Page 60 of 10 Things I Hate About Mistletoe

“Why? I thought you would be at your dad’s and getting a hotel for the night?”

“I was going to do that, but there was a bunch of family drama. My brother and I left and went out to eat at the closest place that was open. Afterward, I tried to get a hotel room, but they were all booked unless I wanted to spend almost five hundred bucks and I wasn’t going to crash in my brother’s hotel room with his family. I figured I’d sleep in the car and head home tomorrow. Even if I come back Sunday to grab you, it would be cheaper than that hotel room.”

“Why didn’t you text me?”

“I didn’t want to intrude on your family’s Thanksgiving.”

“That is ridiculous. Get out of the car and come inside.”

“Delilah, I’m okay—”

“You are not sleeping in the car, Anthony. I forbid it.”

He laughed. “Forbid, huh?”

“Absolutely. Grab your bag and let’s go inside.”

Anthony climbed out of the car and headed for the trunk. “Why are you out here?”

“You aren’t the only one who gets aggravated with your parents.”

“I bet my aggravation trumps yours.”

“It probably does, since I planned on going back inside. Wanna talk about it?”

“Not at the moment. I’m still processing it.” He slung his bag over his shoulder and wrapped an arm around her, his warm embrace making her nipples peak. “What happened with your parents?”

“Same old thing. My mother wants me to get a real job, preferably close to them.”

“Are your parents pretty good overall?”

“Yeah, they are. You were going to say I should suck it up and humor them?”

“I would never presume to give you any advice about family. I do think that your mom is coming from a place of love.”

“I know that. I just want to stop having the same argument repeatedly.”

“The only way you’re going to stop the argument is by not engaging.”

“Hey, Russo, stop making sense. Nobody likes that!”

Anthony chuckled and pressed his lips against the top of her head. “Sorry, beautiful. Won’t happen again.”

They reentered the house and Delilah stopped in the doorway of the kitchen. Her mom and dad were at the table with their pie untouched.

“So, I went for a walk and found a stray. Can I keep him?”

Her mom spotted Anthony first and smiled. “Anthony! Did your family’s dinner end already?”

“It did. Unfortunately, my hotel plans fell through and I planned on bedding down in the car, but Delilah isn’t having it. I just want to be clear that I don’t want to impose or cause a problem.”

“It’s no problem at all,” her dad said. “We’ve got a couch that folds into a bed downstairs in the basement. I’ve slept on it a time or two when I’ve said the wrong thing.”

“Really? We’re going to make a guest sleep in the basement when the guest room bed is a queen?” Delilah asked.

“Are you suggesting I sign off on you two sleeping together under my roof?”

“Dad, you realize I’m an adult, right?”