The introductions happened so fast Ozzie was already in the bathroom before I could process them. Shit. I was around the same age as his mothers. Would they approve of me? My family already hated our guts. We needed his family to support us.
“Howdy.” I walked over to the desk and sat. “I’m sorry, but Ozzie didn’t mention who’s who.”
“Of course he didn’t.” The brown-haired woman laughed. “Putting us together like this, then running off. How convenient. I’m April, and this is my wife, Dawn.”
So April was the brunette, and Dawn the one with the dimples. Perfect.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” I said.
“We certainly hope so. We were rather surprised when Ozzie told us about you. He’s never been a reckless boy, but he took a leap of faith this time.”
“And we hope it is worth it,” Dawn said. She seemed the more serious of the two. “We want our son to be safe and happy. We didn’t approve of Carter, and we can’t help but wonder how far the apple falls from the tree.”
“I assure you that I adore your son. You never have to worry about me treating him poorly. His happiness means the world to me.”
“Talk is cheap.”
“That’s true, but you’ll see how well I take care of him.”
“Then we leave our son in your capable hands.” April slipped her fingers through her wife’s. “Ozzie told us you own a ranch.”
“Yes, it’s been in my family for generations.”
We spoke about the ranch for a few minutes and what Bristlecone Springs was like. They told me a little about their vacation. Talking to them when they weren’t sizing me up for Ozzie was quite easy. They both seemed likable.
“Hopefully, we’ll get to meet in person sometime soon,” April said. “Too bad there won’t be a wedding, so there’s no reason to come there anymore.”
“Well, your son’s here, so feel free to visit anytime. We have plenty of room.”
“We just might. Take care of our son, Gray. He’s a good boy and deserves someone who cherishes him as much as we do.”
“I know and intend to do just that. I won’t let anyone hurt him.”
We said our good-byes, and conveniently Ozzie entered the bedroom, wearing his purple robe amid a cloud of steam, his hair damp and tousled and his skin a healthy pink.
“Are they gone?” he whispered.
“Just. You set me up.”
“Are you mad?” Ozzie walked over to me. When I pulled him down onto my lap, he shifted, but I didn’t budge.
“No, I get why you did it. Ripping off a bandage.”
“I wanted to get it over with. Were they kind to you?”
“Yes.” I planted a kiss on his bare shoulder. “They worry about you and wanted to know I’d take good care of you. They weresurprisingly easy to talk to. Perhaps because we come from the same generation.”
“Are you saying I’m difficult to talk to?”
“Goodness, no.” I sucked a bright red spot on his neck. “Besides, we don’t need to talk, do we?”
Ozzie squirmed in my lap while I continued decorating his neck in love bites. “I thought we had a dinner date.”
“You keep moving your ass like that, and we’ll have no choice but to eat in.”
Ozzie wrapped an arm around my neck. “I don’t mind eating in.”
“Me either, but we promised Opie and Lawson. It would be rude of us not to show up.”
