Page 72 of Point of Contact

Reed's mother's expression remained impassive. "You came to Alaska instead of staying in Miami?"

Courtney huffed out a little laugh. "I know it’s a big change, but there's nothing for me in Miami."

In most movies, people ended up homesick when they left everything they knew behind, but that was difficult for her to imagine. Probably because Miami never felt like home. Nowhere had. Not a home like this anyway. There was no one inviting her to lunch. No one asking her to help cook. No one buying her slippers in her favorite color.

Reed's mother shrugged. "Korea is very different from here too. Much more to do. Many more people." The hard line of her mouth softened the tiniest bit. "But Alaska is not so bad.” She leaned closer. “Once you get used to it."

Her eyes suddenly snapped away, zeroing in on the doorway leading to what was likely the bedrooms. Her expression softened even more as their final lunchmate made his entrance. "You are late."

"You can't blame that on me." The man sitting in the wheelchair Reed pushed in front of him was clearly where Reed got his height and bulk. He had the same long limbs and dark eyes, but his slightly slurred words carried a hint of teasing Reed's rarely did.

Reed's mother crossed her arms, but there was no hiding the warmth now lingering in her gaze. "Don't make excuses. You know when it’s time to eat."

Reed’s father continued giving her his slightly lopsided grin. "I know when it's time to come out and meet my son’s lovely girlfriend." He spoke slowly and the words seemed difficult to form, but his tone was gentle and welcoming and reeled Courtney right in.

It was easy to smile at him as she reached out. "I'm Courtney."

Reed's father brought his hand her way, but his fingers were oddly positioned, making it impossible to give him a proper handshake. So she simply held his palm in hers, stacking her free hand on top of it. "I was just telling your wife how thankful I am that you invited me into your home."

Reed’s father continued smiling, the expression crinkling up the surprisingly smooth skin around his eyes. "Of course. Our home is your home." His gaze shifted to where Reed stood beside him. "It's not every day my son brings a woman to meet us."

Reed's mother huffed out a breath. "It's no days. At this rate I will never get a grandchild." She didn't say the words loudly, but there was no missing them.

And it made her feel like both Reed's parents were more than excited she was here, regardless of how differently they showed it.

"You will have plenty of time to talk after we eat." Reed's mother stood up, snagging the bowl in front of the place setting beside Courtney and piling in rice. She set it back down before grabbing Courtney's bowl and doing the same thing. She filled the final two bowls as Reed angled his father in his mother's direction. Once all the bowls had rice, she gestured at the array of toppings. "Now you put on what you want."

Courtney looked them over, feeling a little like this might be a test. "How do you like yours?"

Once again, his mother's eyes barely widened before quickly returning to normal. "You should try everything. Decide what you like."

Reed took his place beside her and started identifying each item. Beside the carrots she was tasked with making, there were bean sprouts, mushrooms, and cucumbers. She was surprised to discover one of the items was actually spinach—helping her feel a little better about things—but the rest were things she'd never heard of before. All of them sounded delicious, though, including the caribou serving as the meat option. There was also zucchini and green onion, along with the kimchi Reed told her would have made their first dinner on the road infinitely better. She added a little bit of everything to the top of her rice, watching as Reed added a hefty spoonful of a bright red paste to his own before stirring it all together.

Courtney leaned into his side. "What is the red paste?"

Reed lifted up the container. "Gochujang. It’s fermented chili paste."

She pressed her lips together. As pretty as his bowl now looked, she didn't want to set herself on fire their first visit. "I think I'll wait and try that next time."

Reed's dad grinned at her across the table. "I'm glad you're planning a next time."

Reed's mother hushed him as she held up a small scoop from his bowl, carefully feeding it to her husband. "Eat."

Courtney went to work stirring together her own bibimbap, sneaking peeks at Reed's parents as she worked everything around her bowl. She'd seen happy couples on television and occasionally in real life, but not in a way that she felt connected to.

And she most certainly felt connected to them. It was their first time meeting, but their dynamic seemed similar to the way she and Reed were with each other, just with a little bit of role reversing. His dad seemed full of smiles and jokes while his mom was the more serious one of the pair.

But that wasn't what was stealing her attention more often than not. It was their clear affection for each other—the love they both had for the other, and the love they both had for Reed—that had her focus centered primarily on them.

They were a family.

And he'd brought her here. Offered this moment even though he’d never brought a woman to meet his parents, knowing full well the weight the visit would hold. He did it because he knew she needed it. It was the same reason he told his mother she liked pink. Because he knew his mother would ensure she had pink slippers and that it would make her feel welcomed.

And while she would've expected a moment like this to be overwhelming, it wasn't. Not at all. If anything, it was a relief. Because it was something she’d been chasing her whole life.

And he’d given it to her.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

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