Page 160 of The Perfect Mistake

He hmms in agreement. We stand side by side and watch as the kids examine the wide array of toppings Connie has brought. It’s far too many for the four of them to consume. The scene makes me smile. My little sister, ever the overachiever.

“Nervous?” Gabriel asks.

I take a long pull of my beer, and answer him. Eventually. “It’s going to be interesting, yes.”

“I know something about meeting the girlfriend’s family,” he says, “and them not being too impressed.”

I huff a chuckle. “Yeah. You do. I won’t apologize, though. We needed to vet you properly.”

“Of course you did. Which is what they will probably do to you,” he says. “But it’s only a first meeting. And if it goes terribly, it means you have nowhere to go after but up.”

I touch my bottle to his. “How inspiring. You should be a motivational speaker.”

“And resign from Thompson Industries?” he says. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

I shake my head. “Do us both a favor and sell the solar company that’s dragging down your books. We both know it was a bad purchase. I also know someone who could utilize it more wisely.”

His mouth drops open, but his eyes glitter. “Hands off, Connovan.”

I chuckle. “Bring it on, Thompson.”

Connie looks over at us. She looks surprised, but then her face softens into a smile. “Am I hallucinating, or are you two enjoying yourself?”

“Don’t bring attention to it,” Isabel stage-whispers, “or they’ll stop.”

I roll my eyes at them both. “We need to get going,” I tell my girlfriend.

She turns to Connie. “See?” she asks, but they’re both grinning.

We leave the kids to my sister and brother-in-law. Connie wishes us luck, and Isabel smiles in her direction. “It’ll go great,” she says confidently.

In the elevator riding down, I double-check my appearance in the mirror. I’m clean-shaven. My hair brushed back. Neat, yes, but there’s no hiding the traces of gray at the temples, or the creases around my eyes.

Soft lips press against my cheek, and Isabel's hands grip mine. “Relax,” she whispers.

“I am relaxed.”

“Mm-hmm,” she says smiling. “I’m not worried, so you shouldn’t be.”

I raise an eyebrow. “I know how parents think.”

“Yes, but you don’t know mine. Not yet.” She threads her fingers through mine, and we walk through the lobby and out onto the sidewalk. It’s been weeks, and it hasn’t gotten old. Holding her, touching her, freely in public.

Being part of a couple again. Being a part of a couple with her.

We stop by the curb to hail a cab. Mac has the weekend off. It had been Isabel’s idea. Give him the evening off on Saturday. Katja is free, too, and I… I just have this feeling.

She’d asked me while sitting on my lap, her hands locked around my neck, and I wasn’t in a state to deny her a thing. Apparently, she suspects something is going on between my housekeeper and my driver.

I pull her close while we stand on the sidewalk. “And you’re sure,” I murmur, “that you’re fine with their reaction? Whatever it might be?”

She puts a hand on my cheek. “Alec, I’ve told them about you. They know how we met. They know we’re together. And they know your age.”

“Right.”

“You told your own dad to fuck off a few weeks ago,” she says brightly. “What makes you think I wouldn’t be willing to do the same if they object?”

I frown down at her smiling face. “You shouldn’t have to do that because of me. You shouldn’t have—”

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