Free When Fangirls Cry by Marian Tee Page A

up to the stage and---”
                “---and it’s time to have dinner,” Staffan interrupted Saffi hastily, realizing that she was telling them about the first time they had met and fearing that she would end up giving his family a play-by-play of exactly what happened between them that night. He drew Saffi towards him, but his warning look was completely lost on her. She was definitely in fangirl mode, and it was times like this he had a hard time remembering she was a conniving two-timing slut. At times like this, it was easy to fool himself into thinking she was the Saffi he had loved, the girl who always had stars in her eyes when she looked at him.
                His entire family was still groaning in protest, including his parents. His own parents, for heaven’s sake, who were supposed to be more mature than his younger siblings!
                “But it was just getting to the good part!” Edana grumbled as she went to sit at her place on the table.
                “After dinner, can she finish the story?” Cairo demanded as he took his place next to his older sister. At nine and ten, the two were extremely close to each other, and their favorite thing to do in life was to boast to everyone that Staffan Aehrenthal was their big brother.
                Saffi beamed, loving how receptive her audience was to listening to more of her fangirl experiences about Staffan, which of course was her favorite subject. Talking about fish was just a close second. As Staffan’s hand clasped hers, she said happily, “I would---”
                “---be very tired,” Staffan ended the sentence for Saffi again, with a pointed look at the younger ones. “We just flew back here, remember? And we’ll need to fly back out because I’m in the middle of negotiating my next project.”
                “Oh.”
                Edana and Cairo looked more pitiful than puppies beaten on the sidewalk, but Staffan was unimpressed. Underneath their angelic facades, these two could be the devil’s imps and were extremely good manipulators.
                Saffi’s heart went out to the two. “Let’s FaceTime when Staffan and I get back to the States. I promise we’ll continue the story.” At her words, the two quickly cheered up, and the speed with which they had recovered made Saffi blink in surprise and then laugh.
                “What time would this call be?” Conrad asked as he pulled out a chair for his wife. Frowning, he added, “I might have a meeting I’m unable to cancel tomorrow.”
                Staffan nearly rolled his eyes at the seriousness of his stepfather’s tone.
                “Oh, yes, that’s with UNICEF, right?” Elvira squeezed her husband’s hand in silent thanks for his courtesy before graciously taking her seat.
                Knowing what was expected of him, Staffan also pulled a chair out for Saffi. She was visibly startled and then looked at him with a glowing expression on her face.
                Ah, fuck.
                Saffi tiptoed and placed a shy kiss on Staffan’s cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered before taking her seat across the kids.
                As she looked down, she missed the way Staffan’s parents exchanged smiles. But Staffan didn’t, and his insides clenched as he sat in between his father and Saffi. All of them were being fooled – just as he had been.
                Yet even as the knowledge taunted him, Staffan couldn’t help but submit to a moment’s weakness. Pregnancy had given Saffi an inner glow, making her seem more feminine and womanly. Her softness was ethereal now, and it was sexy as hell. Just one glance from those blue eyes, the brush of their skins, all of it made him want to forget that Saffi had given herself to another man.
                When Staffan reached for her hand