Page 20 of My Silver Lining

Lulu sighed. “It’s been over for more than a year, Dad. I wish you’d stop bringing it up. I can’t help it if every time he does something, it embarrasses you. I’m with Rafe now, so that’s all that matters.”

“Yes, sweetheart. I know it’s not your fault. But then Charlotte was telling everyone in the family that she didn’t believe your boyfriend was real because he missed the holidays and now he can’t attend Grandpa’s eightieth birthday party.” Her father lifted his Starbucks white-and-green to-go cup and took a sip.

“It is such a shame, Rafe. We’d really love to meet you in person. And we’ll all be staying at the beach house in Los Angeles, so the weather will be so lovely. You’re sure you can’t make it?” her mother asked.

Did she say beach house?

“He’s had that virus, Mom. We don’t want to get Gramps sick at his own party, not to mention Grandma as well.”

“Rafe, you look well to me,” William said. “And both of my parents have stronger immune systems than the rest of us.”

“Thank you, William. I am feeling much better.” I moved my hand to play with the ends of Lulu’s hair. I wasn’t even acting at the moment. I wanted to see if it was as silky as it looked.

Her blonde tresses did not lie, unlike the little deviant who was having me pretend to date her.

Glass houses and all that, because I’d be doing the same thing at my boss’s wedding in the not-too-distant future.

Her fingers found mine, and she made it appear that she was being touchy-feely with me, but she dug her nails into my knuckles, an obvious attempt to make me stop touching her hair.

“But he was sick for quite a while, so I’m sure he’s just exhausted. This poor guy has had the shits for days. We almost had to put him in a diaper,” Lulu said.

I was pissed that I was meeting her parents for the first time, and she was giving me a bad case of the shits?

I wasn’t going down that way.

I didn’t give a shit if this was fake; a man had his pride. I placed my hand behind her head, tucking my fingers into the back of her hair before pulling her closer to rest her cheek on my chest. “It was rough, but actually, it’s been two days with no incidents. My doctor cleared me to go back to work today. So, my little wildcat can put those diapers away, at least until we’re in our eighties and need them again.” I kissed the top of her head as her fingers dug into my thigh in the most painful way.

I released her, and she sat forward.

“Oh, this is fabulous news. Is this why you wanted to FaceTime us, Lulubelle?” her mother said.

Lulubelle? That little tidbit was going in the vault for a later date.

“No, actually. I was FaceTiming just so you could let Charlotte know that you met my boyfriend in person.”

“You know she never gave us your name before now, Rafe.” Noemie chuckled. “She called you Love Her Boy.”

William and I both chuckled like we were old friends.

“She does like to call me that. She’s got so many pet names for me, it’s adorable.” I winked at my fake girlfriend. “But I believe my little wildcat kept my name from you because she’s desperate to protect this special thing we’ve got going.”

Lulu’s foot pressed down so hard on mine that it was challenging not to wince. “The nickname is actuallyLoverboy, Mother. It’s just one of many things I like to call my man.” She slapped her hand down a few times on my thigh, and it still stung from where her blade-sharp nails had tried to draw blood. “ButI can’t ask him to put his health and the health of our family at risk.”

“Nonsense. We’ve got a private plane to fly you both to the beach house in a few days, so he wouldn’t even need to go to the airport or subject himself to any illness there. We’d be pleased to have the family meet you, Rafe. It’s about time our daughter brings home a man who has an ounce of class to the family gatherings.” Her father kept his lips in a straight line, giving very little emotion, which made him hard to read.

“William, I assure you, I am overflowing with class,” I said, with a playful chuckle.

“So you’ll come, then?” Noemie clapped her hands together. “It’ll mean so much to all of us.”

“I wouldn’t miss this special occasion for the world. Gramps is turning eighty, after all. Lulu talks about him all the time,” I said.

“We’re looking forward to it. The whole family will be there. And you can show Charlotte for yourself that you’re very much real,” William said.

“Personally, I think Charlotte has always been a little jealous of our Lulu. Hopefully, she will let it go now.” Noemie smiled and then swiped at an invisible tear below her eye.

“I can’t wait to meet you all in person and start making some good ole Sonnet family memories.”

“We look forward to it. See you both in a few days.”

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