“I get you want to make a good impression on my parents, cupcake,” Gabe cut into my efforts to smooth things over. “But you need to get I’d want my parents to make a good impression on you too.”
“He calls her cupcake?” Mom whispered enthusiastically to Shanti.
“I guess so,” Shanti replied happily.
“They’re fine,” I said to Gabe. “We’re all fine. Look, your dad wore a nice shirt.”
Luke chuckled.
Mike teased me. “Thanks for noticing, sweetheart.”
“You’re not getting away with this shit,” Gabe warned his father.
I latched ono his biceps and got his attention again. “They totally are, honey.”
“So!” Mom chirped toward Mike and Shelby before Gabe could carry on being mad. “Our kids are working, and we’re here, and you’re here, so after lunch, we’ll show you the town then we can meet up with the offspring for dinner.”
“That sounds great,” Shelby replied, her voice dripping gratitude at Mom’s intervention.
Mom turned to Robbie, who I belatedly noticed was staring hard at Gabe. “What do you think? The Botanical Gardens? The Japanese Friendship Gardens? I know! We’ll walk Papago Park!”
Robbie stopped staring at Gabe and slipped into his I’m-in-the-city-and-I-just-wanna-do-my-time-without-murdering-anybody mode, so he just grunted.
Mom pulled her phone out of her bag. “Here, I’ll show you your options and you can decide.”
I pressed to Gabe’s side.
“See,” I said softly. “It’s fine.”
Gabe didn’t stop scowling at his father.
“We’re not done talking about this,” he threatened his dad.
“I suspect not,” Mike said to his son, but he was smiling.
Gabe grabbed my hand and dragged me to the staff room.
Once we were there, he pulled me in front of him and asked, “You okay?”
“Well, that has to linger around the top zone of the weirdest, most awkward meet the parents in history…”
When the wrath reentered Gabe’s face, I went on and fast.
“But it’s done. Mom will look after them. Robbie will grunt occasionally to confirm he’s still alive. And I’ll see if I can make a booking for dinner. What do you think? Chelsea’s Kitchen? Maybe Trevor’s? That’s a bit more casual. Mom and Robbie aren’t fussy. So anywhere would be fine with them.”
“I’ll figure something out, cupcake.”
“All right.” Since he wasn’t over it, I said, “They’re just worried about you.”
“I’m a grown-ass man.”
He sure was.
“And my parents are worried about me too,” I pointed out.
“And you’re a grown-ass woman.”
True.
