Page 69 of Getting the Grinder
“So worth it.” I take a deep breath, my smile dropping. “I know this is unlikely to happen, and I totally get that. We just started ... dating? Have we had an official date yet?”
“No, but I plan to fix that very soon.”
“Right. Well, when I talked to my mom earlier, she asked me to bring you home with me for Christmas. I can definitely tell her no, but she wanted me to ask you.”
He considers. “I’m going to see my parents on Christmas Day.”
“I know, I get it. Don’t worry about it.”
“What if we go see my parents on Christmas Eve and yours on Christmas Day?”
I think about it for a second, then nod. “We could. My mom would be over the moon. But wouldn’t your family be like, ‘Who is this and why is she here when you’ve only been with her for like ten minutes?’”
“Nah. If I tell them you’re important to me, that’s all that matters.”
“And your family is in Indianapolis, right?”
“A suburb. About forty-five minutes out of the city. We’ll make it work.”
I furrow my brow. “My mom can be a lot.”
“I’d expect no less from the woman who raised you.”
I laugh. “She’s a different lot than I am. I’m a very toned-down version of myself around my family.”
“It’ll be good. My parents will be thrilled to meet you.”
Meeting his parents. It’s a big step, but I feel ready. I want them to like me.
His expression turns serious. “I need to tell you something. It’s not easy for me to talk about.” He shakes his head and looks away. “I had an older brother. Kyle. He died of leukemia when I was eleven and he was thirteen.”
My heart cracks in half. “Leo. God, I’m so sorry your family went through that.”
“It was ...” He clears his throat, emotional. “The hardest thing any of us has ever experienced. But Kyle was adamant that he wanted us to keep living and he happy.”
I fight the well of emotion in my throat. “He was only thirteen, and he thought like that?”
“Cancer made him grow up fast. It was brutal. But my parents ... They still talk about him. There are pictures of him all over their house. I just want you to know so you aren’t surprised.”
I nod. “I appreciate that. I’d love to hear about him.”
“It’s weird. I don’t like bringing him up myself, but I like hearing my parents talk about him. When I’m home, I feel him there. I feel the good times and the bad ones. I like seeing pictures of him at their house, even though it would be too painful for me to put a picture up in my own. I leave it all there when I go. It’s just how I live with it.”
“I get that. There’s no right or wrong there. You just do what feels best to you.”
He gives me a sheepish look. “I’m going to warn you—my mom is desperate for grandchildren. If I tell her not to say anything, she’ll still sneak in hints.”
I put my hands on his shoulders, grinning. “Don’t worry. I can handle your mom. The only big question we need to worry about right now is what we’re going to eat while we finish Love Island.”
“New relationship rule—if you’re held hostage, you get to choose where to order food from for forty-eight hours after.”
I arch a brow, impressed. “Look at you, joking about it just like me. I’m going with Chinese.”
“I’ll order the food and change back into my sweats.”
“I’ll get the show ready. Teamwork makes the dream work.”
He kisses my forehead. “We better relax while we can. I have a feeling the holidays might be ... interesting this year.”
