“I’m glad you stayed over last night,” Gabe says and kisses my cheek.

“You’re very persuasive.”

I knew I wouldn’t be able to leave if I came inside last night, but after Marshall’s screaming fit, I had to have an explanation. At least now I know the real reason Kaylee left.

Gabe is a kind man for not reporting her. Losing his own mother was hard for him. It’s easy to see all the ways it’s influenced his life.

“See you tonight,” Gabe says, and opens the door of my car.

“Bye.”

He shuts the door and I realize how painful the next nine hours are going to be because he won’t be with me. I can’t wait until I can move my days off, but I have to get all my existing appointments moved first.

Before I know it, I’m pulling into the parking lot. I drove all the way to work on autopilot, my mind too busy thinking about how amazing the weekend was.

I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. Every second I spend with Gabe makes me care about him more and more. There’s no denying, I am completely and utterly in love with him.

And I’m glad I am.

I can’t wait to introduce him to my family. They are going to love him as much as I do, I know they will.

“Morning, Eloise,” Marcy says the second I set foot through the door.

“Morning.”

“Did you tell your parents? Or did you leave it for me to do?”

With a fake smile plastered across my face, I say, “I told them all right.”

“And?”

“And they’re letting me change my days off to his, and invited him to dinner on Saturday.”

“They know about what you did in your room?”

“Why do you think they moved my days off?”

“Well, it doesn’t matter to me because I gave my two weeks’ notice this morning anyway.”

“Good for you.”

“Yeah, I can’t work in such a place any longer.”

“Which is good, because I can’t handle you working here any longer either.”

I walk away, proud my cheeks didn’t even go a little bit pink.

All week, I stay at Gabe’s. I don’t think I could sleep without him holding me in bed at night.

It’s Saturday and I’m at my apartment. Gabe worked and I spent the day doing laundry and reading. Now I’m waiting for him to pick me up for dinner at my parents.

There’s a knock at the door, and I open it.

“Hi,” I say, wrapping my arms around his neck.

He runs his hand down my back and over my butt, leaving a trail of sparks from his touch.

“We should stay here and get naked.”

“There is plenty of time for that later,” I say, pulling away. “Let’s get going. I can’t wait for you to meet my family, you’re going to love them.”

Gabe’s shoulders drop, as do the corners of his mouth. He looks like a condemned man, but he has nothing to worry about, he’ll realize that when he gets there.

Other than when I give him directions, we drive in silence. His hand moves nonstop on the center console, jiggling with nerves. I suppose it’s normal to be nervous about meeting your girlfriend’s family for the first time.

We pull into the driveway and I hop out of the truck. Gabe stays seated behind the wheel, his door closed. I move around the truck, and open his door.

“Come on,” I say, tugging as his hand.

Gabe sighs loudly, and gets out of the truck. I lace my fingers through his and lead him to the front door.

As soon as we reach the doormat, Sophie flings open the door.

“Hey,” she says. “Come on in, Gabe.” Sophie grabs both our hands and pulls us through the door.

“You remember my sister, Sophie, from our first date,” I say to Gabe.

Gabe nods at her.

“Let’s shoot some stick, I hear you’re good at it, but I bet I’m better.” Sophie drags us down the hallway.

“Where are Mom and Dad?”

“In the kitchen, cooking. They said they’d call us when dinner was ready.”

My brow knits. That’s not like them. They always at least say hello to a new guest.

“The table’s all set up,” Sophie says, handing Gabe a cue.

She breaks, a light tap that only separates three of the balls. It’s her style, she means business with the serious competition break.

Gabe leans over and blasts the white ball at the cluster of unbroken balls. They roll and spin around the table, bouncing off the bumpers and each other. Two solids sink. The three of us stand in silence, watching the balls rolling across the table. It seems to go on forever.

Finally the last ball comes to a standstill, and Gabe takes another shot, sinking another solid.

Sophie stands beside me and leans close to my ear. In a low voice, she says, “He’s quiet. Does he talk?”

“Of course.”

“At least we can enjoy the view when he’s bending over the table.”

Gabe looks back over his shoulder and smirks. I can’t resist the view any longer. I move to him and squeeze his butt.

“Hey, we’re not here to re-create your first time at a pool table together,” Sophie says, laughing.

“We could if you left,” I say, surprised at myself for not being embarrassed. I guess being with the two people I care most about relaxes me.

Gabe beats Sophie and the two of us play next. I’m ahead by two balls when my father calls us for dinner.

“This game isn’t over, we’re finishing it after dinner,” I say.

Gabe still hasn’t said much since we got here, and ignores the comment.

“Finally, I’m starving,” Sophie says and leaves the room.

“Let’s go,” I say, and run my hand across his back.

His heart is pounding, and my hand flinches in surprise. Gabe turns away from me. He moves to the door and stops. I assume he’s waiting for me to lead the way, and I hurry to him.

I take his hand to lead him to the dining room, and I wonder if I’m imagining his palm being sweaty.

Sophie is sitting at the end of the table instead of her usual spot. I guess so Gabe and I can sit beside each other. Neither of my parents is in sight.

“Have a seat,” I say, “I’m going to see if Mom and Dad need any help.”

I turn to go to the kitchen, and my dad appears holding a bowl of salad.

“Dad, finally. I’d like you to meet Gabe.”

Gabe stands, and my father places the salad on the table. Gabe sticks out his tattoo-covered right hand and my dad takes it.

“Welcome,” my dad says. Gabe nods, and sits back down.

A few seconds later, my mother walks through the doorway. She’s wearing oven mitts and carrying a hot casserole dish.

“Gabe, nice to see you,” my mother says, her eyes flicking between Gabe and my dad.

Gabe smiles and nods but says nothing. I sit down in the chair beside him, and run my hand over his thigh. He shifts in his seat, his feet fidgeting on the floor.

My mother spoons some of the beef casserole onto Gabe’s plate.

“Would you like more?” she asks.

“That’s enough,” Gabe says.

She scoops some casserole onto my plate and then onto Sophie’s. She carries on around the table and dishes out the casserole onto my father’s plate and hers. She repeats the entire process with the bowl of salad. Everyone sits in silence, watching her hands work.

Gabe’s knee bounces up and down, and I’m angry at my parents for not making him feel more welcome. It’s not like them, and I wonder if it’s because of all his tattoos.

Finally, my mother sits down and quietly says, “Let’s eat.”

I leave my hand on Gabe’s thigh, and pick up my fork. Sophie and my father start eating. Gabe doesn’t touch his fork. Neither does my mother. The food smells delicious, but the tension makes me lose my appetite.

“This is delicious,” Sophie says.

“It is. One of your best, Miranda,” my dad says, patting my mom’s shoulder.

Sophie and my dad chat as they eat, but I can’t follow the conversation. All I can do is look between Gabe and my mother and wonder why they aren’t eating. At least they’ve both picked up their forks, but I haven’t seen either take a bite.

“Gabe’s a great pool player, you guys should play doubles after dinner,” Sophie says to the table.

“Great idea,” I say, thankful Sophie has found a way to break the tension.

“Oh, I have to do the dishes,” my mother says.

“I’ll do them,” Sophie says.

My mother takes her first bite of food.

Gabe’s knee bounces faster. I give Gabe’s thigh a reassuring squeeze. I know everything will be okay once he gets to know my parents.

Gabe pushes his plate away, and says, “I can’t do this.”