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He peered over at his family and then back at me. “David’s waited a long time for you to come along. I can’t say I’ve ever been happy with David’s choices when it comes to women, so we’re thrilled that you’re finally here.”
“But you barely know me,” I blurted.
“We know our son. And to see him with you, we know enough.”
“You . . . I – I don’t know what to say, Mr. Dylan.”
“This has been hard, hasn’t it?”
I nodded. “I’ve hurt people, including David, very much.”
“Do you love him?”
I looked at David’s back as his elbows rested on the table, his forehead in his hands. His fingers swept through his hair. “Yes,” I answered. “But I haven’t . . . It’s hard for me to express.”
“He knows, I can tell. Life is nothing without love. My wife taught me that. I could not breathe if not for Judy. If your gut tells you you’re doing the right thing then you are. And you have our support.”
“Thank you,” I whispered with tears still lingering in my eyes. “You and David are so much alike.”
“Lucky for him,” he said with a playful smile, and I nodded. “Come back,” he coaxed with an arm around my shoulder. “Tell us everything. And call me Gerard. You’re making me feel ancient.”
I followed him back, avoiding everyone’s gaze as I sat. David took my chin in his hand, raised my face and gave me a determined kiss. His mother gasped, and I tried to pull away, but he held me steady. “Are you okay?” he asked, glancing at my arm.
I looked into his eyes and nodded ardently. He released me, and we turned to face the table.
“My baby,” Judy said to David, her eyes glossy. “In love.”
“Yes, Mom,” he said grumpily, and I finally smiled.
When I heard a sniffle next to me, I turned to see that Jessa was crying.
“Oh, come on,” David moaned.
“I’m sorry,” she said, blowing her nose into a napkin. “I was worried you’d never meet the girl.”
“And she’s a Leprechaun to boot,” Gerard put in, puffing up in his Notre Dame jacket.
“Mom,” Alex groaned. “Why’re you crying?”
“Don’t worry, sweetie. They’re happy tears.”
“Women,” he said, rolling his eyes and returning to his video game.
We laughed, and Judy asked us for more details. Given that David and I had only had a weekend together, there wasn’t much to tell when we removed sex from the equation. They were excited nonetheless.
CHAPTER 10
IT WAS LATE AFTERNOON when David and I walked from the train to his apartment.
“You’re quiet,” he said, squeezing my hand in his.
“It’s been a long weekend. I’m tired. And sore.”
“Sore, huh?” he asked, bumping me with his shoulder.
“Sore,” I said with the most serious face I could muster. “Like, I might have to start yoga.”
“Yes,” he said immediately. “The more ways I can bend you, the better.”
“You’re such a hornball.”
“You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into.”
I laughed, and he stopped to drive me up against a brick wall. “Think I’m kidding?” He clasped our hands together and brought them behind his back. “I had the best time today,” he said quietly, kissing his way along my jaw until he found my lips.
I’d had a great day too, getting to know his family, helping out the shelter, spending time with someone who, frankly, I never wanted to be away from. But there were things at the back of my mind demanding my attention. It was clear how much he enjoyed being with family, specifically Alex. Did he envision a family of his own?
And tomorrow it was back to reality. Our sheltered weekend was almost over. My things were at his place, and he’d asked me to move in. If I was honest with myself, I wanted that too. I wanted to move in with him. But we were moving at lightning speed, and that scared me. I hadn’t thought of Bill all day, at least not to wonder how he was doing, and that made me feel guilty.
“Um, earth to Olivia.”
“Sorry,” I murmured against his lips.
“Where’d you go?”
“Nowhere,” I said. “I’m here.”
“Are you sure?”
I had promised to try not to hide anything from him, and I didn’t want to. But the moment was perfect right then as the sun disappeared behind the buildings around us. I didn’t want it to end. I smiled and touched his cheek. “I had the best time too. I’m good.”
He pulled me from the wall, and we continued on to the apartment. When we’d arrived and were boarding the elevator, he cursed to himself.
My heart leaped. “What?”
“I just realized something that pisses me off,” he said as he swiped his card to the penthouse.
“What?” I asked again, but in a whisper. I wrung my fingers together, unsure of how much more I could handle.
He jutted his chin at me. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You’re pissed?”
He laughed and kissed me between the brows. “Honeybee,” he said softly, “I’m not going anywhere. Quit bracing yourself for bad news.”
My shoulders slackened slightly as the elevator slowed. We exited, and he unlocked the door to the apartment.
“Well?” I asked impatiently as I tailed him to the bedroom.
“Oh. I’ve never taken you out on a pr
oper date. You know, picked you up, driven you to dinner. Kissed you on the doorstep.”
I laughed on an exhale as he stripped off his shirt and tossed it in the closet hamper.
“Due to the nature of our relationship,” he continued, “I’ve skipped over the entire courting process. So we’ll have to make up for that. Olivia Germaine, would you let me take you out tomorrow night? Anywhere you like.”
“Surprise me,” I said, scrunching my nose at him. “Also, is walking around shirtless something you do often? It makes it hard to concentrate.”
“I’m thinking no shirts allowed would make a good rule.”
I reached out and wrapped myself around his warm skin, careful not to touch the darkening bruise near his abs.
“I hate this,” he sighed, ghosting a hand over my bicep. “I hate that he got to you before I did. Did I hurt you last night?”
“No,” I replied, thinking that he’d handled me perfectly the whole night. “Your dad was pretty upset though.”
“Where do you think I got my temper?” he asked. I tilted my head back to look up at him. “He sits on a few boards, one of which focuses on domestic violence.”
“He’s scary,” I said. “Like you.”
He laughed just as my cell phone rang. I rolled my eyes and tried to pull away.
“Ignore it,” he said, kissing my forehead.
I wanted to, but I knew I couldn’t; not with all the things going on in my life. I detangled myself from his arms.
“Who even has your new number?” he asked.
“Just Gretchen, my dad and Bill.”
“Bill?” he asked as I rummaged through my bag.
“I e-mailed it to him.”
“Why?” he asked irritably.
“Like it or not, we’re going to have to be in touch.” I put the phone to my ear. “Hello?”
“Olivia?” My mother’s panicked voice came through the line, and I paled instantly.
“Mom? What’s wrong?” I felt behind me to sit at the edge of the bed.
“What’s going on?” she cried. My heart sank when I realized from her hysterical voice that she’d been drinking.
