‘You look perfect,’ I said, and I meant it. As far as I was concerned, she could have been wearing the reindeer onesie again and I’d have thought she looked perfect. My mother, on the hand, wouldn’t have been very impressed. I checked my watch. ‘We’d better get going. And can I just say in advance that I’m sorry.’
‘For what?’
‘For what’s going to happen next.’
‘That sounds ominous.’
‘It could be.’
‘Should I be worried?’
I held out my hand and she took it, curling her fingers into my palm.
‘No,’ I told her with a smile. ‘I’ve got you.’
21
MAE
I was so busy stealing sideways glances at him as he drove that I didn’t notice the familiar route, or the familiar driveway at first. It wasn’t until he turned the engine off and sighed heavily that I looked out of my window and realized that I recognized the house we’d just parked in front of.
‘I’m confused,’ I said. ‘I thought we were going out for dinner?’
‘We were. We are. Just not where I’d originally planned.’
I stared at him, my eyes wide. ‘Jonah, so help me God, if you’re telling me you’ve brought me here for afamily meal, I’ll…’ I trailed off, a threat not immediately forthcoming.
He waited, amused. ‘You’ll what?’
‘I don’t know,’ I admitted. ‘Freak out, probably. It’s way too soon to be meeting your family.’
‘You’ve already met my parents. Several times. Anyway, you’re not gatecrashing. My mother knows you’re coming.’
‘She does?’
He nodded.
‘And she was OK with it?’
‘Why do you sound surprised?’
‘She just doesn’t seem to be my biggest fan. I think it’s because I don’t back her up with some of the things she tries to force your father to do. Or not do.’
He pulled a face. ‘Sounds about right. She does likes to control people, my mother.’
‘Whereas I think your father is perfectly capable of making his own decisions and choices.’
‘Yeah.’ He looked over my shoulder towards the house. ‘I know I didn’t really give you an option about coming here, but if you really don’t want to go in, it’s fine. I’d completely understand. I’d be happy to take you home again. It’s just, my mother called after I messaged you, and guilted me into coming here for dinner. Not that I needed a lot of persuading – I wanted to see my father anyway. It was nerve-wracking, being out at sea and worrying that something might happen to him.’ He reached across the seat and squeezed my hand. ‘It did help though, knowing you were checking in on him every day.’
I smiled. ‘It’s my job.’
‘I know. But he likes you, I can tell.’
‘I like him too. He has interesting stories.’
He cringed. ‘Not all about me, I hope.’
I smirked. ‘I can’t comment on that, I’m afraid. He has sworn me to secrecy.’
