“Pleasure to meet you, sir. Ma’am.” I shook hands with them both and dipped my chin, giving my best smile and popping the dimple. “Smells amazing. Thank you for having me.”
“Pleasure’s ours, trust me.” Her mom has the same smile that haunts my mind every time I try to attempt sleep. I swear Seven was regurgitated. “I’m Ruth. This is Vernon. Welcome.”
We followed them into the dining room and Seven gave me the same look she did two months ago when I pulled her chair for her. I must have looked confused again. She hesitated before she sat down. Are we not supposed to do this anymore? Is there a fucking handbook for dating after the 1900’s? I lowered myself into the chair next to hers and Vernon walked in with a stack of pizza boxes…with his lovely wife right behind him, carrying a tray of meatloaf and roasted vegetables.
“Not breaking the rules for one night, Mom?” Sev asked, shaking her head.
“Especiallynot tonight. We have company. Company shouldn’t be forced to eat processed food.”
“And cue the strange…”
Emmy raised up onto her knees and he could barely get the pizza box open before her face hovered over it. “Ilike processed food!”
“I like candy,” the wee one added. I couldn’t stop my smile.
Seven tossed her hands up as her parents sat down in their seats. “I like the opposite of starvation. Malek…what’ll it be?”
Oh, fuck…I’m not ready.
But of course, the entire table is looking at me now. I’ve never had meatloaf in my life. Does it make a bad impression if I go for that meat-lovers steaming in that box? Screw it. First time for everything. “I want whatever that is on that tray.” Ruth melted. I think I made the right choice. Sev loaded down my plate and everybody else got theirs and we all quietly ate until her dad broke the awkward silence.
“So, Malek…” Viper tensed beside me, and I couldn’t help but do the same. “I noticed you’ve got a taste for American muscle. What year is your Chevy?” I instantly relaxed.
I finished chewing, the shit is actually divine, and swallowed, wiping my mouth before I spoke. “It’s a ‘72. Spent four years restoring it with a mate of mine. I saved every penny I had for that car since I was sixteen. Had to fix everything on it. She’s perfect though.”
Vernon nodded, chewing. “I had an old Mustang when I met Ruthie. I smoked then too. I think that sealed the first date.” He winked, and Ruth slapped his arm with the back of her hand.
“That wasn’t a date. That was a train wreck. I ended up with chocolate ice cream all over my lap.”
“We also ended up with Greg,” he chuckled, wincing when she whacked him again. Seven’s pizza dropped into her plate, and she covered her face with both palms while I snickered. I like them. A lot.
“Gross.”
“Did you buy Daddy at anice cream store?” Emmy asked. The entire table erupted. Sev had a bit of cheese fly outta her mouth and I lost it.
“Yeah,” she cackled, waving a hand across the table. “Eat your pizza, dude.”
We kept the conversation kid-friendly for the remainder of the dinner, and when the little ones looked sleepy, Em asked if she could color me like I promised. Seven offered to help clean up, so I ended up with the tiny one sleeping across my lap on the couch, and Emmy drooling on my shoulder with a marker still in her hand. I don’t have a fucking clue what I’m doing, but…I like it. And I like the way she’s looking at me right now, drying her hands off with a dish towel and staring at me like she didn’t just eat half a pizza and could devour me right here on this couch. I think this went better than either one of us could have hoped for.
“You look like a preschool art show.”
“I’d say something to counter that, but…it’sdefinitelyinappropriate,” I grinned.
“Yeah, well…I found a hair tie.”
Attention fucking acquired. My eyebrow skyrocketed.
“Are you tryin’ to seduce me, Little Viper?”
“Is it working?”
I gnawed on my lip ring and squeezed my eyes shut. “There’s a literal child on my lap, Seven Grey. Cutthroat move.Cutthroat move, lass.”
She cracked that smile, and moved towards me, lifting Vivian off my legs and holding her against her shoulder. “Now you don’t. And you should feel ashamed of yourself, Hannibal.” She clicked her tongue and shook her head, walking away with the baby. “Let’s go home.”
Home.
Holy fuck…
