“I imagine if I knew my father, he’d be about the same way.”
“Well, since you don’t have your own, we can share.” I stood up on my toes to kiss him, lingering there against his body for a moment that seemed to freeze time and go on forever. That is, until we were interrupted.
“It’s time to go,” my mom said, bustling out of the back room. She, too, had changed into nicer clothes for the wedding; a flower-printed blouse and a black skirt that squeezed her plump frame.
“You like nice, Mom,” I said kindly, and my mom grunted.
“I couldn’t find my good dress, so this will have to do,” she said, passing us in the living-room to go back out to the garage where the car was. Jayce and I loaded up into the back seat, and a moment later my dad came out. He wore a button up shirt tucked into jeans, and shoes that once upon a time probably looked nice, but had been dinged up and dulled out after years of use.
“Here we go,” I whispered to Jayce. “We just have to get through this wedding and then we’re home free.”
~~
THE WEDDING WASN’Thalf as bad as I’d been expecting. My cousin, Bernice, was another plump woman who looked dazzling in her dress and had a nice smile that could dig deep into a person’s soul.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Bernice said, wrapping me in a hug. “I know you’ve got your life there in Colorado, but it means a lot that you came.”
I smiled, a bit caught off guard. “I wasn’t sure if you’d even want me here,” I said. “I know you and Melanie were really close.”
“Family is family,” Bernice said, turning to Jayce. “Now, tell me about this handsome stud you brought to my wedding. Is he yours?”
“This is Jayce,” I said with a laugh. He held out his hand for her to take, but Bernice ignored it and wrapped him in a massive bear hug instead.
“Nice to meet you,” Jayce said, trying not to mess up the perfect hairdo on the bride. “Thank you for having us.”
The ceremony was quick and easy to listen to, and it was worth it to stay for the reception, because an open bar and an enormous layout of home-cooked food was available.
“See,” Jayce said later on as we sat together at an empty table scattered with rose petals and candles. “We got free food and drinks. That counts, right?”
I giggled, taking another drink from my glass of wine. “As long as my mother is too busy fretting over things to get after me, I’m happy.” I set down my glass and leaned into him, resting my head on his shoulder. “You survived,” I said quietly. “You survived my mother. How can I ever thank you?”
“Don’t thank me,” he said softly. “Just let me be with you, Macey.”
~~
THE REST OF THE TRIPwent smoothly, and while I was still happy to escape and go home, it hadn’t turned out as horribly as I figured it would.
“Welcome home,” Jayce said as we got off the plane in Denver. “It’s good to be back.”
I took his hand and we left the airport, walking to the car he’d left in the parking lot. We drove home, too exhausted to talk much, but we were happy. Tired, but happy.
“Stay at my place tonight?” Jayce asked, and I nodded. It was late Sunday night, and we both had school in the morning. Practice for Jayce. Even better, despite the weekend we’d spent in a high-stress environment, I still wanted to be with him. Every second of every day, I wanted to be with him.
“I’m so tired,” I moaned when we finally got back to Jayce’s apartment. I fell into his bed without taking my shoes off, feeling like I could sleep for a thousand years. Jayce jumped in the shower and I was just about to sleep when he spoke, coming out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his midsection.
“I want you to meet my mother,” he said, his eyes scanning my face for a hint of reservation as he stopped and stood at the foot of the bed. With a groan I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
“Your mother?” I repeated, feeling the mild panic bubble in my throat. “You want me to meet your mother?”
“Yes, Mace,” Jayce said with a teasing laugh. “Did I stutter?”
“Jayce,” I said patiently. “I don’t know if I’m ready to meet your parents.”
“Parent,” he corrected me. “And seriously? I just endured your parents for an entire weekend and survived. Now it’s your turn. And she’s great, I promise. She’s...really great, in fact.”
“Of course you think she’s great, you’re her precious little boy. She probably won’t think that I’m as great.” I hugged one of the pillows to my chest, wishing we could have held off having this conversation until I’d caught up on my sleep.
“She will,” Jayce insisted. “Because I do.”
