“Caleb Horace Wilder!”I wince when she uses my full name.“Do not tell me not to go see my daughter.Get in the car.We’re coming with you.Get your coat, Harold.”
“Yes, dear.”My father looks tense but doesn’t argue.
Three minutes later, we’re heading out.I slide into the back of Ethan’s car with Mom, Natalie taking shotgun, while Dad goes with Jake in his Porsche.I try calling Eve as Ethan pulls out of the driveway, but she doesn’t pick up.Damn it.I try Megan’s number, too—straight to voicemail.
My stomach twists with anxiety.“Why isn’t Eve picking up?”
“Who is Eve?”Mom asks from beside me, her voice calm despite her worry.
I glance at her briefly before staring back at my phone, trying Eve’s number again.“Eve is someone I work with.She’s…” I trail off, not knowing exactly how to describe what Eve is to me.
“She’s Caleb’s girlfriend,” Natalie pipes up from the front seat.
I nearly choke on air.“Natalie!”
Mom whips her head around to stare at me.“Girlfriend?You have a girlfriend, and you never mentioned her?”I glare at Natalie, who gives me an innocent smile.Traitor.
“We’re not exactly—I mean, we haven’t really labeled—” I stammer, sounding like an idiot.I try Eve’s number again.Still nothing.
“You’ve never brought a girlfriend home before,” Mom points out with a raised eyebrow.“This must be serious.”
“I’m not bringing her home,” I say, exasperated.“We’re barging into her home.There’s a difference.”
“What is she like?What does she do?”Mom asks, clearly intrigued.
Before I can answer, Ethan speaks up from the driver’s seat.“She’s one of my employees in Thalvyn’s Marketing Department.”
“They knew each other in college,” Natalie adds with a grin.
“Thanks, guys,” I say loudly, shooting them both a look.“I can talk about my own girlfriend.”
Mom’s eyebrows shoot up.“And you never introduced me to her?”
“We weren’t exactly friends back then,” I mutter, trying Megan’s number this time.Nothing.
Mom sighs, looking out the window.“I wish I didn’t have to meet her under these circumstances.”
“You’re not meeting her,” I say quickly.“We’re just picking up Megan and leaving.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Mom scoffs.“Of course I'm going to meet the woman who helped my daughter.I need to thank her properly.”
I groan internally.This is not how I planned to introduce Eve to my family.Not that I had a plan.I’m still trying to ease her into the idea of a relationship, and now I’m bringing my entire family to her doorstep.
“She saved Megan from that horrible man,” Mom continues.“I’m already grateful to her.”
I try Eve’s number one more time.“Come on, pick up,” I mutter.Still nothing.
“Maybe her phone is on silent,” Natalie suggests.
“Or dead,” Ethan adds.
“I just wish I knew what happened,” I say, tapping my fingers anxiously against my knee.“The text just said Tom and some crazy woman were attacking her, and her car’s damaged.”
Mom gasps.“Her car?Ethan just bought her that car!”
“I know, Mom,” I say, as Ethan’s grip tightens on the steering wheel.
We travel the rest of the way in silence, and as soon as Ethan pulls into the parking lot of Eve’s building, I spot my car immediately.Relief washes over me.At least they made it here safely.
