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“I also have an interview at Seton,” Leslie said quietly, almost as if she didn’t want anyone to hear.
Mom gasped. “Don’t throw your career away.”
“Did you throw your career away by saving lives in your own community?” Leslie challenged. Mom had not only started her career at Seton, she stil
l worked at that same hospital as the head of the cardiology department.
Gabe was suddenly glad he hadn’t become a doctor. He knew his mother honestly wanted what was best for her children, but couldn’t she see how she was making Leslie feel? Gabe knew exactly what his sister was feeling. And if he’d completed his PhD in physics as had been his original plan, he might have been having the exact same conversation with his physics professor father right now. At least Jennifer had been smart enough to major in mathematics. Though both his parents had opinions about her educational choices as well.
“Of course I don’t think that,” Mom said. “It’s just . . . You’re so brilliant, sweetheart. So talented. So special. And Seton? Seton is so average.”
“Sometimes it’s better to be a big fish in a little pond than a little fish in a big pond,” Melanie said, glancing from future mother-in-law to future sister-in-law. “Am I right?”
Leslie gave Melanie a grateful smile, and Gabe loved his heart’s choice a little more with every passing moment.
“I’m so intimidated right now,” Nikki said. “Are you all doctors?” She glanced hopefully at Dad.
“Afraid so,” Dad said with a wink. “But I don’t save lives. I get my kicks by torturing college students.”
Nikki swallowed.
“Did I say torturing?” Dad laughed. “I meant challenging. I get my kicks by challenging college students.”
“He definitely meant torturing,” Gabe said. “I’ve seen him laugh gleefully over failing grades more than once.”
“Not everyone’s got what it takes to pass physics,” Dad said.
“I would be in that category,” Melanie said, raising her hand sheepishly. “The lowest grade I ever got in my life was in physics.”
“You never told me that,” Gabe said. “Did you fail it?”
“I got a C,” she said, grimacing. “C minus. I’m sure I could have done better with the right tutor.” The heated look she gave Gabe made his palms go damp. He could definitely get behind tutoring Melanie Anderson.
Nikki laughed. “I doubt the two of you would have gotten any actual studying done.”
Exactly.
“I’m not sure I can let my son marry a woman who earned a C minus in physics,” Dad said. “Was it calculus-based physics at least?”
Melanie shook her head. “Nope. College physics,” she said. “For non-majors.”
Dad covered his chest with one hand. “Dr. Banner,” he said to his wife. “I think you need to look at my heart. I might be dying.”
“Oh, please,” Mom said, rolling her eyes. “Stop that. She’s going to think you’re serious.” She turned to Melanie and said, “I got a D in physics the first time I took it and decided to get some help the second go round. How do you think I met this guy?” She jabbed a thumb in Dad’s direction.
“So Luke was your physics tutor in college?” Melanie asked.
Mom’s grin was entirely too devious for Gabe’s comfort, even though he already knew the story behind how his parents had met.
“No, love. He was the teacher.”
“Ooo,” Nikki said, wiggling her eyebrows. “Did he let you earn extra credit after class?”
“Hell no,” Mom said. “He wouldn’t even date me until after I graduated.”
“It’s inappropriate to date a student,” Dad said. “No matter how much she throws herself at you.”
Gabe laughed at his mother’s outraged expression.
“I did not throw myself at you!”
“She wrote me love notes at the bottom of all her exams.”
Mom licked her lips, refusing to meet anyone’s eyes. “I was just thanking you for helping me understand the material.”
“I felt thoroughly thanked, my love,” he said. “And you have no idea how hard it was for me to maintain my professionalism.”
“You weren’t too professional,” Mom claimed. “You still have copies of all my test papers.”
“And I still take them out and read them from time to time.”
And then his parents were kissing passionately. Gabe exchanged a disgusted look with his sister, who snorted and shook her head.
“We should get busy washing these dishes,” Mom said, “so we can head home and leave these two alone with their houseguest.”
Nikki beamed at being remembered.
Leslie smirked at her parents. “Get yourselves to bed early so you can relive your early years together, you mean.”
When Mom stood and started to gather plates, Melanie jumped from her chair as if a rattlesnake had struck her in the ass. “No need,” Melanie said. “I’ll get the dishes.”
“It’s a standing rule in this family,” Mom said. “The cook never washes the dishes.” She gave Gabe a stern look, as if he’d broken that sacred rule.
“It’s fine,” Melanie said. “Really. I don’t mind.” She took the dishes from Mom’s hands and carried them out of the dining room.
“Melanie, dear,” Mom said, staring at Melanie’s back. “I think your shirt is on wrong-side out. There’s a tag . . .” Mom reached for the tag poking out through Melanie’s hair at the nape of her neck, and Melanie scurried forward, her face redder than the tomato sauce on the plates she was carrying.
“I didn’t realize,” Melanie said. “Thanks. But I’ve got the dishes. Please sit down, Kathy.”
Gabe didn’t recall Melanie being particularly fond of washing dishes. Perhaps she was trying to impress his family—or escape their scrutiny. He felt bad for not pointing out her shirt was on wrong-side out earlier.
His mother followed Melanie, and after a moment of listening to them argue about who was going to do the dumb dishes, Gabe went to investigate.
“Please, Kathy, allow me,” Melanie said.
She made a dive for the dishwasher when his mother moved to open it. And then Gabe realized why she was so insistent on doing the dishes. There were certain embarrassing items on the dishwasher’s top rack.
“I should be the one to do the dishes,” Gabe said. “You two go sit and visit. Maybe you can help Nikki come up with some ideas for the wedding.”
Mom stopped trying to wrestle a spatula out of Melanie’s grip and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Are you thinking a destination wedding? Or something a bit closer to home?”
“Actually,” Melanie said, shooting Gabe a look of gratitude as she handed him the dirty spatula. “We were thinking of having the wedding here. In the woods around Gabe’s house.”
“Just as long as it doesn’t involve riding those noisy ATVs of his,” Mom said.
“What a great idea, Mom!” Gabe said, turning on the water in the sink. He decided it was probably best to sanitize the Sex Stallion skins on their own cycle rather than with the supper plates, but he couldn’t very well just whip them out while his mom was watching him with her eyes narrowed.
“I’ll pour sugar in your gas tanks if you even think about ruining your ceremony with those damned things,” she threatened.
“We were actually thinking of something a little more sedate,” Melanie said, directing Mom back to the dining room.
Thinking he was alone, Gabe opened the dishwasher just as his father hobbled into the room. Gabe slammed the door shut and smiled at Dad, hoping he didn’t look too suspicious. The man was a teacher. He could spot a guilty conscience with practiced ease.
“You sure you’re ready to settle down?” Dad asked quietly. He obviously didn’t want to upset the wedding-planning women chatting excitedly in the dining room.
“With Melanie?” Gabe smiled. “One hundred percent sure.”
“It’s just a bit sudden is all. How long have you known her?”
“Long enough to know she’s my one.”
Dad smiled. “The physics of love. Completely unfathomable.”
“Did you know right away with Mom?” Gabe asked.
“Yep. And it scared the hell out of me. You seem to be dealing well with the idea, however.”
“Well, Melanie's not ten years younger than I am,” Gabe said with a chuckle. “Or my student.”
