There’s a buzz under my skin every time Sully’s arm brushes against mine, a slow, steady warmth blooming in my chest that I can’t seem to shake. I just hope my parents don’t look too closely and see what I’m afraid to admit…
That I might be falling for him.
26
Iparkonthestreet in front of my parents’ house. Sully grabs the paper bag with the ice cream, and we follow the stone path cutting through the rocky front yard. Mom has little gnomes around with colorful hats. They always gave me the creeps, but Sully points at them with a grin. “Those are kinda cute.”
“Please don’t tell my mother that or she’ll show you the site she buys them from and never let you go.”
Sully grimaces and briefly nods. “Noted.”
Anxiety pricks at the base of my skull as I walk up toward my childhood home. I’ve never been on a razor’s edge to visit my parents, but I also never brought a boy into their house either. My high school boyfriend honked his car horn when he was outside and my last boyfriend met my parents a couple of times out at restaurants for dinner, but he never wanted to come over, not even for the holidays. Maybe thatwas a sign he wasn’t the one. He always said there were better things to do, but he usually got shit-faced no matter where we went.
I open the door and step in. “We’re here!” I shout.
“Hey, honey!” Dad’s voice booms from somewhere inside.
We step through the front door and the scent of burning steak wafts through the air. A second later the smoke detector screams and their golden retriever, Bishop, runs out the doggy door next to the back door.
“Welcome to the Gates’ house!” I gesture to the couch and take the bag of ice cream from him. “Please wait here.”
I rush into the kitchen and find Mom holding a frying pan on fire and throwing it into the sink, dowsing it in water.
“What did that steak do to you?” I ask, putting the ice cream in the freezer.
Mom jumps, clenching the dry towel to her chest. “My goodness, Veronica! You scared me.”
“Sorry. I said we were here.” I eye the blackened thing that once was food. “But I guess you were busy.”
Mom turns the water off and arches her neck to look around the corner into the living room. “Who did you bring? Alice?”
“Oh…no.” I focus on folding the paper bag flat against my chest to avoid her questioning eyes. “His name’s Sully.”
“You brought a boy?” Her voice rises an octave and I want to hide in the bathroom when she breezes past me to meet him.
“You must be Sully,” Mom says, acting as if she knows him.
Sully stands and offers to shake Mom’s hand. “Guilty.”
“We hug in this family.” Mom wraps her arms around Sully and he winces when she squeezes too tight.
“I’m sorry,” I mouth when his eyes lock with mine.
Mom releases him and shouts, “Honey! Veronica has a date over!” She practically floats to the backyard.
Sully rubs his back. “She popped something.”
“She hugs tighter than a python. I should’ve warned you.”
Dad comes in followed by Mom and Bishop at her side. The dog walks over to Sully wagging his tail and smells Sully’s shoes before licking his hand. Bishop then goes to his bed in the corner of the room and lies down.
“That means he likes you.” Mom smiles, placing her hands on my shoulders. “Can you help me in the kitchen, sweetie?”
“Hey, Ronnie.” Dad kisses my head as I walk by him.
“Hi, Dad.” I look past him to Sully. He’s nervously fidgeting with his hands, unsure what to do with them. He eyes the door, and I don’t blame him if he darted out. My dad is a tall and buff man who was in the military. He never told me what he did, but I think it was something off the books, like the missions seen in action movies inspired by true events.
“Do you want mac and cheese with dinner?” Mom grabs the purple saucepan from the pan hook above the island.
