“Why?”
His hand went to the small of her back. “Because you’re a chick, and chicks dig designer places. Now try to be subtle about that bump, okay? That shirt is perfect, because it kind of masks the bulge until you drag the fabric back. Then it’s baby time.” He chuckled.
“I cannot believe you talked me into this.” She had a sudden case of déjà vu, remembering how she’d get swept up into her sister’s antics.
“Hey, I have no idea what I’m walking into tomorrow with you. Consider it worth it. Now, like we practiced on the way over. Try to be a little creative.”
Stung, because Aubrey had always said the exact same thing to her when it came to lying, and especially to their parents, she growled, “I can act.”
“Sure, baby. Sure you can.”Patronizing SOB.“Pretend you’re trying to hide it.” He kissed the side of her neck and put a hand over her now-distended abdomen.
She felt a strange sense of excitement, the thought of having a real baby someday jump-starting something in her biological clock, nowtick, tick, tickingaway.Oh hell.
Gavin must have felt her tense, because he turned her to face him. “What’s wrong?”
“Not much.” She smiled between her teeth. “Just pretending to be pregnant for my boyfriend’s parents, whom I’ve never met.”
“Oh, that.” He shrugged. “You’ll do fine.” He rang the doorbell. “Remember, act natural. Scared and pregnant, but infatuated with me.”
“That’s a lot of acting.” She paused. “The infatuated part, I mean.”
He scowled and rang the bell again. “Smile, damn it.”
Hope answered it. She looked them over, then grinned. “Hi, Zoe. I’m Hope. Nice to finally meet you.” Then Hope winked at Gavin. “Hey, Big Brother. Welcome.Allof you.”
He nodded, and Zoe prayed the evening wouldn’t blow up in her face. What the hell had she been thinking? This would never work. She started to get cold feet.
“No backing out now,” Gavin said, taking hold of her arm, leaving her no way to slip into the bathroom and out of that stupid belly shirt. “Remember, I’ll pay up both tonight and tomorrow. Swear.”
She blew out a breath. “Fine. But if they hate me, it’s your fault.”
Hope heard her. “Nah. You’re good. Trust me, my mother deserves this.”
Into her ear, Gavin whispered, “Have I mentioned Hope has mother issues?”
Family drama and lies. The perfect combination for a lovely dinner with strangers. “Awesome.”
Once inside the expansive hallway, they turned into an even bigger living room and open kitchen. The house had a mountain-modern look, a combination of Craftsman and old-fashioned, unique decorations in muted blues and browns, accented with reds and oranges. Whoever had done the decorating deserved his or her own design show. Wow. Piper would love this place.
An older man who had to be Gavin’s dad smiled at her.
“Hello there.” He walked over, same black hair and gray eyes as Gavin. But this man wore khaki trousers and a button-down shirt, comfortable in his casual chic. He also looked excited to be alive, as if happy with himself and his lot in life. For all that Gavin liked to laugh, he sometimes seemed a little jittery, off keel.
“Dad, this is my girlfriend, Zoe. Zoe, Van, my dad.”
“Lovely to meet you.” Van smiled and accepted the hand she stuck out to him before he could hug her. At least, she assumed he’d hug. He seemed the type. “Linda, Gavin and Zoe are here.”
From out of the kitchen bustled an older version of Hope. Still beautiful, but more mature. Theo joined her. It was like someone had copied Van and Linda and stamped their faces onto their children.
“Man, you guys really do all look alike.” She blinked.
Theo and Hope shrugged. “What can you do?”
Linda beamed. “Hello, Zoe. Lovely to meet you. Gavin hadn’t mentioned a girlfriend.”
She watched in awe as he flushed and looked down. If she hadn’t known better, she’d swear he felt real embarrassment. “Sorry, Mom. Zoe and I are new. We’re keeping things under wraps for a while. Or we were. We felt it was time to meet each other’s families.”
“Oh?” Linda gave Zoe a kiss on the cheek and a hug before Zoe could stop it. His mother pulled back, alarmed, and glanced at Zoe’s stomach, carefully hidden by the swath of shirt she wore. “Is your family here then?”
