“What’s going on?” his father asked.
“Mom’s freaking out,” Jason said. “Any chance we can get in there before my girlfriend’s arms fall off?”
The man noticeably started as he looked at Haley and then did a double-take.
“Girlfriend?” he asked in clear disbelief.
“Yes, Girlfriend!” Jason snapped, but his parents didn’t seem to notice since they were staring at her like they couldn’t quite believe what they were seeing. On top of that, her arms were starting to feel like they were about to fall off.
“Ah, about to drop the cupcakes,” Haley mumbled as she tried to readjust the three plates in her arms.
“Oh, sorry,” Jared said with a sheepish smile as he reached over and relieved her of the cupcakes while his wife grabbed the plate of peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies from her.
Jared looked from her to the plate in his hands. “Where did you buy these? They look good,” he said as his hand expertly snuck beneath the plastic wrap and stole one. Ah, like father like son, Haley thought. She looked him over quickly. The man was clearly in great shape, a good sign for Jason since he couldn’t seem to stop eating.
“I made them,” Haley said, feeling a little embarrassed by all of the attention.
“You made these?” Jared asked with a cupcake in his hand.
She nodded.
“She’s a great cook,” Jason announced proudly.
Jared took a big bite, closed his eyes and made a yummy moaning sound. In seconds, he had the entire cupcake devoured. He reached out and snagged the second plate of cupcakes from Haley and headed back inside the house without a word.
“My cupcakes!” they heard him snap at someone. Haley just barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. Definitely like father, like son.
“Hey, old man, she made those for me!” Jason yelled, charging past his mother to go after the cupcakes, leaving Haley with Megan, who she’d like to point out, was still staring at her.
“Um, I have two more plates of cupcakes in the car. I didn’t think those two would survive the trip over here,” Haley said, feeling foolish. Perhaps she should go hang out in the car until after the party was over? Seven hours in a car with nothing to do sounded better than being gawked at.
Megan’s eyes narrowed on her. “You’re really his girlfriend?”
“Yes.”
“This isn’t just some sick game he’s playing?”
“Uh, no...is there something wrong?” Haley couldn’t help but wonder.
“Nothing other than you are the first woman that he’s ever brought home and you’ll have to forgive me if I seem a little surprised. For a moment there, I’d thought hell had frozen over,” Megan said with a rueful shake of her head and a sigh as she put her arm around Haley’s shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “Now, let’s go in there and give everyone the shock of a lifetime.”
“Mom,” Jason growled in warning.
She ignored him.
Again.
He leaned forward and tried to grab the photo album off Haley’s lap only to have his hand slapped away by two women.
“Damn it, Mom! This is supposed to be a barbecue. Shouldn’t you be mingling and being a good hostess or something, instead of sitting here embarrassing me?”
“The hell with the barbecue! I’ve waited almost thirty years for my only child to bring home a woman and I’ll not be denied!” she snapped as several people around her smartly moved back while he just glared.
“Ah, you look so cute-”
“Naturally,” Jason said with a sniff.
“-playing dress up in your mother’s clothes,” Haley said with an evil little smile. He turned his glare on her. She simply smiled sweetly and returned her attention to the pictures that he planned on destroying later.
