Page 105 of Bump and Run

My mother stands in the foyer with her fingers pinched hard against Nate’s cheeks. She’s always loved Nate since the moment she met him but I think she’s just thankful that there was actually a man in this world patient enough to put up with her daughter’s sass.

Her eyes catch Eliza and she instantly drops her hands.

“Mom…” I gesture to my right. “This is Eliza.”

Eliza throws on the sweetest smile in her toolbox. “Hello.”

My mother stares back at us as if Eliza just spoke some alien space language.

“Roy!” she calls out my father’s name and I squeeze Eliza’s hand even tighter.

“What is it, Bonnie?” he shouts back from the living room. I can just imagine him now, sitting there in his chair, watching the game.

My mother’s voice pitches higher with each word. “Is this a friend of yours, or…?”

“Yes, Mom,” I say. “She’s a friend of mine. Maggie invited her to come along today.” I fire a quick glance at my sister and she grins at me from the hallway.

Eliza drops my hand and steps forward, taking complete control of the moment with a confident stride. “It’s nice to meet you. Happy birthday.”

My mother shakes Eliza’s hand while her face brightens with each passing second.

“Roy!Get in here. Now.”

“Why?” he fires back.

“Come and meet Eliza, a friend of our son’s…”

He says nothing in response but I hear the shift of his recliner closing.

Mom’s attention twists towards me. “I really wish you’d told us you were bringing company, honey. I would have cleaned up a bit more.”

Eliza waves a hand. “Oh, no. This place looks great, really. You have a beautiful home, Mrs. Morgan.”

I blink, probably way more impressed with her than my mother is. Eliza is a damn champion at this. I breathe a little easier as my father finally makes an appearance from the living room.

“Roy,” my mother says, “this is Eliza.”

My father peels his reading glasses off his face while my mother slides her hand over his shoulders to flatten out the non-existent wrinkles in his shirt. He narrows his eyes for a moment, glancing Eliza up and down and I’m almost tempted to hide her under a damn sheet. It sure would be nice if they’d stop staring at her like a damn leper.

Eliza shifts over to him and extends her hand. “I’m sorry if I’m interrupting your game, Mr. Morgan.”

My mother slaps his arm. “Oh, he doesn’t mind at all. Right, Roy?”

“Not at all,” he confirms, shaking Eliza’s hand.

Maggie slides in from the kitchen. “Isn’t she pretty?”

I stare at my sister, fighting the childish urge to shove her down the stairs or yank her hair out.

“She’s very pretty,” my father agrees.

“So pretty!” my mother adds.

“Guys…” Blood burns my cheeks. “Come on… Don’t embarrass her.”

But Eliza just grins. “Thank you very much.”

Maggie opens her mouth again and I cringe with fear. “Eliza’s dad is the new football coach.”

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