Page 173 of Shy Girls Can't Fake Date

On the drive over to Parker’s house, Mom keeps yammering about how cute it is that I’m having dinner with my boyfriend’s family.

“You’re not going to embarrass me, are you?” Knots twist between my shoulders. “Can you please stay in the car?”

“Oh my gosh, let me say hello to his parents.”

“Parker’s probably going to answer the door. You already saw him today. His mother didn’t hold his hand at our front door.”

Mom huffs. “Okay, okay. I won’t walk you to the house. But I want to organize a joint dinner after this.”

“No problem,” I agree, knowing there’s no chance of that happening because we’ll be broken up soon enough.

Mom parks outside Parker’s house, and gives me a good luck hug. When I leave the car, my stomach somersaults. I find myself wishing Mom hadn’t agreed to let me walk to the door alone.

Hugging the cake container close, I press the doorbell, fidgeting in my stance. Extra nerves glitch inside me as Mom’s car waits idly for me to go inside. If she’s not standing here with me, I wish she’d drive away. Knowing she’s staring is making me so self-conscious.

But what if I’m right? What if Parker doesn’t want me here?

Oh no. What if Yvette’s inside the house, and the family looks at me like an invader?

Finally the door opens, and my chest rises with nauseating anticipation. Kurtis stands before me, causing my head to spin.

He smirks, looking me up and down. “I can’t believe you turned up.”

Crap. I was right?

“So you and Parker are really doing this?”

My brow furrows. “Excuse me?”

“Dude, get away from her,” Parker calls out.

My anticipation rises as he comes into view over his brother’s shoulder.

Parker shoves Kurtis out of the way, telling him to go back into the living room.

Parker wipes his brow and turns back to me with a nervous grin. “Hi. Wow, you look really pretty.”

My nerves dissolve and exhilaration tingles in its place. “Really?”

“I’ve never seen you in yellow before.”

I hug the cake container, worried I’ll drop it mid-blush. “It’s okay?”

“Yeah, you look like sunshine. It suits you better than blue.”

“Yellow is my favorite color.” I look away with a mixture of worry and hope. “I’ll just keep the blue for Lewis.”

“Good call.” Parker takes the cake container from me. “Shall we?”

“Sure,” I reply. “Umm, how did...”

He tilts his head, waiting for me to finish. “How did what?”

I cup a hand over my reddening nose. “Uh, no, nevermind. Are you nervous about tonight?”

“More like irritated,” Parker says in a joking tone as he walks me into the house. “Mom keeps asking me if you’ll like what she cooked, if you’ll like what she’s wearing, and if you’ll like our family.”

I giggle in surprise. “Wait. She’s nervous about me liking her?”

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