll happen eventually.

Maybe someday you’ll realize that your girlfriend is actually extremely into you and finds you far sexier than you even realize. Especially when you’re wearing those glasses? Do you know how hard it is to try and stay PG 13 around our families?

You’d probably be dating someone whose a lot cooler than I am.

I don’t want anyone cooler, Damien. I want you. There’s no sexier boyfriend, besides when are you going to realize that I’m actually into the awkward nerd and not some cool jack ass jock?

I think our mom has kidnapped her from the general public with no intention of giving her back. Honestly, if she wasn’t hugely pregnant, I’d probably be stuck there too. But I’ll spend time with her, I promise.

I’m thankful that she didn’t take you though. What would I do if she kept you from me?

I think the boat on normalcy sailed…a long time before we were born, Val. But I’m here, alright? You’re not going through it alone.

I know that you are, but honestly you should be spending time with your sister and getting to know her. Which is why I’m taking you this weekend before I force you to spend a few days with her while I take time with my aunt Reagan.

I get it. I mean, for sixteen years it was just my mom, and now I’m living in a house with my dad and younger sister, and…my grandfather and uncle, both of who still really freak me out. Being freaked out by it is normal, I think.

I don’t even know if any of this could constitute as normal though. But I suppose for this town it is about as normal as i could be to get overwhelmed.

You doing okay?

Yeah. Somedays are just hard being surrounded by so many people.

The whole weekend? Of course I do.

I just want to be locked away from the world for a few days with you.

“She’s from New Orleans, of course she has good gumbo. I’m a little surprised Drea didn’t teach you, honestly, I’m sure she knows how to make it. I do have some though, if you decide on those instead.”

“She may have tried to at one point and I may have set it on fire,” Valentina admitted heavily, “What do you have in mind?”