Page 62 of The Friendly Fall

“Oh no, no. Sit back down, Nick, you’re our guest,” her mom insists.

But I shake my head with a smile. “It’s the least I can do after such a wonderful meal.”

Eliza shoots me a grateful look as I begin gathering plates and utensils, taking them to the kitchen. Once everything is cleared away, the family heads to the living room for coffee and Eliza joins me in the kitchen.

My heart flutters at the sight of her. I can’t help but admire the way her hair falls delicately over her shoulders, and the way her green eyes sparkle in the soft kitchen light. She looks like a vision, an angel here on Earth.

“You’re really good at this,” she says before drying a plate with a soft towel.

“Dishes?” I smirk.

“No,everything.” She chuckles. “I don’t even remember the last time someone offered to help out like this.”

“It’s really no trouble at all.” I shrug.

As we finish up the dishes, I dry my hands. Eliza’s watching me with a soft smile on her face. The tension between us is palpable. I can almost taste the electricity in the air, drawing me closer to her with each passing moment.

“Nick, thank you for everything tonight. You’ve been amazing, and my parents absolutely adore you.”

Taking a step closer to her, I reach out to gently tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s an honor to be here with you and your family,” I say, my thumb brushing against the soft skin of her cheek.

She leans into my touch, her eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sends a jolt of electricity through me.

Is she feeling what I’m feeling?

Every bone in my body wants to lean in and close the distance between us, to capture her lips with mine in a kiss that would express all the emotions swirling between us. My senses ache to taste her sweet lips, to run my fingers through the soft strands of her blonde hair, and to become lost in the warmth of her embrace.

I want to show her how much she means to me, how my heart beats for her, how I long to be more than just a pretend boyfriend.

I want to be her everything—

“Who’s ready for dessert?” Ms. Marilyn calls out from the living room, interrupting the charged moment between us. Eliza’s cheeks flush slightly as she takes a small step back.

“I’ll bring it out,” she offers, before stepping away to grab the dessert plates.

My heart is still pounding in my chest as Ms. Marilyn approaches from the living room, followed by Eliza’s mom and dad. “Don’t worry, Nick. I have paper plates for the pie.” She winks.

Moments later, we’re all gathered around the dining table once more, with a decadent-looking apple pie sitting in the center. The warm aroma of cinnamon and apples fills the room.

“Nick, would you do the honors of cutting it for us?” Ms. Marilyn asks.

I nod, before carefully slicing into it. The golden crust gives way to reveal the rich, spiced apple filling inside. I portion out slices onto the paper plates, making sure to give Eliza an extra generous piece.

“My lady, allow me to serve you first.” I present the plate to her with a small bow.

“Why, thank you, kind sir,” she responds in mock formality, accepting the plate with a giggle. The rest of the family chuckles at our little exchange, their eyes full of warmth and amusement. I reach out and rub her shoulder tenderly, enjoying every opportunity I have to show her how much she means to me.

As we dig into the pie, conversation flows easily, and I can’t help but sit back and admire the way Eliza’s family shares stories and jokes with each other. The genuine love and warmth they have is evident in every smile, every laugh. And they’ve beensoincredibly welcoming to me, embracing me like I’ve been a part of their family for years.

It’s a feeling I never knew I craved until now.

And maybe, just maybe, one day … I can be a part of it.

As we’re finishing up dessert, the family starts sharing embarrassing stories from Eliza’s childhood, causing everyone to erupt into laughter.

I steal glances at Eliza, admiring how she gracefully takes it all in stride, her cheeks flushed with both embarrassment and amusement.

“You know, I have some baby photos around here somewhere!” Ms. Marilyn exclaims, jumping up from her seat.

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