I can’t take my eyes off her as we walk out of her house, which is actually a large, expensive home in a nice area on the outskirts of northeast Atlanta. The sun is bright and she quickly puts her sunglasses on to shield her eyes. We head to her car and she notices my truck parked in her driveway and her lips suddenly form a thin line. I know she wants to ask me about how she got home and got naked, but she decides against it and unlocks her car.
“I usually park in the garage, but there are some boxes in my parking spot. I got home late yesterday and didn’t have time to move them. But the other side is open if you want to move your truck inside. I can get the other door opener.”
She’s always so considerate. I just can’t get over that she’s the ultimate beauty and personality package.
I shake my head no, “It’s fine. I don’t mind leaving it parked outside if you don’t mind.”
She smiles, “Ok, let’s go eat then.”
She picks a small sidewalk café that’s about ten minutes from her house. I grew up in this general area and my parents still live here but I’ve never eaten here. She chooses a table outside, even though it is early spring time in the South, which normally means it’s hot as hell and 120% humidity. But it is a beautiful day and there’s a slight breeze that makes it bearable. We order our food and the waitress leaves our drinks with us.
We’re talking, laughing, and just generally getting to know each other and it’s great. I’ve never felt more relaxed with a girl like I do with her. I just finished telling her a pretty funny story from high school about me and she’s wiping tears of laughter from her eyes when I feel someone stop beside us. I look up into the eyes of my mother and father, and they are eying her suspiciously.
I already know what they see when they look at her. The pink horizontal stripes in her hair, the tattoo-sleeve on her arm and shoulder, her casual dress, and the fact that we’re having breakfast together. They think she’s one of my sleazy, one-night stands and I’m instantly defensive. My father lightly clears his throat to draw our full attention to him.
Andi’s looking at my parents with a genuine smile and they’re both looking at her with their fake smiles that never quite reaches their eyes. Andi may not know this, but I sure as hell do. Andi looks at me and raises her eyebrows, as if to say, “Well?”
“Hi, Mom. Dad. Small world, huh?”
Mom laughs a little nervously but neither of them answer. They just look back and forth between me and Andi.
“Mom, Dad, this is AndiMorgan. Andi, these are my parents, Linda and Sam Woods.”
Andi extendsher hand to my mom first, then my dad, and tells them both she is glad to meet them. Their reply is simply, “Likewise.” Mom starts telling me about Gran’s birthday party at my parent’s house next month. When she takes a breath and leaves an opening for someone else to speak, Andi offers them both a seat and asks if they want to eat with us.
I didn’t think they would accept her invitation. The way they looked at her, like she was beneath them and their snobbery, made my blood boil. But when they accept and actually thank her, I noticed a bit of thawing in their normally cold demeanor. By the end of breakfast, Andi has them both eating out of her hand. They are both ready to adopt her and take her home with them. Before my mom leaves, she makes Andi promise to come to Gran’s birthday party with me.
I lookat Andi without trying to mask my amazement and fascination with her. She really has no idea how wonderful she is, because she asks me simply, “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You are amazing, Andi. Seriously. How did you do that?”
“Do what, Luke?”
“They love you! They don’t like anyone – not even me!”
“Are you crazy? They love you! You hung the moon and stars in their eyes. You’d have to be blind to not see that.”
I just shakemy head at her. I must be blind because I don’t see what she sees.
CHAPTER SIX
LUKE
It’s the day of Gran’s birthday party. The last month has been hectic and crazy and wonderful. I’ve spent every day with Andi, either training at the gym, chilling at her house or at my apartment, or just going out somewhere to spend time together. Oh yeah, and somehow she talked me into being part of her karaoke skit at the club tomorrow night, so we’ve been practicing that for the past two weeks, too. Thank God she didn’t ask me to sing.
We’re still in the “friends” stage because she’s still giving me time to define what “this” is between us. She is stubborn as hell and won’t be the one to give it a name. She’s making me face it and she won’t budge an inch until I do. I can’t even count how many times I’ve tried to kiss her and she will turn her face so my kiss lands on her cheek. Then she smiles like it’s no big deal. She’s making me fucking crazy! And I wouldn’t trade one minute of my time with her for all the one-night stands in the world.
She’s excited about meeting all of my family even though I’ve tried to tell her they aren’t all that much to get excited over. She’s never spoke of her family, outside Mack and Shane, but they’re not her blood relatives. I’ve tried to casually bring the conversation around to her family but she’s a master at dodge and avoid. She’s somehow distracted me every time, so I get it, she’s not ready to talk about it. That’s cool – we have plenty of time.
We’re in my truck, heading to my parent’s house and she’s fidgeting in the seat beside me. She won’t let me kiss her but she will let me hold her hand, so I have it firmly grasped in mine. I would never admit this to any living soul, but I’m so tied up in knots over her that I’ll gladly take the hand-holding. At least I get to touch her that way. I feel like a damn elementary school boy who’s thrilled to hold a girl’s hand for the first time. It’s just what she does to me. And what I do to myself by delaying telling her I want a committed relationship with her.
“You’re not getting nervous, are you?” I playfully ask her.
“Maybe a little,” she laughs, “but I’ll be fine.”
“My parents already want to adopt you and disown me. My whole family will love you. Just watch out for my brother. He’ll try to steal you from me.” And I mean this literally. Brandon will fall in love with her, too.Did I just infer that I’m in love with her? What the hell?
“You can never have too many friends, Luke,” she declares without a hint of sarcasm. I start to worry that she really only sees me as a friend.
