"Kiss me."

Kat stares intensely forwards. The words echo.

But the mirror doesn't kiss her back, and she didn't expect it to. She's practicing the words. Tasting them. Tonight, she tells herself. Tonight is the night. They have been on enough dates, and besides that damn her rules. She trusts him. She knows him. She wants him. But, if she's being honest with herself, she can see how unlikely it could be for her to get what she wants tonight. Tonight isn't about her, not from her point of view. Tonight is about meeting his parents.

Jack told her about the dinner the day before, showing up at her door with a wrap dress the color of moonlight. "Guess what," is how he greeted her. She shrugged at him. "My parents are in town and they want to take us to dinner! To meet you!" He grinned at her so widely that for a moment she didn't realise what he'd said. Then, when she replayed his words in her head, it was hard for her to breathe for a minute.

As she looks at the dress, fitted nearly perfectly over her subtle curves, she wonders if he had really picked it out himself. He'd told her that when he saw it he just knew it was for her, but he had quickly continued with "I guess going shopping with my sister and mother isn't always such a bad thing" and for all Kat knows they had found the dress and convinced him it was a dress any girl would swoon for. And it is.

Lana braided Kat's hair for her, then tied it in a beautiful bun. The one thing that Kat couldn't control is her shoes. Most of them were too worn for her to wear, so she had to settle on the comfortable pair that she recently bought for work. They're white, and something you would expect to see on a nurse. But it's all she has. At least they're clean and in one piece. She repeats those words over and over as she walks out the door and to Jack's car.

Jack smiles at her, tells her how beautiful she looks, and promises her several times that everything will be okay. That his family will welcome her with open arms and be so glad to meet her. He doesn't stop talking the entire drive to the restaurant, about half an hour thanks to traffic, and Kat is both thankful and annoyed by the time he helps her out of the car. It's a relief from being nervous, but if he loses his voice halfway through dinner and she has to carry the conversation from there she has no idea what she'll do. Probably run far away.

"There they are," Jack says excitedly as they are led into the VIP room in the back of the restaurant. Kat has only ever been in fancy restaurants with Jack, and she has tried to convince him to consider shabby diners instead. Someplace she could afford to eat in. But his parents are another story entirely. This was their idea, and Jack was quick to tell her that it was their treat. Treat, Kat thought, was a mild word to use. The way Jack talks about his family she's expecting them to badger her until she decides on a full five course meal for dinner. Her stomach, her pride, and the guilt that would come from ordering more than a cheap side salad, are rejecting the idea before it's even really mentioned.

"Jack!" His little sister, Emma-Maria, runs up and hugs him. He grins, laughs, and rushes her back to the table.

"Em, I'm trying to look sophisticated. You can't just jump on a sophisticated man!" Jack pouts.

"I can if he's my brother!" She sticks her tongue out at him. The two look very much alike, though her eyes and hair are shades of brown rather than his snow-white hair and bright blue eyes combo. Emma-Maria looks most like her mother, especially with their facial features. The whole family seems to have a similar nose shape, and Kat thinks it's adorable in a button-nose way.

Jack's parents look at Kat from across the table and her fingers scrunch up her dress nervously. Jack, finally noticing, saves Kat from the two curious pairs of brown eyes. His father, Jack Senior, has blue in his eyes that Kat tries not to focus on too much. As confident as she tries to appear she's melting on the inside and flowing out of the restaurant to sink into the sewers.

"Katelyn Harrison, I presume?" Katherine Frost smiles kindly.

"Yes, ma'am." Kat answers. Not even a second passes before the entire family bursts out laughing. Katherine holds up a hand as Jack pulls out a chair for Kat.

"Please, call me Katherine. Or Kathy. I'm not going to bite, I swear!"

Kat is sat between Jack and his sister, directly across from their parents. Jack Senior regards her still with curiousity. When he speaks, Kat thinks she could close her eyes and almost believe that Jack, the boy beside her, is the one speaking and not the older man across the table. "It is very nice to meet you, Katelyn. I always hoped my son would meet a lovely, down to Earth woman such as yourself. From what we hear you're quite the catch." He smiles warmly, a little lopsided like Jack Junior.

"Thank you. It's nice to finally meet you as well."

Jack pokes her side. "Relax, Kat. They're my parents, not my lawyers."

"No, but we are your bosses." Katherine winks. "And speaking of; you're fired."

Jack Junior, and Jack Senior, roll their eyes. Jack Junior, seeing Kat's confused and slightly horrified expression, explains, "They fire me at least once a month, Kat."

"Oh." Kat feels incredibly out of place. The Frost family all have an aura of sophistication and grace. They own a very popular chain of resorts, and it shows that they are well in wealth. From Kathryin's elegant evening gown, to the near matching one of her daughter, and the men's suits, Kat can't help but be all too aware that the dress she is wearing is the most beautiful and most expensive thing she's ever worn; and the Frost family bought it for her. Was it to be polite? Or was Jack embarrassed to bring her wearing one of her own dresses? None of them would have come close to what his family dressed in, so she understands at least why he would want her to look her best.

"Dear, really, your date looks uncomfortable." Kathryn speaks up. "Didn't you warn her about us?"

"Not as much as I should have, mother." Jack smiles at Kat and takes her hand. "You're doing great, Kat. They already adore you."

"We certainly do." Jack Senior chuckles. "Our son is crazy about you, and we haven't seen him so happy in years. I mean, he is a ridiculously happy jokester, as you know, but since he's met you he has that annoying 'in love' glow."

"Oh, honey!" Kathryn takes her husband's hand. "I remember when you used to look like that." Jack Junior blushes and tries to signal for his parents to stop. His mother notices and coos, "Don't bother, dear! I fell for your father's glow, and Katelyn must like yours. Everyone must. Your father was swarmed with women when he figured out he was in love. It's a science!"

Emma-Maria plays with a strand of her long hair, "Don't listen to them, Kat. They say whatever comes to mind. Which is why they fire my brother so often. Cause they think that he should do other things, and be another person."

As Jack tries to convince his parents to stop making lovey dovey noises at each other, Kat leans towards Emma-Maria. "Is that such a bad thing?"

"Jack being another person?"

"Jack not following in the family business? I'm not trying to say anything about it, I'm just curious."

"Well it's not a bad thing. At all. I would gladly take over the business. We're not sure what Jack wants to do with his life." Emma-Maria turns her brown eyes on Kat. "I'm not sure even he knows. But I think he's starting to figure it out thanks to you. Hey, maybe you're all he wants out of life. No family business, no major business at all, just a large allowance from his rich parents and a beautiful woman to treat like a queen. I bet you he would even rub your feet with fancy oils or feed you grapes while fanning you with a palm leaf or something."

The two share a sly grin. Kat shrugs slightly. "He may. I would prefer if he didn't, though. I don't need to be a queen. And I definitely do not need a fan boy."

Emma-Maria giggles, but it's the sounds of approval from across the table that draw Kat's attention. Mr. and Mrs. Frost are looking at her with large smiles on their faces. Jack pulls on her sleeve, "I am totally your fan boy."

"Most girls," Katherine starts, "would never accept anything less than to be treated as a queen. I'll admit, I was worried about your relationship with my son when he first told me about you. Gold-digger, I thought. Purely after the money."

"Mother!" Jack Junior's jaw drops. She continues after waving him off.

"Apparently you haven't even known about the money for very long. Though I assume you must have known he had some early on. You do not seem as... greedy as I originally thought. Of course my son is very much capable of handling himself, but it's a mother's job to worry. I am so very glad to know that he has chosen someone who is not only rather self-less but also smart. You are a kind person. Though..." Kathryn hesitates. All eyes are on her. "Jack will not divulge any details, but he has hinted at your rough past. I have made my own assumptions, and I apologise for how... terrible they have been at times, but that has only strengthened my belief that the person you are now is right for my son. Whether this is a relationship that will end, or one that will last an eternity such as I believe is that of mine and my husband's, I am happy to have you here for a family dinner. You are a marvelous woman, I am certain."

There is a long pause. Kat feels a weight on her chest, and she finds herself choking back tears. She refuses to cry in front of them. "Thank you."

"You are welcome. For now, and as long as you consider yourself a friend of the Frost's. And, one day, if you are to become a member of this family, you will be welcome still."

Kat tries to laugh it off, but a tear rolls down her cheek. "I'm sorry. I'm not usually this emotional."

"Kat..." Jack Junior wraps his arms around her in a somewhat awkward embrace. "I told you my family would love you." He says into her hair. "Almost as much as I do."

Most of dinner is a blur after that, with Kat wondering if Jack's words meant exactly what she thinks he meant. Does he really love her? Could he really love her? Knowing about her history, her family, could he want to be a part of her life? A fear of hers, that she's tried to tell him but could never seem to find the words for, is that she turns into her one of her parents with time. That their addictions and illnesses (mental and physical) are genetic. For all she knows, because Kat was never told about any of her families history, her entire ancestry could have spent their lives in mental hospitals or jail cells.

Dessert is Kat's favorite part. Kat politely refuses when Katherine insists on everyone getting something sweet for themselves. Jack Junior, in front of his family, offers Kat half of his large slice of chocolate cake. It's delicious, and Kat blushes madly as the fork slides between her lips. It's a big deal for her to be accepted by his family, and an even bigger deal that he is so open about his affection while they're around.

After dessert, the Frost's invite her bowling. She laughs, admits she's never been bowling, and gets dragged to the nearest bowling alley. The weird sensation of wearing used shoes, the confusingly different colored and weighted balls, and the scoring system are all new and she has no idea what to do with any of it. Jack tries to talk her through it, and they set her up to go last. She figures it's not a big deal if she fails horribly. It's a new experience with people that easily laugh everything off. They're fun-loving, generous, happy people who have been so kind to her form the moment they met her. The worst that could happen is something like she's seen on TV where the person lets go of the bowling ball on the arch backwards and it lands on someones foot. She thanks her lucky stars that she's never been that bad at sports.

Surprisingly, and all thanks to Jack's coaching, she does not come in last place out of the five of them. Jack Senior, who they tell her usually wins every game they play, is distracted enough by his families mischief that he loses by a landslide. Good-hearted, he just laughs it off and tries to trip them up as badly as they did him during the second game. Kat nearly loses, until Jack starts missing every single shot. She silently thanks him with a very long hug after the game is over, not a care in the world about the eyes that are on them.

"Thank you so much for inviting me this evening. I have had so much fun, and it was an honor to meet you."

"An honor?" Kathryn grins at Kat. "Well, my dear, it was an honor to meet you as well. I very much approve of your relationship with my son."

The two glance around, waiting for the other three members of the family to finish talking to the staff at the bowling alley's front desk. The women smile at each other politely.

"Kat, might I ask something of you?"

"Anything, Katherine!" Kat gets excited at the thought of being able to do something for this amazing woman, the smart and eloquent mother of the man she's falling for.

"If that job of yours ever goes south, or if it becomes too much, come to me. I think you would do wonderfully in a personal relations position. Perhaps one day you could be on a board of directors. I see you as a people person, as someone who would like to help people on a large scale. You could do that. For the time being I think just small opportunities, but later on Overland Resorts may need someone to keep relations with international, as well as local, investors. A cute face, a strong sense of morality, and the desire to assist others."

"I, umm..." Kat tries to wrap her head around the idea. "Are you offering me a job?"

"I am, yes."

"But... I'm dating your son. Isn't that a conflict of interest?"

"It could be. If you are planning to be with my son for a very long time, then I insist you consider my offer. I would like my son's future wife to have some footing in our family business."

"It's way too early to be thinking marriage!" Kat holds her hands up, trying to put some distance between herself and the situation.

"Of course, of course. I just want you to have that idea in your head." Katherine laughs softly to herself, turning and walking out the doors.

Kat stands there for several minutes, until an arm links with hers and starts dragging her outside. "Kat, you look a little dazed."

"Jack, umm, your mom comes on a bit strong doesn't she?"

Jack laughs. "What did she do this time?"

"She said that if I plan to marry you she wants me to be a part of the family business so she offered me a job."

Jack stops. "Oh. Should I talk to her about it?"

"Maybe... It made me a little uncomfortable. I don't want to cause any trouble, but isn't it weird of her to do that?"

"She has a good heart, Kat." Jack smiles and continues walking with Kat in tow. He seems to be thinking very hard, so Kat lets him keep his silence until they are driving away. "My mother knows things about people that most people need years to find out. She knows who to trust, and how much to trust them. Obviously she believes in you. She wants you in her family. And she's certain that this is where you want to be, too. Put it out of your head if you want to. I'll ask her not to mention it again. It's your choice, Kat. And it's also mine. If we get married, if we stay together for any longer at all, that is up to us. I very much want to stay with you, Kat. For a very long time. But you know I want you to be happy. Whatever you choose I will respect it."

"Thank you."

"If you do decide to end things I will try to change your mind, but that's to be expected. I won't give up my girlfriend that easily."

"Girlfriend?" Kat grins. It's the first time he's called her that, and she likes the way it sounds.

"Yes. You, Katelyn Harrison, are my girlfriend. Which means I'm your-"

"Boyfriend." Kat says, in awe. Jack is such an incredible man, and every kind thing he does for her is still surprising. A few years ago she never would have thought she would have someone like him. She never would have thought that she could deserve someone like Jack. He knows nearly everything about her, now. And the fact that he still reaches over to hold her hand as he drives is more of an impossible dream come true.

"Exactly."

Jack walks Kat to the door, a relaxed smile on his face and his fingers laced with hers. Her landlords have already gone to bed, leaving the house all dark aside from the motion sensored lights that flicked on when they walked up the driveway. There's a faint meowing from the other side of the door, and Kat sighs remembering that Amber lost her favorite toy earlier that day. "I need to get Amber a new toy." She says under her breath.

"Hmm?" Jack holds Kat's hands as they stand in front of the door. "I can take you out if you need to shop. Especially if it's for Amber. Poor girl probably misses her best friend every time I take her out on a date."

"That poor girl can get over it. She should be glad for me, having a life after all these years. A life I can be proud of, I mean." Kat smiles.

Jack reaches up to gently touch her face, his palm cradling her cheek. "I know I'm proud of you, Kat."

"Thanks, Jack." Kat leans in, and Jack offers his cheek expecting the usual. But Kat tilts his face towards hers, closing her eyes to kiss his lips gently. At first, he's surprised. So surprised he doesn't even kiss her back. Kat pulls away, "Too much?"

"Not at all, my manta ray. I just-" He blushes fiercely, stuttering his words. "I wasn't expecting that. Is it- I mean, can I-"

"Yeah. I think so." Kat smiles. She leans in again, and this time Jack knows she doesn't want his cheek. Their lips touch in a moment of fireworks. Kat can hardly believe that she waited so long to kiss him. It's even more surprising that she's told him her tragic backstory before they had their first kiss. And just as the thought enters her head, she is incredibly grateful for how things turned out.

"I am so glad to have met you, Kat." Jack whispers, his lips barely leaving hers.

"Same here. You make me so happy, Jack." Kat kisses him again, savoring the moment. And after he leaves and she's settled in bed she can't help but grin to herself, her cheeks heating up as she thinks about the wonderful evening she had with her boyfriend and his family.