I looked to Maddox in question, but he shrugged, even though his hand gripped mine a touch tighter.
“Maddox!” His mom held her arms open once we got close enough, and Maddox let go of my hand to accept her embrace.
“Hey, Mom,” he said softly while she held him tight.
She pulled back enough to whisper, “She’s so pretty,” and I blushed.
Maddox pulled me to his side and introduced me. “Mom, this is Bristol Cooper. Bristol, this is my mom, Vivian Waller.”
My eyebrows rose when I heard his mom had a different last name, as he hadn’t mentioned that before. Now that I thought about it, he hadn’t told me very much about his childhood, outside of the hockey parts. It was just another reminder that what we shared was still so new; we had a lot to learn about each other.
I extended my hand. “So nice to meet you, Ms. Waller.”
She clasped both of her hands over mine. “Oh, aren’t you adorable?” She peeked at Maddox. “Vivian is just fine.”
“Vivian,” I confirmed, giving her a smile I hoped exuded confidence. There was no question I would be judged tonight, but I wanted to make a great first impression.
When she released her hold on my hands, she looped her arm around that of the man hanging back. “This is Lewis, my husband.”
For a moment, I simply stared, trying to process why Maddox hadn’t told me he had a stepdad. When I peeked at him, his jaw was set tight, but he nodded to the man, muttering his name in acknowledgment.
“Pleasure.” Lewis took my hand, bringing it to his lips and brushing my knuckles.
Maddox’s grip tightened on my waist almost painfully. There was definitely a story there. But now was not the time to ask.
Vivian clapped her hands. “Let’s sit! I’ve taken the liberty of ordering a bottle of Pinot Grigio since I assume we will all be having seafood this evening.” She directed her next comment right at me. “You can’t come to the Pacific Northwest and not eat straight from the sea. It’s a sin! You won’t get anything quite so fresh in the Midwest, I’m sure.”
“Actually, I’m from New England,” I offered.
“Oh!” Her green eyes widened. “Well, then you know!”
Maddox held a chair for me, waiting until I was seated before sitting beside me, keeping a protective arm around my waist. The tension radiating off him was palpable, and I wondered if it had anything to do with his mom bringing her husband. He hadn’t mentioned that we would be meeting anyone other than his mother, and I was getting the vibe that he wasn’t super fond of his stepdad.
I sipped the chilled white wine as Vivian did the same. She lowered her glass and looked me directly in the eye, asking, “So, when are you giving me grandbabies?”
“Mom!” Maddox groaned.
Only mildly stunned, I joked, “Well, there’s no denying the two of you are related.”
Vivian bounced in her seat. “Does that mean soon?” Her gaze slid to her son. “I’m not getting any younger, honey. I’m the last one of my friends left without them, and if you don’t get busy soon, I’m afraid I’ll be too old to enjoy them!”
I turned to Maddox, lowering my voice. “Remind me to keep our mothers far apart from each other.” Neither one of them had any qualms about discussing our private sex life, and Maddox’s had taken it a step further, demanding we procreate.
He hummed in response, addressing his mother. “Not exactly appropriate dinner conversation, Mom. Bristol and I only just started seeing each other.”
Vivian waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t try to fool me into believing this isn’t serious. You’ve never brought a girl home to meet me before.”
Curious, I peeked at Maddox. He’d been the one to ask to come home to Hartford with me to meet my parents. He was thirty-six, now; I just assumed he’d been through a serious relationship once or twice before. Guess I was wrong on that count.
His free hand covered mine where it rested atop the table as he declared, “You’re right, Mom. Bristol is special. She’s the most important person in my life.”
The world faded away as we stared at each other.
Maddox had made good on his promise to put me at the center of his universe. Each day, he proved that in new ways. Today, it was claiming me in front of his mother. I never had to doubt whether his heart beat for me because he wasn’t shy about sharing his feelings. He was physically and verbally affectionate in a way I’d never known before, and it made my soul sing.
He had to bethe onebecause I couldn’t imagine anything feeling better than this.
Vivian’s sigh broke through our little bubble. “New love is always so beautiful to watch. Seems like only yesterday I was in that place myself.”
