CHAPTER 21- LOVE, TRUST, AND FAMILY AFFAIRS

We pulled up to the Diamonds' favorite LA restaurant. A valet came and took the keys from James. Damn. Fancy.

"Diamond for 3," James said at the reservation desk.

The hostess smiled at Brooke. "Brooke, how good to see you again! James, you've grown a lot. And...who's this?"

James slung an arm over my shoulder. "Linda, this is my girlfriend, Kate."

"Hi." I smiled and waved. Linda gave James an affirmative nod and started walking to the table. "What was that?" I asked him.

James laughed. "Linda's like an aunt to me. She gave you 'the nod'. You're officially in, my love." He grinned and kissed my temple, then led me to the table. He pulled the chair out for Brooke, then for me, and then sat down himself. Sigh. I fall a little more in love with him every day.

Brooke ordered some wine that sounded like a witch's curse, and James got his usual white wine. "I'll take a zinfandel, please," I told the waitress.

Brooke gave me a quizzical look. "You drink?"

I nodded. "Occasionally."

"And you're..."

"Mooom," James groaned. "21. Please, can we get through this without an interrogation?"

I blushed and swatted his knee under the table. He threw me a look and I smiled angelically. "It's fine, Brooke, really. Ask away. I want you to be okay with me and James being together."

"Great," she smiled. "And if I'm not?"

James coughed. "Wow, they have such an awesome menu!" Way too much fake enthusiasm, Jamie. Way too much.

I laughed and nodded. "Yeah, they sure do."

"If you'll excuse me." Brooke got up and headed to the ladies room.

I smacked James' shoulder. "I told you!" I whisper yelled. "I told you she'd find a problem!"

"Babe, she didn't find a 'problem'."

"She asked you what would happen if she said she didn't like me!"

"It was a hypothetical question!"

"James, I am freaking the fuck out!"

He held my hands. "Calm down. She is going to love you. I didn't fall in love with you because you're perfect, ok? I love how you are right now. And if my mom doesn't, well then, it's her loss."

I sighed. "You know, you're really cute when you give pep talks. But that still didn't help."

James chuckled. "I just can't win with you."

"One of the many reasons you love me?" I teased.

"Eh."

"Hey!"

"Is everything alright?" Brooke sat down at the table once again.

James dropped my hands. "Yeah, yeah. Totally perfect." He winked at me when she looked down at the menu. I rolled my eyes and mouthed Dork. James held up his hands in a heart. I shook my head at him.

"So Kate, what do you do?"

"Well Brooke, I was a photographer. I was recently let go from my company, but now, thanks to James, I'll be going on tour!"

She raised an eyebrow at her son. "Oh?"

James laughed nervously. "Oh, uh, yeah Mom. Katie's coming on tour with us. Isn't that great?"

"Mmhm." Why do I get the feeling she's not happy with that?

"I don't have to go, if that makes you more comfortable." Wait, what the fuck am I saying?

"You're going," James told me sternly.

"Now James," Brooke started. "I think Kate is being very mature about this."

"Oh for the love of God, Mom, Kate's just saying that so you'll like her! Can you just tell her you do so we can all get on with our lives?"

Brooke looked taken aback. She cleared her throat. "Well James, I...I do like Kate. A lot, in fact. So Kate, I'm trusting you to take care of him on tour." She smiled warmly at me.

"Oh trust me, Brooke, I will! I've never loved anyone more than I love your son."

James found my hand under the table and grasped it. "We got the ok!" he whispered.

We drove back to my house in high spirits. Dinner with Brooke had gone great, and she was ok with me and James being together. I'll venture out and say she was even happy about it.

When we got inside, I heard the sharp sound of something shattering and ran into the kitchen. Mom was on the floor cleaning up a glass while Chloe was having a screaming match with her mother. Dad and Caleb were sitting at the table, looking like they were ready to shoot themselves.

I bent down to help my mother. "What happened?" I whispered.

She shook her head at me. "Just wait."

"MOM I LOVE HIM!"

"That is not how you prove to a man that you love him!"

"Kate did!"

Hold the fuck up. I stood up. "What exactly did I do?"

"You fucked James after you told him you loved him!"

Dad cringed. "Ugh, why so crude Chloe?"

"It's true, Daddy!"

"And what if it's true?" I asked her. "What does that have to do with you? And how did you even find out?"

She shrugged. "You told Kyra. And my mom's making a big deal out of me being with my boyfriend."

My stomach flipped. "You're...you're staying with him?"

"Duh! I love him. That's what I'm trying to tell my mom."

"Chloe, you don't know him. I wouldn't-"

"Oh, here goes little miss Kate again, ready to be all high and mighty. I do know him. And I'm staying with him, Mom!"

Dad banged his fist on the table and stood up. "That's enough! Chloe, I want to meet this boy. Then, and only then, your mother and I will decide." He moved to the kitchen door.

"Dad," I called out. "Her boyfriend-"

He held up his hand. "I don't want to hear another word."

"But-"

"Not one more word."

Mom cleaned up the glass and left the kitchen. I tried to tell her. "Mom, Chloe's boyfriend-"

"Please, Katie, it's been a long day."

"No, you don't understand..." She walked upstairs.

Brittany and Chloe were nowhere to be found. They were probably arguing upstairs.

I turned to Caleb. "You have to listen to me, Caleb. Chloe's boyfriend-"

He shook his head. "Honestly, I really don't care anymore. Sorry. Good night, kiddo. Night James."

James gave him a little wave as he went upstairs.

I sat down at the table, slumped over in defeat. "Why won't anybody listen?"

Only my family could turn one of the best days ever into one of the worst.