After that, they’d re-assess where they wanted to live. Together. After five months of long-distance, they both knew they wanted more time under thesameroof.
“Grady, why don’t you help Priya’s father with their bags?” His mother gave him a gentle shove as she took Harpreet’shand. “And now that I’m not driving, I’m going to give Harpreet—did I say that right?—my fullattention.”
Grady gestured toward the gate as he heard his mother making the introductions with Wyatt andTegan.
“My apologies for the surprise arrival,” Sanjay said as they walked around to the front of the house. “Your mother and Priya agreed it wouldbe…fun.”
Grady laughed. “Right.I can see them agreeing that it would be…fun. Does this mean that you are out here for a few more days thanplanned?”
“In California, yes, but I’ve promised my wife a quick getaway to Napa. We will leave Priya here, so you can discuss with her your plans for getting married before shemovesin.”
Grady tripped over his feet. “Excuse me? I mean,yes,sir.”
“That is your intention,right? To marry mydaughter?”
“Yes. Yes, sir.” He stopped and looked the older man square in the eye. “I already have a ring to give her. I was going to ask on NewYear’sEve.”
Sanjay gave him a faint smile. “She willlikethat.”
Grady rubbed his chest as his heart re-started. “Ihopeso.”
“Maybe don’t tell her I saidanything.”
“Of coursenot,sir.”
“And you may call me Sanjay again.” Priya’s father laughed, a rich, warm chuckle, and he clapped Grady on theshoulder.
“Thank you, sir.” He opened the back of his mother’s SUV. Three suitcases were neatly stacked on the left-hand side, and on the right was a box full of brightly wrapped Christmas presents. The one on top had an oversized gift tag that readHarpreet. “So…it looks like mymother bought you all Christmas presents. I’msorry.”
“No need to apologize. She’s thrilled to have guests for the holidays.” Sanjay grabbed the top suitcase and lifted it out with a small grunt. “We didn’t come empty-handed, either. We’re happy to be here. And grateful for thesunshine.”
“I ordered that specialforyou.”
Sanjay laughed. “You can carry the other twosuitcases.”
“Yes,sir.”
Grady couldn’t be too disgruntledwith his mother for secretly planning more time with his future in-laws—because after dinner, she also deftly invited them to stay at her place for their first night in California so they could do some early sight-seeing with her “without waking up Priya andGrady.”
“Did your mother just arrange forus to have alone time?” Priya murmured as she leaned intohisside.
Grady waved at his mom’s retreating car. “I don’t want to think too carefully about that,butyeah.”
Back inside, they found Wyatt and Tegan loading thedishwasher.
“Hey, you’re guests,” Priya protested. “Let usdothat.”
“We’re almost done. Pour another glass of wine,” Wyatt said over hisshoulder.
Grady tapped Tegan on the shoulder. “Tap out. You get the wine with Priya, and I’ll make sure Wyatt puts everything in therightspot.”
He had, of course, and once the dishwasher was running, they just had two pots to scrub up before they joined the women in thelivingroom.
“Do you want a beer? Or a glassofwine?”
Wyatt leaned around the corner. “How much wineisleft?”
“We just opened a new bottle,” Tegancalledout.
