Page 14 of Lyrical

“I know the feeling.”

Chase sent me a smile and I returned it, an ache spreading through me. I suddenly wanted to be in his arms. He was over there, and I was over here, still by the front door. A dozen questions were being shot Daniel’s way, but I’d started to tune them all out.

I knew Chase was waiting for me to make the first move. He wouldn’t take the matter into his own hands, not for something like this. I had to be the one to reach out and introduce them. The fact that I wanted him there was the first step, but it wasn’t the last.

I had to stop being such a fucking wimp about it and introduce my twenty-four-year-old boyfriend to my twenty-one-year-old son.

Fuck.

“Chase, dear, can you see how much time is left on the lasagna?”

My mother’s soft-spoken voice seemed to amplify through the house, and everyone turned to look at him. Daniel included.

Perfect.

I gave myself a kick in the ass and dragged it over to Chase. “Ten minutes, Mom,” I said, seeing the timer as I neared the kitchen.

“Hey,” Chase said, smiling.

“Hey.” I cast out a bunch of feelers, latching on to a bit of that strength he possessed so I could reel some back in for myself. God, I needed it. “I’m glad you’re here.”

The moment I made contact, his whole body shifted. I felt his tension drain. He’d looked relaxed before, but Perry was right—he wasn’t. He cared about the outcome. Big time. For all his confidence, he was scared as hell to lose me, and he displayed that with his moment of vulnerability. He was pure strength, but he wasn’t invincible. He loved the fuck out of me, and he wasn’t afraid to show it.

“I’m glad to be here, Jillian.”

I melted into him, wrapping my arm around his waist. I could fucking do this. I could fucking do anything.

“Daniel, this is Chase. The one I told you about.”

The rest of the group filed past us into the kitchen, Perry squeezing my arm as she brushed by. Daniel was in the back of the pack and stopped before us, eyeing Chase.

“Nice to meet you,” Chase said, sticking out his hand.

Say something!I couldn’t garner a damn thing from Daniel’s expression beyond exhaustion.

He returned the handshake. “You too.”

They released their grip, and Daniel nodded once and walked into the kitchen.Wait, what?Chase put his arms around me, and I leaned into his chest.Thump thump thump.

“What just happened here?” I asked.

“What do you mean?”

I pulled back. “What do you mean what do I mean?” I waved my finger back and forth. “That whole five-second interaction between you and my son. It went well.”

“And that bothers you?”

“Oh my God, of course not. It’s just….”I was frickin’ ready to tear out every strand of my hair for that?“I don’t get it. It was almost too easy.”

“If it’s not there, Jillian, don’t look for it. Besides, he still has to get to know me. Maybe he’ll want to bash my face in then.”

My lips barely curved at his joke. Of course I wanted it to go well. Of course I wanted both men in my life without conflict. It just confused me. I expected a flicker of disbelief, at the very least. Maybe his eyeballs were coated with gunk from his nap.

“Ow!” I rubbed my shoulder where Perry had punched it. “What was that for?”

“Daniel’s giving out presents, and then we’re gonna eat.”

“You didn’t have to punch me for that.”

---