AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I saw cars out front,” she said quickly. “Do you have friends over?”
His smile was a little tight. “Not really. Come on in.” He took her hand and led her and Cory farther inside. “My family is here.”
Angela stopped walking. Her heart froze, then rushed to catch up with her whirling thoughts. “Your family?” she asked tightly. She tugged on her plain navy maxi dress and smoothed her hair. “You didn’t tell me they would be here.”
“Surprise?” he said with a half grin. He tugged on her hand. “Come on, it won’t be bad. They came to town to see me before training camp.”
“I could have come later, or another day.”
“I want them to meet you. And they want to meet you, too.” She must have made a look because concern filled his gaze and he stepped closer. “It’s not a big deal. They’re in town, I want to spend time with you before I go, that’s all. Don’t panic.”
“I’m not panicking.” Her voice sounded calm. Her palms were sweaty. Maybe she was slightly panicked. “I’m just caught off guard.”
“Don’t worry.” He squeezed her hand reassuringly. “They’ll love you just as much as I do.”
Angela couldn’t breathe again. He loved her? Did he mean that the way she thought he did, or was he just reassuring her? How did she feel if it was the first way? He must have taken her stunned silence as her being okay with moving forward, because he nodded to Cory and took them outside to the patio.
The small amount of time it took to get to the patio out back wasn’t enough to let her brain register everything that was happening. He’d paid her rent, was introducing her to his parents and kinda said he loved her. Everything was too much, too soon. She needed time to process. She liked the idea of where their relationship seemed to be going, but not this quickly. If she wasn’t careful she’d cave to the urge to dive headfirst into this and he’d snatch everything away just as quickly. She’d be left with nothing but fond memories and the confirmation she could only rely on herself again.
His entire family really had come into town. Four people sat around a glass table, sipping lemonade and soaking up the sunshine. The smell of charcoal from a grill nearby filled the air. His parents were easy to pick out. The handsome older couple suited each other. His dad was just as tall as Isaiah, with the same pecan-brown complexion and expressive eyes. He looked relaxed in a pair of dark slacks and a polo shirt. His mom gave Angela a friendly, if not guarded, smile. Her salt-and-pepper hair was cut short to complement her heart-shaped face, and the peach-colored sundress draped her curvy figure and enhanced her dark skin.
His mother came over to Angela and clasped one of her hands. “Angela, it’s so great to finally meet you. We’ve heard so much about you.” He voice was warm, her shoulders relaxed, but her eyes were sharp as they watched Angela closely.
Exactly whom had she heard so much about Angela from? “It’s nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Reynolds. This is my nephew, Cory.”
“Call me Linda,” she said before releasing her hand and smiling at Cory. “Such a tall boy. How old are you?”
“Almost fourteen,” Cory said with teenage pride.
Linda laughed. “I remember when my boys were that age. They ate me out of house and home.”
“That’s the same thing Auntie always says,” Cory said with a smile.
Linda nodded and focused back on Angela. “He lives with you?”
“Yes.”
Linda waited, but Angela offered no other explanation.
Linda nodded slightly and one eyebrow quirked just a fraction. “Isaiah, introduce your lady to the rest of the family.”
Isaiah’s father was nice and watched her with the same underlying skepticism she’d sensed in Linda. His brother, Tim, resembled Isaiah without an athlete’s build and was a few inches shorter. His fiancée, April, a stylish woman who eyed Angela with obvious curiosity in her light brown gaze, greeted her next.
Isaiah and Angela settled on one of the outdoor sofas. Cory asked Isaiah if he could play a video game upstairs in the media room, but Linda said there was no reason for him to run off and suggested they all get to know each other.
