“Ow.” He rubbed his arm and winced. “That hurt.”
“Good.” Sweat dampened under my arms and down my back. “How could you not tell me? I hate surprises. I like to be prepared.”
“Life is full of surprises.” Rubbing his arm, Nate leaned in to brush my mouth with his. “Relax,” he said and reached across me to open the door. “Come on.”
He followed me out of the Lyft and slammed the car door behind him.
Relax? How was I supposed to relax when we still had so many unanswered questions between us? “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me,” I hissed while trying to keep a smile on my face. Not an easy feat when I wanted to kick him in the balls.
“Because of exactly this reaction. You’d start panicking and second-guessing everything you’d do and say, instead of being yourself, which is who I want. My mother is the least judgmental person you’ll ever meet, so stop worrying.” He took my cold hand in his warm one, and we started up the path to the house. “One thing I’ve learned about life is that you can’t prepare for everything, so learn to accept what you can and forget the rest.”
“Is that what you’re doing now? Forgetting the rest?”
“I’m trying.”
Maybe he was right. When you lived in the past, you missed the present and ignored the future.
“Then I’ll try too.” I squeezed his hand and received an answering smile.
“That’s my guy.”
“Nate. Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?” Ethan pretended to glare, but I could see his smile breaking up the frown when he faced me. Ignoring Nate, he walked up to me with an outstretched hand. “So glad to see my little brother finally got out of his own way and realized he was being a jerk.”
“Oh, stop with all the compliments. It goes to my head.” Nate kissed his mother, and they walked inside, his arm over her shoulder, their heads together.
“Seriously, Press,” Ethan murmured to me. “I’m thrilled to see you. I’m hoping this is good news for you two?”
I hated that I remained full of doubt. “We’re working it out.”
Allie gave me a warm smile. “I’m so happy you’re here.” She hooked her arm through mine. “Come meet Barb.” Her voice dropped as my brows flew up. Sensing my sudden shift, she squeezed me tight. “Don’t worry. She’s going to love you.”
Nerves fluttered in the pit of my stomach. “I’m glad to see you again too, and thanks. I just wish Nate had told me.”
“He didn’t? Well, that’s Nate. Annoyingly impetuous. It’ll be fine.”
Funny, I had another pet name for him I wouldn’t use in front of Allie.Dumbass.We entered the house, and despite my stress, I couldn’t help but admire the open airiness of the first floor. Everything was white and beige, and I spotted some stunning antique mirrors along the far walls.
This wasn’t merely a house—it was a home, and its warmth embraced me. I spotted rows of pictures lining the wall up the winding staircase, and a peek into one of the rooms we passed showed a robin’s-egg blue sofa and floor-to-ceiling bookcases with every shelf filled. The walls were a pale lemon, and the shiny, dark wooden floors stretched out endlessly before us. Where the stairs curved upward to the second level, I imagined the perfect spot for their Christmas tree.
Nate held out his hand as we approached him and his mother. “Come meet my mom.” He squeezed my hand tight as I drew in a deep breath and smiled. “Mom, this is Presley Dawson. Press, this is my mother, Barbara.”
With the same light-blue eyes as both her sons, Barbara Sherman met my gaze with nothing but the kindest of smiles. “Presley, it’s wonderful to meet you. Nate says you own an antiques store in Midtown? I can’t imagine all the interesting pieces of history you’ve seen.”
Embraced by her warmth, I felt the tension ease from my shoulders as we entered the family room. A brown suede couch sat before a crackling fire, along with several soft-leather armchairs. The rustic mantel held numerous pictures of their family, and I thought I spied a few of Nate. I planned to inspect them a little more closely later on. Huge arched windows took up one wall, and I suspected the view during the day overlooked a lush, manicured lawn. A grandfather clock ticked steadily from its place in the corner.
Barbara sat on the sofa and patted the space next to her. “Sit and talk to me. I’d love to hear about your store, and I plan to visit while I’m here.”
I took my place. A long, low wooden table with the remnants of dessert sat between us and Allie, Ethan, and Nate, who’d taken seats in the chairs opposite us. The room had that comfortable lived-in feeling, even with the expensive art on the walls and what I suspected were several pieces from the 1700s. My mouth watered at the treasures this house must hold.
“Oh.” Allie jumped up almost immediately. “Let me get you guys some coffee, and I’ll bring out more pastries. Ethan, can you help me?”
“Why? Everything’s in a box. Just put it on a plate.”
I bit my lip to keep from bursting out in laughter at the exasperated glance Allie cast her husband.
“Just come with me.”
As they walked out of the room, I heard Ethan’s “Oh!” of understanding.
