Page 64 of An Unexpected Home

“So I shouldn’t tell you that I love you.” He took her hand. “Or that from the moment I met you, I knew that my life had changed forever. Just one look at you and my dreams for my future all included you. You don’t want me to tell you those things?”

I’m not gonna cry, I’m not gonna cry, she kept repeating over and over in her head. “Well, I mean if you feel that you need to, then that's what you have to do.”

He laughed. “And that – your mouth and the things that come out of it – I love that.”

“You really love me?” she questioned.

“Do you really love me?” he threw back at her.

“I do,” she sighed. “More than I ever thought possible.”

“Me too,” he said and cupped her head bringing her mouth to his. His kiss was sweet and gentle and filled with love. A love that, thanks to her big mouth, they both knew the other felt.

“How long would you have waited to tell me?” she asked when he pulled back from her.

“I’m not sure,” he said, putting the car back in drive and pulling out onto the road. “Probably not long. It was getting hard to not let it slip.”

His honesty floored her. “So I guess I’m going to dinner at your parent’s house on Mother’s Day.”

“Seems that way. Mom and dad are both home now if you’d like to say hi before we jump on the boat. Only if you want though?”

Meeting them now would make Sunday easier, even though she felt like a slob after working a ten-hour day. “I’m good with that.”

“Only if you’re sure?” he said and pulled into a drive that she assumed was his parent’s house.

“I am,” she said, confident that she could do this. How hard could meeting a boyfriend's parents be?

Carly and Melanie were already there, along with Logan.

“I’m so ready for a nice relaxing ride on the lake,” Carly said. “I’ve been dreaming of it all winter.”

“Can you guys give us just a few minutes?” Brandon said. “I’m gonna take Leah in to say hi to mom and dad.”

“Meeting the parents,” Mel singsonged. “That’s a BFD.”

Leah shooed her with her hand and followed Brandon inside.

“What the hell does BFD mean?”

“Big fucking deal.”

“Why can’t people just talk normally?”

“Normal is boring and overrated.”

He laughed and they came face-to-face with an older version of him.

“Brandon, hey,” the man, who was clearly his dad, said.

“Dad,” he said. “I wanted to bring Leah in to meet you before we headed out on the boat.”

“Ahh, so this is the lovely Leah.” He shook her hand. “So nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too, sir.”

“Please call me Charlie.”

“Charlie then,” she said.

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