“Yeah, you can sort of say that.” I straightened my spine.
Her lips twitched with amusement. “You really like me, don’t you?”
I looked deep into her warm eyes. She looked happy again and that warmed my heart. “Have I not made that crystal clear?”
She looked behind her, noted no one behind her, but turned back to me and dropped her voice to a whisper anyway. “I know you like to have sex with me, but I didn’t think you’d be willing to meet my parents so soon, yet here you are .. nervous out of your mind. To be honest I never thought it was possible for you to get this nervous.”
“I’ll stop being nervous, when you stop teasing me,” I said.
She reached up to nibble on my lip just as there was the sound of a polite cough behind her. Hell, she threw herself away from me so fast she knocked over an umbrella stand. It crashed to the ground, which made her jump like a cat finding a cucumber behind it. It was quite adorable to see her flustered. I glanced away from her flushed face towards her mother. She was smiling at me, but her eyes were wary.
It was the first time she was laying eyes on me, but it wasn’t mine. Over the years, I’d been sent several photos of both her parents as they lived their quiet, unremarkable lives and raised my Willow.
Her father ambled into the foyer. He was a tall, gaunt man, and the epitome of a good provider. He spoke little and cared deeply for his family. He looked between us expressionlessly, then he turned to his wife. “What happened?”
“Willow almost broke her neck trying to hide herself when I caught her kissing her new boyfriend,” her mother explained tactlessly. I fell in love with her then. I knew we’d get along just fine.
Her father’s face darkened at the words, and I didn’t blame him for one second. I’d have done the same if I’d been in his shoes.
“Mom,” Willow groaned under her breath.
I stepped forward then, and introduced myself. “Hello, Ma’am. I’m Caleb Wolfe.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Caleb. You can call me Sally.”
I turned to her father and held out my hand. “Sir. Good to meet you.”
He accepted the gesture, his expression still hard. He jerked his chin towards the bouquet in my hand. “Is that for me?”
“No, sir,” I said, as heat rushed into my neck. Watching my inept, clumsy performance, no one could possibly imagine I had practiced this for twelve fucking years.
Her mother lightly slapped him on the shoulder. “Stop it, George.” She turned to face me. “They’re for me, aren’t they?”
“Yes ma’am.”
She took the flowers from me, sniffing the fragrance delicately. “Thank you, they’re beautiful. Please come in. Willow, why don’t you unpeel yourself from that wall and come and join us too.”
I winked at Willow and she raised her eyebrows at me before I went with her parents into the living room. Her mother disappeared into the kitchen and her father offered me a drink. I asked for whiskey and he nodded with approval.
“Ice?”
I shrugged. “Sure.”
Once a glass of whiskey was in my hand, the interrogation began.
“Willow tells me that you’re from New York.”
That was absolutely not true, and I carefully couched my words. “I’m not, but I’ve worked there for a number of years, Sir.”
“Stock trading?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“I also hear that you’re quite successful at it.”
I took a sip of whiskey. It was cold and smooth. “I’ve been quite fortunate, yes.”
“Hmmm…” He then nodded a few times as if he approved of something. “So why forsake the bright lights to move to this sleepy town?”
I glanced at Willow. “I’m not a fan of bright lights, Sir.”
“It can get very boring here. There’s little nightlife to speak of.”
“That’s okay. I like a quiet life.”
He stared into his own whiskey glass. “My daughter is very precious to me. If you think you’re going to come here, hurt her and move on, you better think again.” He raised his head and looked me full in the eye. I wanted to rush over and hug him hard and call him Dad. That was how much I respected him at that moment. He didn’t care I had more money than him. He just wanted me not to hurt his daughter.
Next to me I could feel the tension in Willow’s body. “Dad! We just started dating,” she burst out.
Before I could open my mouth to answer, the door opened and Willow’s mother came in. The delicious smell of food cooking wafted in with her. She clapped her hands to get our attention.
“Okay, everybody. The meal is ready. We’re having meatloaf. Stop everything and come to the table now. I’ve been slaving over a hot stove all day and I want to make sure it’s served at its best.”