My eyes pop.“Sunday?As in, the whole weekend?”
“Unless I’m kicked out before then, yes.”
What in the world is this man talking about?“Kicked out?From where?”
“You’ll see.”With a smirk, he kisses the tip of my nose.“For now, shower, get dressed, then meet me in the kitchen.Quasimodough and I have some pancakes to make.”
It didn’t take longfor me to realize the first stop was the airport.From there, Ford managed to keep things quiet while parking and going through security, but after we reached the gate, there was no going back.My lips part as I read Austin, Texas on the gate’s display.
Home?He’s taking me home?
Turning to face Ford, I blink away the moisture in my gaze.“Are you serious?”
“As ED.”
“How did you…do my parents…have you reached out to…Ford!”I wrap my arms around his neck, squeezing him tight.His hands find my waist in an instant as he pulls me closer.“I cannot believe you did this,” I all but squeal.And it’s true.I genuinely can’t wrap my head around this.I get to see my mom and dad today?Really?
“It’s not much, June Bug,” he murmurs against the shell of my ear.
Is he kidding?He must be.Because this isn’t just much, this is huge.This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me, and I mean ever.How did he know I needed this?How is he always so freaking thoughtful?It’s like he sees everything.
Letting him go, I wipe at my cheek, so caught off guard and blown away, I don’t even know what to say.“Thank you.Seriously.I don’t…I don’t know what to say.”
“Don’t thank me too much.Not yet.”He squeezes the back of his neck, suddenly…I don’t know, shy?Unsure, maybe?It’s so unlike him, I’m kind of taken aback.
With a frown, I ask, “What do you mean?”
“I still have to convince your parents to like me.”
Is this man serious?He’s gorgeous, charming, kind, witty.There isn’t a single off-putting bone in his body, and he’s nervous my parents won’t like him?It’s like he’s never spent time in a room with himself or something.“Trust me,” I pat his chest, “they’ll love you.”
Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, he looks up at the sign but doesn’t answer me.It’s like he’s unable to hold my gaze or something.So, heisnervous.The question is, why?The guy is the most arrogant—okay, confident—person I’ve ever met, and he’s nervous to meet my parents?If I didn’t think I loved him before, the feeling is very clear now.If only he knew how accepting my parents are, he’d realize he has nothing to worry about.But maybe that’s the problem.His only experience with parental figures has been from his own, and from witnessing the literal aftermath of one of their encounters, it suddenly makes sense.Of course, he’s nervous.If his own father can verbally and physically abuse him, who’s to say mine won’t do the same?Okay, not the abuse part, but the derision part?The unwelcoming jerkface behavior part?That’s very much a possibility, or at least, it would make sense for Ford to think it was a possibility since he’s never met my dad.
I tangle my fingers with his and bring the backs of his hands to my mouth.I kiss each one gently as we wait to board the flight.“Ford,” I murmur.
He blinks and looks down at me.“Yeah?”
“You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”
His nostrils flare.“We’ll see.”
“I’m serious,” I push.“I know your experience with parental figures is a little shakier than most, but trust me.I am positive they are going to love you.Do you want to know why?”
“Why?”
“Because I love?—”
His eyes bulge, and so do mine.
Holy crap.Did I just tell him I love him?
I mean, I do, but I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that.Is it too soon?Probably.Does it make me feel like an idiot?Definitely.Will it scare him away?Possibly.
“I didn’t,” I start.“I mean, I do, but I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that or make you feel like just because you did something insanely nice and thoughtful that it would push me over the edge into, you know, when I’m pretty sure I felt that way before you woke me up this morning, and?—”
“Hey, June?”
“Yeah?”
