Collin
“You nervous?” she asks, giving me a little smile from the passenger seat of my truck.
“Nope,” I state confidently, though that’s not entirely true. I’m definitely a little anxious, and the closer we get to Stewart Grove the sweatier I feel.
“Liar,” she mutters, bringing our joined hands to her mouth and kissing my knuckle. “Don’t be nervous. You’ve met them all before.”
I glance over at her, those sexy blond curls framing her gorgeous face. “I have met them before, yes, but this will be the first time I meet them as the man you love,” I state, repeating the words her father told her over the phone a handful of weeks ago.
Lizzie smiles. “It’s going to be fine,” she says, and it feels like she’s telling herself that just as much as she’s telling me.
I give her hand a squeeze and then bring her knuckles to my own lips, placing a tender kiss across each finger. “It’s absolutely going to be fine.”
She turns her attention to the landscape as we head toward her hometown. As I drive, I steal glances at her, loving howrelaxed and happy she looks. It’s not that I’m nervous, per se, but believe it or not, I actually want her dad to like me. Why, when I’ve never really cared what others thought of me? Because he’s one of the most important people in her life. They’re incredibly close, and I’d never want to jeopardize their relationship in any way.
This isn’t the first time I’ve been to Stewart Grove, but it’s the first time I’ve been here like this, attending a summer cookout with the woman I love, preparing to spend the whole afternoon and evening with her family. Not just her parents and siblings either, but her extended family will all be there. The uncles and aunts I know, thanks to meeting them at the bar over the course of the last few months, but all the cousins are new to me. And I’ve been told there are a lot of them.
“Make a right up here,” she says casually from the passenger seat.
I know we’re getting close, having passed the welcome sign. I also know her parents live on the edge of town, on a street where the houses aren’t too close and the yards are big. She’s talked a lot about growing up in this house and having the space to play and grow.
“I’ll show you the small place I used to rent tomorrow when I give you a tour,” she adds, taking in the familiar neighborhood. There’s a faint smile on her lips, the contentment of coming home, and I pray she never loses that look. She’s happy to be here, I can tell, but that doesn’t diminish the love she feels for her new town, her new life. This will always be the past that got her to where she is today, and I know she’ll never forget that.
“Left,” she murmurs as we approach a big T intersection.
The moment I turn, I know we’ve arrived. Not just because she’s told me all about this place, but simply because of the massive line of cars on the side of the street, and there’s only one driveway packed with cars.
I park at the end of the line and shut off the engine. I ignore how quickly it starts to get warm in the cab, my eyes watching the house as if it holds world secrets or something, but when I feel her gaze on me, I give her my complete attention.
“We got this,” she says, flashing a little grin.
“Of course we do. We can handle anything.” I sound way more confident than I feel in the moment.
“We can. Even if Dad who is going to give you a very hard time because you’re dating his oldest daughter,” Lizzie says.
“And I’m ready for it. Wanna know why?”
“Why?”
“Because I know he’s giving me the biggest inquisition I ever experienced because he loves you and wants only the very best for his oldest daughter. We’ve got this.”
She smiles from ear to ear, her green eyes sparkling under the sunshine. “You’re right, we do.”
Leaning forward, she presses her lips to mine in a chaste kiss. “Ready?”
“Let’s do this.”
ANOTHER EPILOGUE
Lizzie
He takes my hand as we walk toward the house, and it feels like my heart is going to leap from my chest and take off running in the other direction. I’m incredibly nervous, but only because of the meaning of this moment.
“Let’s go around back,” I say, taking the sidewalk around to the backyard where I know everyone is gathered.
Even though we’re right on time, it appears everyone is already here. The moment we step around the house into the yard, the noise level elevates, and we’re spotted. “Lizzie!”
Immediately, we’re surrounded by my family, all wanting hugs and to officially meet the man at my side.
