“You’re not still worried you insulted his mom, are you? He’s the one who kidnapped you,” Piper says. “He can handle a couple of kidnapping jokes.”
“Shh!”
Kraig the security guard is walking in for his shift. He turns to stare at me.
“Hi! I made cookies and left them in the break room if you want any!” I wave.
He gives me a nod.
“At least you always have your work crush as a backup plan if things go south.” Piper smirks.
“Mom will not be happy if I downgrade from Graham to Kraig. He’s a security guard. I’m not judging, but she will.”
“And I’m judging your outfit. I thought you were changing your clothes?”
“Maybe it’s better to dress conservatively?” I look down.
I’m wearing an outfit my mom picked out. It’s all beige. Beige pants, an oversized beige sweater, a brown belt, brown shoes, a matching brown handbag. My hair has been pinned into a bun.
“It’s too late! I don’t have any other non-mom-approved clothes. Oh gosh, do you think they’re going to think I’m weird? I want to make a good impression.”
“Didn’t you already meet his family?” Piper reminds me.
“Yeah, but that was brunch for like ninety minutes. This is, like, spending the night in their house. What if they realize I’m a pathetic weirdo and think I’m not good enough for Graham?”
“He’s not good enough for you. He’d literally be in jail right now if you weren’t so insecure.” Piper sticks some of the errant strands of my hair back into the bun. “You’re spending a weekend with his parents, not going to prison.”
“Does it really look that bad?”
“It’s a cabin, right? So lots of natural wood. You’ll just blend in with the background. They won’t notice you at all.”
“Oh my gosh, I never should have listened to my mom.”
“Honestly, it’s really the fact that Lulu has a matching outfit that puts this over the edge.”
The dog in her brown doggie sweater whines.
The lobby doors open, and then there’s Graham in a charcoal suit striding across the expanse of marble toward me.
He hesitates like he’s not sure if he should hug me or kiss me.
“You better pretend like you two are dating—you’re in a public place,” Piper hisses.
I elbow my cousin.
Graham stares at me.
“Don’t worry, she didn’t murder an animal for that coat,” Piper jokes.
“Did you get that at Costco?”
“Ooh, don’t tell Aunt Linda that. She spent a lot of money on that outfit.”
Graham scowls and picks up my bags. “We’re going to be late.”
“I brought some dips and desserts and wine.” I pick up the oversized double brown bag and rush out after him.
He’s double-parked in front of Svensson Investment.
