“I went to school with him. I used to tutor him. He’s real important to me.”
“Oh,” her mother said. “I remember. He’s the Trojans’ kid, right? The leader, the alpha, what is that person called?”
“The Prez?” Luna asked.
“Yes, that’s right. He’s Duke’s kid.”
“You could have totally led with that.”
“I had no idea you were interested in the biker kid. Did you and he have a thing when you were in high school?”
Her mother didn’t know about the pregnancy scare, and she wasn’t going to ruin her parents falling for him by bringingit up now.
“Yeah, I did. I had a big thing for him. We dated for a short time, but it never nothing happened. You know? It was one of those slow teenage things, and then it fizzled out. I went away to college, and seeing as I’m back, we met up, and things have just, you know, developed.”
“Right, of course. When do I get to meet him?” her mother asked.
“You want to meet him?”
“Of course, I do. I need to give him the stern talking to. Not to mention your dad has to put the fear of God into him as well. We don’t want him to hurt our little girl.”
This wasn’t good.
“No, hell, no. You’re not going to scare him away by being weird parents. That is not happening. That would be so unfair.”
“Honey, life isn’t always fair, but trust us, it will be for your own good. We need to know he is the right one for you.”
“I love him, Mom. Not a silly little crush either. I totally, one hundred percent, love him. I love him so much.”
Her mother paused and stared at her. “Is this why none of your boyfriends worked in college?”
Luna sat up. “I, er, yes, it is why none of them worked. None of them were Matthew. It was him I wanted.”
Matthew chose that moment to return.
“In fact, I’d like you to meet him.” She waved her hand back and forth, encouraging him to come toward her so she could tell him and her mother all about each other.
He frowned but moved toward her.
She sat up on his bed, and he took the space beside her.
“Mom, this is Matthew. Matthew, this is my mom.”
“Hello, Mrs. Daniels,” Matthew said.
“Yes, I remember you. You’re the sweet boy that helped me out with my groceries whenever you saw me struggling, andyou mowed the lawn for me. Oh, and you helped fix the fence.”
Luna was amazed as within seconds, her father was on the phone, talking with Matthew as if they were old friends. Her parents loved him. But then, so did she.
At the end of the call, they had already set a dinner date or two, and she pressed theend callbutton and looked toward Matthew. “My parents adore you.”
“Your parents love me,” he said, taking her hand.
“You helped them out while I was away at college, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”