“Yeah, I drove all that. It’s not a big deal.” My eyes widened, warning him not to make a fuss out of nothing.
“I told her we should have stopped over somewhere,” Josh added, and I shot him a glare over the table where he was now seated. We’d already had this argument; I wasn’t about to have it again in front of my parents.
“I didn’t want it to take any longer than necessary.” I just wanted to get home. Because if I didn’t do it, there was every chance I would have turned around and gone back.
So what if it had taken us eleven hours, and I’d driven most of the way? It was done now, and I didn’t plan on doing it again any time soon.
“Well, we’re just glad you’re back, sweetheart. Now, who wants tea?” Mom held up the pot, and I smiled. It was the one she saved for special occasions.
“Yes, please, Mrs. Benson.”
“Call me Judy. For the love of my young skin, call me Judy, please.”
I stifled a laugh, and Josh added, “Well, in that case, thanks, Judy.”
She poured Josh tea and then worked her way around the other cups. Also, her best ones. The ones that only came out when we had important guests, like the time Dad’s boss had come over for dinner.
I added cream and sugar, shooting Dad a look. It was his turn to stifle a laugh as he mouthed, “You know how she gets.”
I did, and I loved her for it all the same.
“Now, I didn’t know if you wanted to eat out tonight or stay in, so I haven’t made dinner yet, but I can whip something up?” Mom took her seat, tucking stray brown curls behind her ears.
I opened my mouth to reply, but Josh beat me to it. “We’re pretty beat, so we’ll probably want an early night, right, babe?”
Well, all right then.
“I guess.” I smiled through my teeth, adding, “But we can order in, Mom, no need to make a fuss. There’s plenty of time.”
A noise that could only be described as a whimper of joy tumbled out of her mouth. “I still can’t believe you’re home. For good. Isn’t it just amazing, Derek? Our baby is home.”
Dad patted her hand across the table.
“You’ll be sick of me in no time,” I said, my chest tightening.
Mom smiled, and I couldn’t be certain, but it looked like she was mopping tears out of the corner of her eyes.
“No tears, remember? You promised.”
“I’m too damn happy to cry,” Dad chimed in. “And what about you, Josh? What are your plans for the summer?”
“I’m headed to Toledo on Wednesday, sir.”
“So soon?” Mom’s brows pinched as she glanced at me. I gave her a small shrug. When I’d told them I was bringing Josh home with me, it still hadn’t been decided how long he would stay.
“Unfortunately, yes. I start my new job Monday, and I want to get settled. But hopefully, I’ll be able to see more of you guys soon.” He smiled, and Mom nodded with a smile of her own.
“A lawyer in the making, how exciting.”
She liked him; I could tell. I smiled too, feeling relieved that at least one of them did because Dad, well, Dad looked like he was sizing Josh up from across the room.
I placed my hand over his and squeezed. “Hey, big guy, go easy on him,” I whispered. “Josh is a good guy.”
But I wasn’t quiet enough, and Josh almost choked on a mouthful of his tea while Mom’s eyes went wide. Jesus, this was going well.
“You don’t need to worry about sleeping arrangements or anything. Josh has family friends he can stay with when he visits.” They lived in the next town over, but it was close enough.
Doing the long-distance thing was going to suck, but it was only a ninety-minute drive, so hopefully, we’d still see each other plenty. I’d always planned on coming back after I graduated to complete an internship at The Erie Echo. I had dreamed of working for the prestigious newspaper since I was a starry-eyed girl with big dreams of becoming the next Lois Lane. And it just so happened their HQ was a stone’s throw away from Dupont Beach. I hadn’t planned on meeting Josh, but I knew better than most that life could throw you a curveball at any given moment.