“Until Thanksgiving.”
Rory’s heart fell, and her chest tightened as a wave of disappointment washed over her.
James realized that she had stiffened in his arms and spoke up, “I have to go back to work, Rory.”
She stepped out of his embrace and turned to stare into his eyes. Her green eyes, she was sure, reflected how she was feeling at the moment.
“It feels like we’re fighting a losing battle, James. Clearly, your priority isn’t to get this relationship to work—”
“That’s not true, Rory. I’m here because I want to fight for us. I need this to work,” James jumped in.
“I don’t want to do this. I’m tired.”
James sighed, defeated. “Who was that you were talking to back at the barbecue?” he asked.
Rory reared back to look at him as if he had lost his mind. “Are you serious right now?”
He didn’t reply but simply stared back at her, waiting for an answer.
“That was my mother’s boyfriend’s son. In essence, that was my stepbrother-to-be. Also, he’s nineteen and in college.”
A look of remorse passed over James’ face, and he opened his mouth to say something, but Rory beat him to it.
“Let’s just get back to the barbecue.” With that, she turned and walked back toward the house, not caring if he had followed her.
When they finally made it, her mother came toward them, her face showing concern.
“Mom, what’s wrong?” she asked worriedly.
“It’s…James,” she replied, her eyes darting from Rory to him as he stood a few feet behind her. Andrea dropped a bombshell.
“Your parents are here.”
ChapterTwenty-Two
“Did you hear what I said, James? Your parents are here.”
“Um...yeah-yeah, I heard…did they say why?”
Andrea shook her head apologetically. “They’re in the house, in the family room waiting for you.”
“Okay, thanks. I’ll Just head inside.” James made to move off, but Andrea’s next words stopped him in his tracks.
“Rory, aren’t you going to go with him to say hi to your in-laws?” she asked, turning to look at her daughter expectantly.
Rory’s stomach pitted into tight coils at being spotlighted. “No,” she blurted, her voice going up an octave. “I mean, I think James should talk to them first. I’ll…I’ll greet them after.” She felt his eyes on her but refused to look at him.
Andrea looked from Rory to James, her perceptive eyes boring into them. “Okay,” she said simply.
“I’m gonna go now,” James spoke. He turned and made his way toward the house once more.
Rory watched him retreat back until he slipped through the back door and was out of sight. She turned her head to see her mother’s gaze already on her. Her heart hammered in her chest.
“Why is James really here, Rory…and his parents…is there something else going on that you haven’t told me?” Andrea questioned, folding her arms over her chest as she stared at her daughter.
Rory hesitated. “Um, James is here because he took some time off from work to come to see me,” she answered. It wasn’t entirely the truth, but it was what she was capable of telling her mother right now. As for James’ parents… “I don’t know why his parents are here, though. I guess I’ll find out after he’s spoken to them.”
“Rory…”
