I grin. “We’re an hour out. I’ll come by when we get in.”
Beth sits up, glancing my way.
“We?” Mom’s voice rises, hopeful. “Who’s we?”
I let Beth hear the smile in my voice. “Beth’s with me.”
There’s a pause, then a happy gasp. “Your Beth?”
Beth blushes so hard I almost laugh. “Yeah, Ma. My Beth.”
“Oh, Jack! Bring her over for dinner! No. Bring her over now. I can’t wait!”
I shake my head. “Ma, we’ve been driving all day. Let us shower first.”
Beth tugs on my hand, whispering, “Jack, maybe I should—”
“Nope,” I say, squeezing her fingers. “You’re not getting out of this.”
Mom must hear Beth’s hesitation because she chimes in, “Sweetheart, I promise I won’t bite. I just want to meet the woman who finally straightened out my boy.”
Beth snorts, and I glare at her with mock offense.
“All right, Ma. We’ll be there soon.”
“We’ll be waiting!” she says and hangs up.
I turn toward Beth. “Nervous?”
She bites her lip. “Maybe a little.”
I lift her hand, kissing her knuckles. “Don’t be. They’re going to love you.”
Beth lets out a shaky laugh. “After my family, your parents can’t possibly be worse.”
“Exactly,” I say, grinning. “Piece of cake.”
When we pull into my parents’ driveway, the sun is low, and the house glows warm against the dusk. Beth fidgets beside me, fingers drumming on her knee.
I still her hand. “Relax, sweetheart.”
She nods, but I can see the anxiety in her eyes. “I don’t have a great track record with parents.”
My jaw tightens, thinking of the way her mom treated her. “Mine aren’t like that.”
I get out and open her door. She steps out, taking my hand.
Before we even reach the porch, the door bursts open. Mom stands in the doorway, her hair wild, her eyes shining. Dad is behind her, arms crossed but mouth twitching, like he’s trying not to smile.
Mom barrels straight past me and wraps Beth in a hug. Beth freezes, startled, then relaxes as Mom squeezes her tightly. “You must be Beth.”
“Hello, Mrs. Connor.”
“Oh, honey, none of that Mrs. Connor stuff. Call me Linda.”
Beth laughs, her voice shaky. “Okay. Linda.”
Dad steps forward, offering a firm handshake. “Jack’s told us a lot about you.”
