The Disastrous Love Lives of the Delaney Family

3.12 Epilogue: Joseph Fletcher

September 2045

"I vote we don't go."

Bronwen lifts her head from my shoulder and stares directly into my eyes, a telling sternness within them. Over the past few months of us dating, I've grown to recognise and understand all her emotions and all her tells, and I swear, I know this woman better than I've ever known anyone else in my entire life.  

"Joss, we have to go."

I shake my head and brush her hair away from her face, dipping my lips to the soft skin where her neck meets her shoulder and kiss her lightly, moving up to her ear. She squirms. "I don't think we have to go. They're expecting us there but nothing is stopping us from not going. I think I'd much rather be here than see your dad."

"Really? You want to talk about my father while you're literally still inside me?" With great emphasis, Bronwen removes herself from my lap, and subsequently the bed, as she starts to make her way to the bathroom. "Joss, get up. We're going, and you have however long it takes me to shower and dress to prepare yourself mentally for this."

Tonight is the publication party for La Liste Rouge's September issue. Sophie Whitaker is a stickler for tradition and each year, on the eve of La Liste Rouge's autumn publication, she holds a party to celebrate the 'big event'. Of course, this year, Bronwen is the cover star and since I was the photographer, it's expected that we both turn up. My family are usually in attendance but James Saylor normally stays away; this year, however, his only child is the cover model and he wants to be there to support her, which means that I have to come face to face with him.

I don't mind James. In fact, I really liked him and when I was younger, he was one of my favourite people to be around. But that was back when he was Martha's best friend. Now, he's my girlfriend father and I can't seem to bring myself to be in the same room as him. I'm terrified of him. Knowing how Dad was when Sera started dating and bringing boys home, I imagine that James is equally protective, if not more because Bronwen is his only child.

The very few times I've been in a room with James since Bronwen and I started dating, I've avoided eye contact with him and I've managed to extract myself from the situation in under five minutes. Tonight, however, is a social work event, where I'm supposed to mingle with people. It would be extremely weird if I left after four minutes and fifty-nine seconds. Granted, I might not even bump into James. But knowing that he's going to be there, makes me nervous.

Nonetheless, I climb out of bed and walk to the bathroom, jumping into the shower just as Bronwen jumps out. 

"This was bad timing." Bronwen pushes past me, her breasts pressed up against my chest for the briefest of nanoseconds as she leaves a trail of water on my chest. Her smile is wicked. She knows exactly how to tease me, and I love it. Enveloping her wrist with my hand, I pull her back to me and pin her between my body and the shower wall, the spray of the hot water steaming around us. "May I tempt you to stay a little while longer?"