Page 105 of Finding Olivia (Trace + Olivia 1)

“Don’t be worried,” he winked and gave my shoulder a squeeze.

“I’m not,” I squeaked.

“You should know by now,” he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from my shoulder, “that you can’t lie to me.”

I completely forgot that my mom was sitting at the table with us and blurted, “You were nervous to meet my mom! Now, you want me to meet your whole family!”

He chuckled. “It would only be my mom, brother, and my grandparents.”

“And I only asked you to meet my mom! One person, not four!” I cried.

My mom laughed and scolded, “Stop freaking out, Liv. Your shyness will only get you in trouble.”

I opened and closed my mouth repeatedly.

“It’s not that I have anything against meeting your family,” I explained. “I just know how I am and I’ll end up doing something stupid. Like…falling in a hole.”

Trace threw his head back and laughed. “I’ll call beforehand and make sure all the holes are filled.”

“You know how clumsy I am,” I defended.

“I don’t think you’re that clumsy. I think you just get,” his fingers skidded down my neck and my pulse jumped, “nervous around me.”

“It’s kind of hard not to get nervous when you do things like that!” I hissed and flicked my gaze in my mother’s direction.

“I can’t help it that you’re so affected by me, Olivia,” he crooned.

I covered my face with my hands. “Can we not talk about this right now, with my mom sitting right there?” I nodded my head in her direction for emphasis.

“Whatever you want, sweetheart,” he smirked, sitting back casually in his seat, like as if he hadn’t just made my stomach do somersaults from his touch. “But you will be meeting my family very soon.”

My temperature rose and I grabbed my glass of water, downing it.

“Liv always did get worked up over the littlest things,” my mom explained.

“I’ve noticed that,” Trace grinned at me. “It doesn’t take much to get her…excited.”

My closed fist connected with his thigh, but he laughed it off, his green eyes glowing with mirth.

My mom moved the conversation to less…stomach-churning topics, asking me about school, and Trace about being mechanic.

At the end of dinner, I volunteered to clean the dishes, and Trace offered to stay and help me so that my mom could go on up to bed.

“Are you sure?” She asked, eyeing us.

“Absolutely positive,” I assured her, already stacking the dirty plates.

“Alright,” she stood, “thank you.” She hugged me and then Trace. “I hope I get to see you again soon. You’re a nice young man, perfect for Liv.”

I rolled my eyes.

“I’d like to see you again too, Nora. Maybe you and Olivia can come for dinner at my place,” he suggested.

“That would be lovely,” she beamed. “Night you two. Don’t get into trouble now,” she looked between us.

I waved her off and then picked up the heavy stack of dishes to carry to the sink but Trace snatched them from me.

Grinning, he said, “Can’t have you dropping these, Olivia.”

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