Page 52 of Chasing Amanda

“Mom and Dad, I’d like you to meet Amanda Prince. Amanda, my parents, Hayden and Patricia Johnson.”

“Hello, dear.” The two words dripped with sarcasm. “How lovely you could be here.”

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Johnson.” Amanda lifted her hand to shake, only then remembering the flowers.

Mark quirked an eyebrow. “For me?” By the look on his face, he hoped not.

“Uh, no.” She held them to his mom. “For you.”

“Tulips.” Her lips turned up in a look nobody would mistake for a smile.

“For spring,” Amanda said. “Mark told me you’re having a party tomorrow, and I thought, for company…”

“Well.” She seemed reluctant but took the gift. “They are certainly…pastel.”

There was no suitable response to that.

Mark’s father stepped into the tense silence. “Call me Hayden. Pleasure to meet you.” He shook Amanda’s hand, clasping it in both of his. “Mark’s told us so much about you. It’s wonderful to finally meet you.”

“Thank you. I feel the same.” About meeting him, anyway.

“You know where we’re having lunch?” Mrs. Johnson asked.

“Yes, Mark said⁠—”

“You have a car?”

“I’m parked in⁠—”

“Good. You can meet us there. Mark, as soon as you change out of that getup, we’ll leave. Let’s go.” She spun and stalked away.

Had she just called his uniform a getup? Amanda was still reeling from that remark when Mark leaned in and spoke to his dad, who nodded and followed his wife.

Mark took Amanda’s hand. “I’ll ride with you.”

“I don’t think… Don’t you need to change?”

He straightened as if she’d wounded him. “Do you want me to change?”

“No. I think you look…beautiful.”

His eyebrows hiked, and he almost smiled.

“But your mom⁠—”

The expression faded. “Ignore her. Where are you parked?”

Amanda started toward the door she’d entered, opposite the way his folks had gone, and he hefted his duffle bag and followed.

“She’s going to be angry,” Amanda said. “She already hates me.”

“Right.” Mark stopped to face her, and the force of it, the force of him, silenced her. He was there. Right there, after so long.

And, wow, she loved this man.

Which made his mother’s reaction so much worse.

Emotion prickled her eyes.