I froze.
Maureen’s forehead dropped to my shoulder.
My mother stood in the doorway, gaping as my father came up behind her. “Oh,” he said.
“Am I okay to introduce you?” I whispered to Maureen.
“Hard to see another option.” I felt her nervous laughter against my jacket.
Though we’d spoken in hushed voices, I’d have given even odds my parents heard our conversation since they stood less than ten feet away. To their credit, they waited patiently for me to say something.
“Mother, Father, I have someone I’d like you to meet.”
Maureen pulled away from my shoulder and turned around gamely with her hand outstretched. “Hello.”
My mother gawked at her with a confused expression. Then her face broke into a grin, and she uttered the last word I expected.
“Francesca?”
Chapter twenty-nine
Maureen
Ismiled at the elegant woman in the impeccably tailored pantsuit who reached forward to take my hand.
From behind me, I heard the shock in Will’s voice.
“Mother, you know Francesca?”
“Of course I know Francesca.” She dropped her hand, but the enthusiasm on her face remained. “I love her videos, and especially how she isn’t afraid to focus on fashion for women of a certain age.”
I fidgeted, running my hands over my hair. “Thank you for the compliment. It’s rare for me to run into a fan in the wild.”
Will stepped forward. “Maureen, let me introduce you to my parents, Iris and Andrew.”
“Pleasure to meet you.” I reached to shake Andrew’s hand. He looked like a silver-haired version of his son, only with a straitlaced accountant aesthetic as opposed to Will’s trendier vibe.
He gripped my palm and pumped his arm up and down a few times, but his expression remained blank. “We didn’t realize William was…dating someone. He never mentioned anything.”
“It’s new.” I bit my lip. Hopefully, this surprise didn’t affect the progress Will made today with his parents.
“Ah,” Iris hummed, leading her husband farther into the room.
“So, you two are seeing each other?” Andrew’s question, directed at Will, came across as an accusation. “We’re so far apart you hida girlfriendfrom us?”
“Yes, we are dating. But I wasn’thidingit. I absolutely want you both to get to know my…girlfriend.” Will smiled slyly at me. “Like Maureen said, it’s just early days. And to be clear, this falls under the category of things you trust me on.”
Andrew nodded at his son’s response, his shoulders relaxing. Will wore a subtly triumphant expression, which I interpreted as:Wow. I effectively communicated with my father.
Iris clapped her hands together in front of her chest. “Well, of course we trust you when we see this lovely young woman in front of us. This is the best news I’ve heard all week. I can’t believe you’re dating Francesca.”
“Remember—it’s Maureen. Francesca is a stage name,” Will said, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me to him.
“Maureen.” His mom spoke airily. “That’s pretty.”
“Thank you. Francesca is my middle name, after my late father, Frank.”
Andrew cleared his throat. “How did the two of you meet?”
