“Um, should we brace ourselves?”
Miles glances over. “Yes, that’s my mom, Lillian.”
That explains why she looks familiar. We met on that video call. A big part of me would like to climb into the back seat and hide under the camping gear. The other part of me knows Ineed to meet this head-on. I hate having to do the right thing—especially when I’m lying.
I climb out of the car and hurry around to Miles’s side.
His mom doesn’t even greet him; she latches on to me and clasps my arms with her hands.
She’s misty-eyed and staring at me.
“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry we sprang this on you,” I babble. Because she’sher. She has kind eyes. Kind eyes turn me into a babbler. “You didn’t even get a warning, and then you had a daughter-in-law.”
“Don’t be silly! I had more than enough warning. Miles has a tendency to know his mind and know what he wants. He’s very like his father. Why, Andrew told me that he knew on our first date that he wanted to marry me!” Lillian pulls me into a hug. “The way Miles talked about his roommate, I knew he was going to fall in love with you.”
This poor, sweet, delusional woman. She’s small but mighty with her crushing hugs.
“Thank you for coming camping with him. I know it can be overwhelming to meet a big family, but it just means so much to me that you would come spend the weekend with us. Miles told me how busy you are with the new clinic. I appreciate this so much.”
“Mom.”
“Yes?”
“Let Lucy go.”
She releases me, and I get my first deep breath in a couple of minutes.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Lucy. I just got too excited. I promise I’m not like this all the time.”
“Just some of the time,” Miles teases as he pulls his mom into a hug.
“Your dad is getting here a little later. He had to finish up at work. Ainsley helped me set up the tent already.”
An older gentleman walks over to us and introduces himself to me as Felix.
“This is my grandpa,” Miles clarifies.
“As in Goldie and Felix?” I ask.
Felix nods. “When she feels like claiming me.”
“It’s really nice to meet you.” I reach out a hand to shake his.
He pats the back of my hand. “It was actually Goldie who sent me over here to bring you to our trailer.”
I glance at Miles. “Oh, I should probably help Miles set up?—”
“No, you should relax. This is your first year with us,” Lillian butts in. “Miles is a professional. You don’t have to worry about him.”
I look at Miles, but since we have an audience, it’s not like we can make faces or whisper a quick game plan to each other.
“All right then…” I say slowly and start to follow Felix toward a travel trailer parked on a concrete slab at the edge of the tent sites.
“Goldie’s told me a lot about you,” Felix says.
I groan slightly. “I’m afraid I didn’t make a very good impression.”
Felix smiles softly at me. “On the contrary. She’s so proud of you for being a veterinarian—you would think it was her idea. And the most important thing: you’re kind to Miles. That’s all we could hope for with any of our grandchildren.”
