Steve turned to look at her and raised Jordyn’s hand to his lips, pressing a kiss against her knuckles. “So am I, doll.”
“You two are so cute. You remind me of us,” Laurie sighed, pulling out her chair and gesturing for them to take a seat. “Don’t they remind you of us when we were young and in love, Paul?”
“We aren’t still young and in love?” he asked with mock confusion but winked at his wife. “They sure do, honey.”
“Young love is so beautiful,” her mother said with a little shake of her head.
Jordyn held up a hand and gave her parents a quizzical look. “Wait a second…”
“What is it, Jordy?” her mother asked, passing her a basket of rolls. Steve grinned at the nickname and squeezed Jordyn’s hand gently.
“Jordy?” he asked.
She blushed and ducked her head. “Yeah, Jordy.” Her eyes slid back to her mother, and she wagged a finger at her. “You never talked this way when I was with Alex. Never.”
“You’re right, but that was different,” her mother said.
“How was it different?”
“Should you really be discussing your ex-boyfriend with yournewboyfriend at dinner?” her mother drew out thenewin a way that made Jordyn roll her eyes and Steve grin. Paul kept his mouth shut, but he leaned forward with his elbows on the table, watching with avid interest.
“I mean, yes, you’re right, but that’s not answering the question,” Jordyn pressed.
“It’s different because you are in love,” Laurie said with a little shrug.
“Very in love,” her father added with a nod.
Jordyn coughed, her eyes bugging out. “Can you both cool it on the L word?” she croaked out.
Steve gave her hand another squeeze. He could see she was panicking. Probably since they had never even brought up the L word to one another, and here her parents were casually commenting on it. “Don’t worry,” he told her.
“I’m not worried,” she squeaked with a pinched look. “Why would I be worried?” she asked, voice hiking an octave.
“We’ll talk about it later, yeah?” he asked, making sure his voice was gentle. Love didn’t feel wrong when it came to Jordyn, even if it hadn’t come up between them quite yet. Jordyn met his eyes, and she was silent for a second before she gave a quick nod of her head.
“Sure thing,” Jordyn told him with a tight smile.
“Cool it with the L word, Laurie,” Paul advised, though his tone was light and teasing. He winked at his daughter and raised his glass of tea to Steve.
“Glad to have you here today. Tell me what is it that you do?”
Steve watched Jordyn’s shoulder drop, her body visibly relaxing, and he let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding in. “I own a tattoo shop with my best friend.”
Paul’s eyebrows shot up. “A tattoo shop?” he asked, and then his eyes drifted to the ink that colored Steve’s knuckles as he nodded. “That makes sense.”
Steve cleared his throat. He had never been over to a girl’s house before to meet her parents, but this felt far more on par with what was to be expected than talk of love. “Yeah, art has always been a passion. I’ve been tattooing since I was eighteen and was able to do it legally. Jamie, my best friend, has been working at it as long as I have.”
“What made you pick Golden?” Laurie asked.
“Seemed a decent place to live and slow down long enough to enjoy life,” Steve answered. “Plus, Jamie picked it specifically. I didn’t really have an opinion on it at first.”
“And what do you think of it now?” Jordyn’s mother asked.
“I think it’s an amazing place,” Steve said without hesitation. “It’s somewhere that I hope to call home for a very long time.” He looked toward Jordyn where she sat at his side. “Jordyn has made it all the more special of a place for me and I can’t imagine my life without her.”
Jordyn’s parents seemed happy with that answer, and Laurie grinned at Steve. “That’s the answer we like to hear, Steve.”
Steve returned her smile. “That’s good news because it’s the truth. Jordyn fits into my life in a way I had never thought anyone might,” he paused and added, “and I am so grateful that she has made space in her for me. I wouldn’t be the same without her.”
