This invitation was hitting her differently than it was me.I thought it was an intrusion into this relationship we were building.My family was nosey.But she saw it as a nice gesture.Maybe she wanted to meet them and feel part of something bigger than herself.Who was I to say no?"If you're sure."
She raised a brow."Is your mom going to let this go?"
I laughed."She said she gave us last Sunday, so our time is up."
Belle smiled."She sounds nice."
I snorted."I think you mean overbearing."
"She loves you and wants to know who's got your attention.I can understand that."
"You're going to get along just fine with my mother.Not sure why I was worried," I grumbled.
"You love your family," Belle said softly.
"They're great."
She poured the bowl of chopped veggies into the pan."Don't worry about me.I can handle one family dinner."
"Don't say I didn't warn you."I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist.This was turning out to be more than I ever imagined.I was having feelings that I couldn't express to her yet.I didn't want to scare her off.Especially not before she met with my entire family.
On Sunday, I picked Belle up for dinner with my family.She wore a cardigan over a navy-blue ruffled blouse, jeans, and boots.It was casual but still dressy.
I wore my usual flannel over jeans and boots because this was my family.I didn't have to impress anyone.But I was nervous.
I wanted Belle to like my family, and I wanted them to like her.But what if someone noticed that she was way out of my league?I was positive my brothers would give me a hard time.She was so different than anyone I'd seen before.
I parked in the driveway next to another Sterling Brothers Contracing truck.
Belle covered my hand with hers."Are you worried about me meeting your family?"
I let out a breath."I've never brought a girl home before."
She sat back in her seat at that admission."I'm the first woman you've brought home?"
I nodded.
"Huh."
I looked over at her."What's that supposed to mean?"
"I know you said you didn't have any serious girlfriends before, but?—"
I let my head fall back."I never liked anyone enough to subject them to my family."
Her lips quirked at the self-deprecating comment."Thanks, I guess?"
I looked over at her."You should feel special because you are."
A smile spread over her face."You say the nicest things."
"We'd better get in there before they start peeking through windows and wondering what we're doing out here.They'll come up with all kinds of crazy scenarios, and we can't avoid them forever."
I met her at the hood of my truck.
"This is going to be okay, right?"she asked me.
"They're going to love you."And that was the problem.It would be glaringly obvious that this girl was too good for me.Her parents wanted her to get her doctorate.I couldn't compete with that.I hadn't even gone to college.
