Page 72 of Objection to Love

“Come on, Em, last time you made a deal, it worked out pretty well.” Garrett leaned against the computer.

She stuck her tongue out at him. Never in a million years would he have expected her to be capable of such a juvenile action. It was great. “That’s still yet to be seen.”

“Ouch.” But he grinned while he said it.

She stuck her tongue out again.

“Anyway…” April cut in, amusement lacing her tone, “back to this deal.”

Em turned from Garrett to look at her sister with raised brows. “Yes?”

“I propose that the winning team gets something…”

“Yes, that’s usually how bets go,” Em teased when her sister trailed off.

“Be quiet, I’m thinking.”

Jackson looked at Garrett with amusement.

“Okay, I’ve got it! The winner gets to skip dinner at Mom and Dad’s tomorrow.”

“We have dinner tomorrow?” Em’s brows pulled together.

April offered a sheepish smile. “She just called me on the way here. And, now that I think of it, there’s no way we can totally skip. Maybe the loser has to create a plan to get the winner out early.”

“You don’t mind Mom and Dad’s dinners though,” Em pointed out. Garrett wondered if that meantEmminded them. They hadn’t talked much about her parents outside of the bare minimum of names and jobs. Garrett had guessed there was more to be said but was waiting until Em was ready to share.

April shrugged. “Mom hinted that she wanted to go over my registry before I send it out for the baby shower. I don’t really care to have a fight over the specific crib I want, or anything else, so I wouldn’t mind skipping out a little early this time.” She looked almost embarrassed to admit it, as if that made her a terrible daughter.

Em was quiet for a second. “You know, this really is more of a bet for just you and me. Jackson, too, I guess,” she looked at her brother-in-law, “but mostly us.”

April looked not so surreptitiously over at Garrett. “Oh. I kinda thought maybe you’d bring…” She trailed off, and an awkward silence hung over the group.

Em looked at Garrett, and he thought he saw a little panic in her eyes before she composed herself. “We haven’t talked about meeting the family,” she said, but it almost seemed like she was asking him a question.

“I’d like to meet your parents.” Garrett lifted a shoulder. “If I’m invited, of course.”

April beamed. “Mom will probably have touninvite someone, but I don’t think any of us mind.”

It was Garrett’s turn to look a question at Em. But she was too busy glaring at her sister to notice.

Jackson noticed though. “Poor Em gets set up with a different guy every time we have a family dinner. If you come, then it would be weird for Diane to keep whoever this dinner’s date is on the guest list.”

“Oh.” Garrett didn’t know how to answer that. His chest felt strangely tight at the thought of Em and another guy. Even just a blind date.

“But it’s okay if you can’t come tomorrow; you have Sunday Sundae night with your mom.” Em had stood at some point, and was now standing stiffly next to him, her arms folded.

“She’s actually out of town this weekend. Visiting a friend.”

Em smiled at him, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Wanna come to family dinner then? I promise it won’t be boring.”

She looked so serious. How did a bowling game suddenly get so serious? Attempting to lighten the mood, he wrapped an arm around her waist, squeezing her side. “Time with you is never boring.”

Her smile seemed more genuine this time. “Maybe I should be promising you won’t be in any physical danger and that my parents’ taste in artwork is very vanilla.”

Just like that, the atmosphere perked up. “Oh good, then I guess I’ll come.”

“So it’s a date,” April said, clapping. “You guys better watch out; Jackson and I have been bowling once a month for the last year. You don’t stand a chance.”

---