Page 141 of In Plain Sight

When we were both sitting back in our seats, I pulled my keys out of my pocket and flipped them in my hand a few times. “So, Mom wants to meet you.”

He blanched slightly but otherwise didn’t react.

“She invited you in so she can say hi before work, but she understands if you’re not ready right now.”

He chewed on his lower lip. “I don’t think I am. I want to meet her, but I wasn’t expecting?—”

“It’s fine, babe,” I assured him. “She gets it. She also invited you over for either Christmas Eve or Christmas dinner.”

“Christmas Eve, like your family party?”

I nodded. I’d told him about our tradition at the same time he told me that he usually spent Christmas Eve with Ivy and Mark and stopped by his mom’s house before she went to dinner with whoever was hosting her that year.

“Really?” He looked shocked. “She’d be okay with that?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t she be?”

“It’s just that’s your family tradition, and I’m only…”

“You’re my boyfriend, babe.” I grinned at his flabbergasted expression. “That means you’re part of the family. That’s how we roll, so you’d better get used to it because you’re about to get a surrogate sister and mom, and stepdad and stepsiblings if what I think is going to happen at dinner, does.”

His cheeks pinked slightly under his golden glow.

“You don’t have to decide anything now.” I stuck my keys in the ignition, then pulled out my phone so I could text Mom before we headed out. “Think about it, and I’ll let her know later.”

Luka: we’re going to head to work now. I asked him about xmas and he’s just figuring out which day works best

Mom: have a wonderful day at work

Mom: send me his sweater size and a list of things he’s interested in

Luka: will do. Love you

Mom: Love you too

“Everything good?” Zander asked when I’d put my phone away.

“Everything is great.” I turned the car on. “Ready to go to work, or should I drop you off so you can grab your car? It’ll look suspicious if we show up together on a Monday.”

“We can pick up my car if you’d like, but I was thinking that maybe it’s time we tell everyone the truth.”

“Really?” I put the car in gear and checked to make sure the coast was clear so I could pull away from the curb.

“Yeah. I was thinking about this while you were inside. I can’t keep pretending like we’re nothing more than friends. Not anymore. You’re mine, Luka. And if that’s going to be a problem at work, then I’d rather know now so we can deal with it.”

“Do you think it will be?” I shot him a quick look as I drove down my childhood street. A warm feeling spread out through my chest at him calling me his. I’d never get tired of it.

“I don’t know. It might be, but then again, it might not. The only way to find out is to tell them.”

“When?”

The more I thought about it, the more I agreed with him. I was tired of policing my every move at work. It was time we put the truth out there and trust that the people who mattered would be okay with it.

“I was thinking the staff Christmas party. That way everyone is together, hopefully in a good mood, and we’ll only have to say it once.”

I nodded, my mind spinning with thoughts. “Yeah. That makes sense. A few more days, then.”

“A few more days.” He reached over and laced our fingers together.

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