Chapter 8
Of all the unfortunate times to drop in for an unannounced visit.
Ty bit at her lip as Lucas dragged her parents, holding one hand in each of his, through the hallway where his art was displayed. “I made that one with watercolors for Mother’s Day,” he was saying while pointing to the tulip picture he’d brought home at the end of his kindergarten school year.
This could not be happening. What were the odds? She hadn’t invited a guy to dinner since the divorce over seven years ago. And now that she’d finally extended such an offer—now that she’d finally found someone worth extending such an offer to—her parents pop in from Boston. Ty couldn’t honestly say she’d welcome a surprise visit from her parents atanytime. She needed preparation time in order to ward off her mother’s incessant innuendos and jabs.
What an interesting paint color. Did you come up with it on your own or do they actually sell it this way?
A hundred different ideas ran through her mind as she considered how to explain the dinner guest who would arrive in less than five minutes. She could not let on that it was a date. And why would she have to? It wasn’t exactly a date. Sure, she’d been viewing it as such just a moment ago, but was it really? No. Memphis had helped them out in a time of need, and she was simply paying him back with dinner. No big deal.
“You still haven’t replaced that old bedspread?” her mother drawled.
Ty rolled her eyes as she made her way back to the window. “You mean Grandma’s quilt? No, I haven’t replaced it. I love it.” No truck yet. A flare of nerves rattled through her. The acknowledgement added new emotions into the mix. Anger, resentment,despair…
Okay, so perhaps that last one was dramatic, but this had gone from a chill dinner date with a guy she liked to a dreaded disaster with her parents and the guy she liked. She had to fix this. If Memphis showed up before she had a chance to explain…
But then the sight of his truck came into view down the street.
A streak of horror ripped through her as she tore away from the window and hurried down the hall. “Guys, guys, you need to…would it be possible for you to head out, grab a bite to eat, and then come back? We have a dinner guest coming right this very minute and I didn’t make enough for five. Just three.” Not that her mother would dream of eating anything wrapped in bacon.
Mom and Dad turned their heads and stared at her like she’d grown snakes out of her face.
Her mother shook her head. “Whatwas that?”
A knock came to the door.
Ty brought it down to a whisper. “Would you guys mind taking off for a couple of hours, and then coming back? We’re having company.”
Her father darted a look from his wife to Ty. “Oh,” he started to say. “I…guess we could do that.”
“Company?” her mother spat. “What do you call us?”
“Grandma and Grandpa!” Lucas cheered.
“I call you my beloved parents…who dropped in unexpectedly on the one night I decided to have a dinner guest in like, seven years.”
The knock came again. Rather than take in the bafflement on her mom’s face for another moment, Ty spun on one heal and hurried to the front door.
“He’s really nice,” she heard Lucas say behind her.
“He?”echoed her mother in amazement.
Ty gripped the handle, pulled open the door, and felt her breath hitch high in her chest as she took in the view. Gray Dockers, a black polo shirt, and a bouquet of lavender. Her eyes bounced from one detail to the next until her gaze met with those ocean blue eyes. Ribbons of warmth weaved through her insides.
Panic broke through the swooning spell as she sensed her parents coming up behind her. Couldn’t she just have one, teeny tiny moment alone with him so she could—what, somehow explain the madness happening inside?Yes.That’s just what she needed to do.
At once, she darted out onto the porch and pulled the door closed behind her.
Memphis caught her by the hip, his curved hand feeling strong, warm, and wonderful there at her waist.
His eyes went wide, but he didn’t step back to make more room for her. Instead, he inched in and brought his voice down to a whisper. “Are we…eatingoutinstead?”
Holy invasion of her senses. The heavenly scent of a rich and mighty forest had her inhaling deeply. “My parents just showed up,” she explained.
“I thought you said they lived in Boston.”
Ty gave him a pleading look. “If only they’d havestayedin Boston for just one more day. Or at leasttoldme that they were—”
