“I wouldn’t invite you if I didn’t mean it. Assuming you don’t have other plans.”
“You really mean it?” I can hear the nerves in his voice. You wouldn’t know it from the look of steel on his face.
“Yes.”
“Then I guess I’m celebrating the holidays with the Fields family.”
Chapter Sixteen
CASH
“We need to be on our best behavior tonight, Puck.”
His tongue is lolling out of his mouth as he perches in the front seat of my truck. I clip his leash on before I give him one more scratch and get out of the car.
I’m nervous as I open the door and grab my purchases from the front seat. Not even before my first NHL game or the Stanley Cup finals was I this nervous.
Because I’m about to meet Piper’s parents for dinner.
And not just any dinner…Christmas dinner.
I’ve never done this before in my entire life. I’m not someone you bring home to meet your mom and dad. I’m usually the one you sneak out at night to go meet.
Puck sniffs the grass as we walk to the front porch. My foot hits the wood as the front door swings open and Piper comes out.
She looks…well, I’m not sure what she looks like as she comes into the light of the porch.
“Uhh, Piper…what are you wearing?”
“This?” She pulls the sweater away from her. “Noah gave it to me as a joke. Didn’t think I’d wear it.”
The blue sweater is covered in patches with the Black Diamonds logo, lights sticking out from different places. It flashes in an array of colors, making it even uglier.
I groan. “Please don’t show this to Cassie because she’ll make me wear one.”
Piper beams up at me. It tells me everything I need to know.
“There’s one for me, isn’t there?”
Piper nods. “Puck too.”
“Your brother got my dog a sweater?”
“Uh-huh.” Puck takes this opportunity to bark between the two of us. “I’m sorry, Puck. I didn’t say hi to you.”
Piper kneels down and plants a kiss on his muzzle. I blow out a breath, trying to shake out the nerves.
“You okay?” Piper asks, returning to her feet.
“Do you think your parents will like me?” I blurt out.
Wow, way to be cool, Cash.
“Why wouldn’t they?” Piper asks.
“Maybe the fact that we’re not really dating?”
“They don’t know that though.”
