“She’ll love me,” Tanner reassured with a smirk as I looked at him.
“It’s not that I’m worried about,” I deadpanned. He winked and squeezed my hand once more. Just as I intended to plant a chaste kiss on his perfect lips, it began.
“Oh my goodness, Jack, will you look at that.” I closed my eyes briefly, hoping to God that my mom wouldn’t completely terrify Tanner. “Aren’t they just adorable together?” And then, in a whirl of pink and perfume, she all but threw her handbag at Dad, who stood there open-armed in a well-rehearsed move, and she raced toward us.
A grin split my face as I wrapped her up in my arms. As much as my mom was certifiable at times, she was mine and awesome. “Hey, Mom.” I kissed her on the cheek while attempting to step out of her bone-crushing hug. For five-foot-nothing, she was strong and gave some of the best hugs.
Not letting me out of her grasp just yet, she held me tighter, giving an extra squeeze as she said, “God, baby boy, I’ve missed you so much.” She finally edged back a little and reached up and cupped my face in her palms. After a moment of silence as her perceptive eyes studied me, she finally returned my grin. “You look so handsome”—I rolled my eyes—“and happy.” My heart squeezed. I really was happy, and the man somewhere behind me was the reason.
With the thought of Tanner firmly in my mind, I nodded. There was no way I could hold back from my mom. She read me far too easily, which was something of a blessing and a curse. I stepped out of her arms and looked over my shoulder at Tanner, stretching my arm out to him. He took my hand immediately. Rightness settled in my chest, warmth spreading through me at the contact. “Mom, Dad”—he’d finally reached us, laden with bags—“meet Tanner.”
Mom lunged at Tanner, wrapping him up in her arms. Half-amused and half-mortified, I continued, “This crazy woman is Marcy and this good-looking chap”—I winked at my dad and patted him on the shoulder, not daring to hug him while he was overloaded—“is Jack.”
“Hey, son, you good?” My dad’s deep voice held amusement as he shook his head slightly and indicated toward Mom, who had since released a bewildered Tanner but was now arm in arm with him as she dragged him toward the house.
“Yeah, Dad. Thanks.” I gave a small but happy sigh. “Come on, let me help with some of the luggage.” I took a bag out of his hands. “How long are you staying again?” I laughed.
“I best not tell you there’re another two in the trunk then, huh?” he answered. I groaned in response. With a laugh, he said, “Don’t worry, it’s just a week.”
I grinned as we walked toward the front door. Despite my anxiety of my mom possibly pushing us all over the edge, it was so good to see my parents. It was funny though, with the whirl in my stomach and tightening in my chest, I knew that Tanner meeting my parents was the more official declaration of our relationship. And that feeling right there was pretty wonderful.
Tanner had finally been introduced properlyto my dad and had since disappeared with him on a tour of the house as he showed Dad all the renovations. The progress Tanner had made was phenomenal. The upstairs was finally completed with two fully functioning bathrooms, three bedrooms not only decorated but with doors that closed, and a staircase that was no longer a deathtrap. We’d celebrated the night Tanner had finally finished the staircase with me bent over as he’d taken me from behind. It was by far the best of ways to celebrate.
My gaze drifted away from said staircase and landed back on my mom. It was not the wisest of ideas to get wicked thoughts of Tanner, especially with my mom keenly observing me.
Her grin was wide and filled with happiness. “He’s just lovely, and so very handsome.”
Heat touched my cheeks. “He really is.”
“So, how long have you been in love with him?” Her gaze was firm, her brows high in expectation and a clear “don’t tell me any nonsense” vibe coming from her.
“Well.” I cleared my throat. “Erm….”
She sighed. “Are you embarrassed about something?” she challenged.
“No.” My reply was quick. “It’s just….” In all honesty, my reaction was bizarre even to me. But I knew the truth behind my heated cheeks. “Mom,” I admitted, “God, I love him so much. He’s just perfect.” Tenderness filled her features as I spoke. “Don’t get me wrong, he can be a pain in the butt too, but he’s so perfect for me. He balances me out, and gets me all wound up in knots, and I just don’t know… he just… he’s it.” Tears sprung to my eyes as Mom lifted her hands to cover her mouth and her own tears trailed down her face.
I cleared my throat, blinking away my emotion, trying in earnest not to let my gushy tears spill over. “So yeah, not embarrassed, just in love.” I swallowed past the lump in my throat.
Reaching out to cup my face, Mom let her eyes roam my features. “I’m so happy for you, baby, so so happy. If he’s everything you say he is and makes you this content, then he most definitely is perfect for you.” She pulled back, wiped her eyes, and then stood. “Okay, I want to meet my grandbaby.”
I frowned in confusion. I had no idea what on earth she was talking about. “Erm… Mom—”
Her cutting glance made me slam my mouth shut. “Rex, Carter. Seriously. Rex, this dog I’ve been hearing so much about.”
She was off her rocker. I snorted, aware I was in danger of a clip around the ear. “Mom, you know that’s Tanner’s dog, right?”
“Semantics,” she said. “Is he out the back?”
He was. With all the time Tanner spent here, which had become pretty close to 24/7 with the exception of regular visits to see Davis and Libby, we’d made sure my yard was secured so that Rex could be at the house while Tanner worked. Admittedly, I smuggled him into work a few times too. I loved heading out to play catch with the beast of a dog whenever I had a lull or a break. And I supposed in many ways, Mom was right. He’d become as much my dog as Tanner’s.
She headed to the back door after I’d nodded, and proceeded to open it. I considered throwing her a warning, but decided to sit back and watch instead. I couldn’t be held responsible for reverting to a more immature me when my parents were around.
On cue, Rex barged through the open doorway, taking Mom by complete surprise as he made to barrel between her legs. No easy feat when Rex was barely a foot shorter than her.
I burst into laughter as Mom found herself sitting on Rex’s back. For a moment she balanced precariously, as though she was starring in a Rhodesian rodeo, before Rex dipped and scooted through, leaving Mom reaching for the wall to steady herself. In just those few seconds, she looked windswept and suitably flustered. My snorted laughter snapped her gaze in my direction, and my continued hollers of laughter were enough to bring Dad and Tanner back to the room, and for Mom to throw me a look that could kill.
“Carter Francis, you little sh—”
