Chapter Six - Meeting Her Family

CHAPTER SIX

Meeting Her Family

I WAS MORE nervous for this than I was for our first kiss.

Not because I thought they’d hate me, but because I knew how much she loved them.
And I wanted to earn that space.

She gave me a prep talk on the drive over.
Not in a “my family’s crazy” kind of way.
More like:
“These are my people. And you matter to me now. So don’t screw it up.”

She was half-joking.
But I knew the weight behind the words.

Her mom opened the door.
Same eyes.
Same softness, just hidden under layers of decades and duty.
She gave me a once-over, then pulled me into a hug like she’d already decided.

Her dad stood behind her.
Stoic, skeptical, and one eyebrow raised like he was already analyzing my credit score and character arc.

“Sir,” I said, sticking my hand out like I was walking into a job interview.

He shook it.
Firm. Not crushing. But firm enough to say: Don’t bullshit me.
And I respected that.

Dinner was a whirlwind.

Stories flying across the table like sparrows.
Laughter that tripped over itself.
Old inside jokes I couldn’t understand but smiled through anyway.

She watched me the whole time.
Not like she was testing me.
Like she was hoping I’d fit.

And slowly, I did.

I made her little brother laugh with some stupid impression.
Helped her mom clear the dishes without being asked.
Talked music with her dad until he finally leaned back and said, “You’ve got a good head on you.”

That’s the moment I knew I passed.

Later, when we were alone in her room, door slightly open because “boundaries,” she looked at me and said, “They like you.”

And I said, “Yeah?”

And she said, “Yeah. But more importantly…”

She climbed into my lap, rested her forehead against mine, and whispered:
“I like you.”

And I whispered back:
“Enough to be seen with me at Christmas?”

She smirked.
“Don’t push your luck, new guy.”

That was the first time I felt it in my bones:
This wasn’t temporary.
This wasn’t cute.

This was life.
And I was already in it.