Author's Note: Hello loyal readers! I just want to, again, thank you all from the bottom of my heart for reading, reviewing, following and favoriting this story. It means the world to me. Sadly, with the holidays coming up I may be a little inconsistent with my updates over the next couple of weeks. I will try my hardest to get your weekly chapter out on time, but if I fall a little behind please understand it is not all my fault-blame Santa! ;) Happy reading!
"Jessie, if I wasn't in love with you already, this would definitely do it," Dean gestures to his plate with the fork.
I still can't get used to him telling me he loves me. Every time the words slip out, my heart skips and I have to smother my involuntary smile. I never realized I was such a girl.
Biting the inside of my cheek to suppress the grin I say, "Well I'm really glad you like it. I just wanted to do something to say thank you for everything this week."
He wipes his mouth with one of the cloth napkins I found in a drawer and leans forward across the table. "There's no need to thank me for anything Jess. Seeing you happy makes me happy, so really I'm doing all of this for my own selfish reasons." He smiles and then brings my hand to his lips before threading his fingers through mine and resting our joined hands on the table.
"Seriously, where do you even come from?" I ask, shaking my head.
He laughs and refills my wine glass. "Philadelphia, remember?"
I tilt my head and raise an eyebrow at his literal interpretation of my question.
He sighs and takes a drink. "My mom didn't want to raise us to be like my dad. Even before they split up, she just wanted us to be the kind of men who were respectful and put the people they loved first, which he could never do. So, that's where I come from."
"I would love to meet your mom, she sounds like an amazing woman." I say as I lift my fork to my mouth. Seeing Dean's expression, I realize what I just said and pause with the fork between my lips. I lower it back to the table and swallow audibly. "Um, I mean, you know, someday. Eventually. Not, like, soon or anything." I take a huge gulp of wine to shut myself up.
"Jessie, I'd really like you to meet my mom. I have a feeling she'd love you just as much as I do." He rubs his thumb over my knuckles and I take a deep breath of relief that he isn't completely freaked out by my forwardness.
"You go home for winter break right?" He asks as he starts to clear the table.
"Yeah, the whole family will be getting together for Christmas since they couldn't make it for Thanksgiving." I get up and begin scraping leftovers onto a large plate to stick in the fridge.
"Well, why not then? I mean, I know you have your family Christmas thing, but while you're home why don't you come meet my mom and stepdad?"
I try to suppress the grin but I totally fail. "You really want me to meet your family?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"
"Okay. Then it's a date."
"I know you didn't think you were going to get away with not talking to me the whole break! Come on, I'm surrounded by demon spawn running around like lunatics, and my crazy Aunt Betty is trying to get me to eat the turkey neck. Spill some details that will help me survive this day without committing murder!" Kelsey begs through the phone.
"I don't know what you want me to say. We're having a great time. The weather has been pretty mild. Oh, I went surfing yesterday! I'm actually not terrible. We're going to go back out tomorrow without the instructor—"
"Jessie. You know I don't care about anything you just said. Did you or did you not…?" She trails off with an obvious insinuation lingering on the line between us.
"Kels, I'm not talking to you about this over the phone with your little cousins in earshot."
"Oh my god. You did! Jessie, I'm so happy for you! You have to tell me everything! Ugh, but not now because my mom needs me to help with the pies. Oh, but the minute you get home on Saturday night we're having a girls night. I need details!"
"Goodbye Kelsey! Happy Thanksgiving." I end the call before she can say anything more. Shaking my head, I start to get up from my seated position on the steps out front of the cottage. My phone starts buzzing again and, laughing, I pick it up.
"Kelsey, you're not getting any dirt!"
"It's Dad, Jessie. Dirt on what?" His deep voice meets my ear and I'm met with a mix of shock and nerves.
"Hi Daddy! Happy Thanksgiving!" I scramble for the details of the story Jamie and I are telling to cover up where I am right now.
"Happy Thanksgiving baby girl. I hope you're staying out of trouble out there?" He inquires suspiciously.
"Of course I am, Dad. Don't worry. So how are you? What did you guys end up doing today?"
He tells me about the mini-dinner he, my mom and Jared had over at Pop's house, and the girl he caught Jared texting during dinner. We talk about mundane, every day things and then he totally catches me off guard. "Where's Jamie? Let me say hi before I go help your mom with dessert."
Shit. Shit shit shit! "Uh…Jamie just ran out to grab some Chinese. Our usual place was closed for the holiday so he had to borrow Christina's car to go find another place. I'll have him call you when he gets back though."
"Alright. Well you have fun. Be safe. Love you."
"Love you too Dad, bye!" I breathe a sigh of relief and slump against the column on the small porch as I end the call.
"So." I jump at the sound of Dean's voice behind me. "I'm guessing you didn't tell your parents you were going on vacation with a guy you've only known for a little over a month, huh?"
"Yeah, I can just see how that conversation would end. 'And he was never heard from again'."
"Hey, why am I the buried body in this story?" Dean laughs and wraps his arms around my waist.
"Because I am just an innocent, impressionable girl and you are a sexual deviant with nefarious intentions. At least that's what my dad would think if he knew we were here, together, alone." Standing on my toes I place a quick kiss on his lips and turn to go inside.
My phone vibrates for the third time and I look down this time before answering. I see Jamie's goofy face flashing on the screen and quickly jab the green button.
"Jamie! Thank God. I was going to text you. I just got off the phone with Dad and I told him you were out buying Chinese with Christina's car. Please stick to the story! I don't need him getting more suspicious. He already sounded a little off."
"Okay so, problem. I think we were just ambushed. I was calling to tell you that I was just on the phone with Mom and when she asked for you I told her you were downstairs paying for pizza."
"Oh shit…" I mutter into the phone, squeezing my eyes shut and rubbing my forehead with my free hand to ward off the headache I feel coming on.
"Yeah. That's an understatement. You know they're comparing notes right now. What the hell are you gonna tell them?" Jamie asks with obvious concern in his voice.
Before I can respond, I hear a beeping in my ear and pull the phone away to see 'Mom' on the screen.
"Oh God. It's Mom," I tell Jamie with a tone of dread.
"Damn Jess. I'm really sorry. Just get it and call me later. It'll be worse if you ignore her."
"Thanks Jamie. Bye." I take a deep breath and look up to find Dean gazing at me with a worried look on his face. Biting my lip, I slide the green button across the screen.
"Hi Mom! Happy Thanksgiving!" I say with a slightly crazed edge to my voice. I wince because if things didn't look bad before, I probably just made them worse.
"Let's cut to the chase, darling daughter of mine. We know you and Jamie aren't together, as you told us you would be. I called Jamie on your apartment phone, so we know where he is. The question, my dear, is where are you? We're making it easy on you. We just want to know who he is and how long you've known him."
I lean back against the door and close my eyes, defeated. I should've known better than to try to keep Dean a secret from my parents. I don't really know why I did it. I guess I'm not used to having a guy in my life and I wanted to keep him to myself as long as possible. It would seem that limit has been reached.
Deep breath, and go. "His name is Dean Wilkins. We're in Creative Writing together. He belongs to the same fraternity as Kelsey's boyfriend. He's a junior, like me. He actually grew up about half an hour from us. He's a good guy Mom, I promise." There. Just like ripping off a bandaid. So what if I left out the part where we met at a frat party only a little over a month ago? Technically I've known of him since the beginning of the semester from Creative Writing. Well, from the attendance list.
"See? Now that wasn't so hard. Why couldn't you have just told us earlier? Jessie, you know we just want you to be happy. Honestly sweetie, I've been concerned that you hadn't been socializing enough outside of Kelsey and your brother. I'm thrilled that you've met a boy you like enough that you were worried to tell us about him. But don't ever keep things from us okay? We're your parents and we love you. We want to know what's going on in your life."
Guilt washes over me as I think about all the parts of my life that my parents are clueless about. Getting thrown off the team, quitting my job, fighting for money. Now that I'm thinking about it, Dean is the easier of the secrets to reveal.
"I'm sorry, Mom. I should've told you about him." I concede that much.
"Now that we've established that, tell me what he looks like. Is he a hottie?"
"Seriously?" I laugh and blush at the same time because Dean's eyes are on me and I really don't want to describe him to my mother while he listens.
"Yes, seriously! I haven't gotten to dish with my daughter about boys since you were in high school drooling over Zac Efron in that musical movie. Humor your poor old mom. Spill." She's positively giddy and I'm just now realizing how much I've missed talking to my mother, really talking. Not just the superficial niceties and catching up.
I walk past Dean, motioning to him with my eyes that he should go back inside. He raises one eyebrow and settles in against a column on the porch with his arms crossed over his chest, blatantly eavesdropping on my conversation. I walk down the path of our little garden and pitch my voice as low as possible without making it obvious.
"Well, he's tall. And, I mean he's a soccer player so he's…in shape." I struggle with words to describe him that aren't going to completely embarrass me if he overhears them.
"He's right there isn't he?" she asks knowingly.
"Yes, and this is horribly awkward."
"Hand him the phone."
"Mom, please don't," I plead with her.
"Jessie, I am your mother. It is my right to embarrass you in front of your boyfriend, and don't correct me because you wouldn't be this bent out of shape if he wasn't your boyfriend. Now, hand him the phone." Abigail Maddox, ladies and gentlemen. There is no arguing with her.
Sighing, I walk back over to Dean who has remained in his spot on the porch and is now sporting a curious expression. I hold the phone out to him and whisper, "She wants to talk to you."
Of all the reactions I was preparing for, the grin spreading across his face was definitely not in the top ten. Taking the phone from me, Dean sits on the porch step and settles in for a chat with my mother. Yeah, because this is totally how I saw this day going.
"Hi Mrs. Maddox. Sorry, Abby. Well, I guess we've been dating for about a month." I eye him at this statement and he mouths the word technically at me and smirks.
"Jessie is helping me out with a photography project that I'm working on. Yes, photography major with a minor in journalism. I'd like to work for a newspaper or magazine ultimately."
This surprises me a little. Dean and I haven't really talked about future plans in all the time we've spent together. I continue to listen in on the one-sided conversation, ready to grab the phone if my mother gets too personal.
"We're actually from Philadelphia. Yes, she told me we're not too far from each other. My brother Danny is out here in California with me. He's at USC. It's just my mom and stepdad at home now. Nope, definitely not a smoker. Not a very big drinker either. Ah…no, I can't say I've ever had much of an affinity for gambling, or fighting. Christmas? Well, normally we spend Christmas eve with my mom's extended family, and Christmas day is pretty low key, just the four of us."
Oh no, you're in for it now.
"Really? We wouldn't want to impose, I know it's a big deal for your family. Yes. Okay. Yes, I'll run it by her but I'm sure it'll be fine. Thank you. It was nice talking with you too Abby. Enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving. Here's Jessie."
His expression is a bit unreadable, but that's normal when someone has an interaction with the steamroller that is my mother. I shake my head and smile as I bring the phone back to my ear.
"What? Didn't you want to know his blood type too?" I ask lightly.
Ignoring me, she says, "Well he sounds adorable. And he certainly is polite. He seems like a sweetheart, and I like that he has a plan for his future. Maybe a bit of that will rub off?"
"Mom…"
"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Well I won't monopolize any more of your time. We'll have plenty opportunity to interrogate him at Christmas dinner. Oh and Jessie? I'm keeping your father's temper at bay for now, but you may want to give him a call before you come home for break. For Dean's sake."
I cringe a little. "Yes, Mom."
"I love you, take care baby, and be safe. You know what I mean," she adds with a warning tone.
"Goodbye mom," I say emphatically, "I love you too." I disconnect the call before she can add any other mortifying reminders.
"That wasn't so bad," Dean states as he takes my hand and leads me back into the cottage.
"You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, do you?" I ask as we both flop down onto the love seat. I toss my legs over his and watch him as I explain the predicament he has just put himself in. "You just agreed to come to Christmas dinner in the Maddox house. That means it'll be you, me, your family, Jamie, my mom, Jared, all four of my uncles plus their wives and kids, my grandpa, and my father—who is quite possibly one of the most frightening men on the eastern seaboard. You are going to be grilled like a steak. I just hope you're ready for it because you never go back on your word with a Maddox." I smile at him as the weight of his decision settles on his shoulders.
"So, exactly how scary are we talking?" he asks, and I decide to have a little fun with him.
"Here, I'll show you one of my dad's videos. This is actually one of the ways I trained when I first started fighting. I just wanted to be able to beat the shit out of anyone who touched me, but I learned a lot of strategy from him. He only got hit when he let a guy hit him, you know, for fun. At least that's what my Uncle Shep, has always told us." I pull my phone back out of my pocket and bring up a video on YouTube before handing it over to Dean, who's looking at me with skeptical curiosity.
The look on his face changes to disbelief, then anxiety over the course of about twenty seconds. When the video ends he hands the phone back to me and leans his head back against the couch.
"So, that was from college right?" he asks nervously.
"Yeah, but he and my uncles have gotten into it a few times since then and he's still got it. Don't worry. I don't think he'd actually hurt you. But there'll be five of them together, and that's intimidating as hell in any situation." I'm trying to hold back my laughter but the way his eyes widen makes the sides of my mouth quiver with the effort.
"How exactly do I go about getting on your dad's good side then? Because I don't ever want to be on the receiving end of that," he says, pointing to my phone.
I give in to the laughter before taking mercy on him. "Just be yourself. Don't try to impress him, because he'll be on to you in a heartbeat. He hates people who put on a show, can't stand fake people and pretentious assholes. None of which you have to worry about."
"Oh, well if that's all," he rolls his eyes at me.
"Hey," I take his chin in my hand and plant a firm kiss on his lips, "you've got four weeks to stress out about this, and only two more days here with me. I don't think worrying about my dad is the best use of your time."
"Oh yeah?" he asks, leaning over and wrapping his arms around my waist. "Any suggestions for an alternate activity?"
"Well," he's trailing his lips up and down my jaw making it damn near impossible to think straight, let alone keep my voice from wavering, "we could watch a movie?"
"Yeah. We could do that. Or…"
"Or?"
He raises his eyebrows and brushes his lips over mine, lingering long enough to sweep his tongue gently over my bottom lip. I inhale deeply and thread my fingers through his hair. "Yeah I guess that's a good alternative too."
He lifts me up and I giggle like a fool as he carries me to our room, kicking the door shut behind him. I've never been so turned on by the sound of a slamming door.