She glided down and was glad when King walked to her and took her hand.
“Jesus woman, are you trying to give me a heart attack?” he whispered.
She laughed.
He kissed her, but she pulled back when he went to deepen it. “Your parents are watching, and now you’re wearing my lipstick.” She used her thumb to wipe it off his lips.
He chuckled. “It was worth it. Come and meet my parents, but please don’t judge me because they’re horrible people.”
She sputtered and laughed. “That’s awful.”
“It’s true.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and led her over to the older couple.
“Sweetheart, I’d like you to meet my parents, Gerald and Elaina Richardson. Mother and Father, please meet my fiancée, Catalina.”
His mother glanced at the two-carrot engagement ring he’d given her. He never asked her to marry him. She’d just woken up one morning with the ring on her finger. She asked him if there was something he wanted to ask her, and he’d replied no because he already knew the answer. So, she’d just let it go.
Cat waited to see what the two would do. His father stepped up first, raised her hand, and kissed her knuckles.
“Hello. When my son told me you were beautiful, you surpassed my expectations.”
She smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Richardson. That’s very sweet of you to say.”
“My son said you weren’t related to the Jones who owns the United Bank in the city?” his mother asked.
“No, I imagine there are a lot of Jones because it’s a common name, but I’m not one of the society ones.”
His mother made a tsk sound. “Oh, that’s too bad.”
“Mother,” King growled.
Cat patted King’s arm. “It’s all right, sweetheart.”
King pressed a kiss to her temple before he faced his parents. “Would you like a drink before dinner?”
“No, thank you,” Elaina said.
“Fine. Let’s go into the dining room,” King said and led Cat that way. He pulled out her chair and then bent forward. “Do you know how proud I am of you right now?”
“No, but you’ll have to explain it to me later and with as much touching as possible, Daddy,” she whispered.
“Oh, that will definitely happen.”
He grinned and took the head of the table. His mother and father sat on the other side, facing her.
The first course came out, and it was the cold cucumber soup. Cat listened to King and his father talk business as she delicately spooned the soup into her mouth. She only ate about half of it, like Mrs. Pinkerson told her to. She guessed it was a faux pas to eat all the food on your plate, which didn’t make sense.
The soup was taken away, and a salad was placed in front of her. She stumbled over which fork to use but watched King pick one before lifting her own. She could do this.