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I laughed and held my arm out. “You’re right. Shall we?”
She took a deep breath. “Yes. Let’s do it.”
We exited the bedroom to find that her mom had changed into some rust-colored dress. Her light-brown hair matched her daughter’s but appeared to have recently been permed. And then her dad walked into the room. A slight man with glasses and a flannel tucked into denim.
“Ah, you must be the boyfriend,” he said, pushing his glasses up his nose. He held his hand out. “Dan.”
“Julian.” We shook. “It’s a pleasure, sir.”
“This is the part where I say you have to take care of my daughter,” he said with a laugh.
“Dad,” Jennifer said.
He winked at her. “I know that you can take care of yourself, sweetie.”
“Barely,” her mom said under her breath.
“Connie,” he said softly. “Let’s have a good night.”
“Of course, dear. Are you all ready to go see Chester?” She nearly bounced at the name of her son.
Jennifer practically deflated.
What was I missing? Jennifer had said that graduation was going to suck and that she didn’t want to subject me to it. She’d said that her mom was tough on her. But it was one thing to be tough because of her job or boyfriend status and another thing to have a clear preference for Chester over Jennifer. I’d met Connie less than an hour ago, and I could already see that. No wonder Jennifer hadn’t wanted to come if she was always being compared to her brother by a parent with an obvious preference.
“Yes. Let’s go ahead.” Dan put his arm around Jennifer and kissed her cheek. “We’re really glad to have you here, honey.”
“Thanks, Dad,” she said softly.
“Tell me all about your latest project. You mentioned a portrait session?”
Jennifer brightened at the question. “Yes. I started a series of close-up artistic shots and just got a musician to sign on for the project, too. I think it’ll be the centerpiece. We’re going to do the shoot when I get home.”
“What does that pay?” her mom asked as we walked to their car.
Jennifer shrunk in on herself at the question. Some things weren’t all about money. Some things were art.
Then her dad looked up and whistled. “What is that?”
“You like cars, sir?” I asked as he ogled my brand-new Jag.
“Like cars? Sure. That car is altogether different. This your ride, son?”
“It is. Would you like to give it a whirl?” I produced the keys.
“Maybe later. It’s a two-seater.”
“You and Jen can take it. I’ll follow with Connie,” I said immediately.
Jen’s head whipped to me at the comment. I’d put money on it that she’d been dreading the idea of riding in the car with her mom, especially alone, and I’d found an easy solution.
“Dan, really,” Connie complained.
“Why not?” He took the keys from me. “Get the top down, kiddo.”
Jennifer laughed and dashed off after her dad.
“I can drive if you’d prefer, Connie.” I shot her a sweet smile.
She touched her chest and laughed. “No, that won’t be necessary.”
I covered a laugh. I’d done that on purpose to save Jennifer’s sanity, but she didn’t need to know that. I’d also won over her dad in one fell swoop. One down. One to go.
10
Julian
Well, this was more like it.
Connie pulled up in front of a mansion with a circular driveway. She’d filled me in on the fact that we were going to Chester’s girlfriend, Margaret’s, parents’ house. Apparently, her parents were rich. This house in Austin had to cost a fortune, almost like it would in Vancouver.
“Margaret’s father works for the state,” she explained. “Her mother is a surgeon.”
“Interesting,” I said as I got out of the car.
Jennifer’s hair was wild from the convertible top down being down during the drive with the with her dad. Her smile was just as wide and wild. I wanted to see that look on her face all the time. It was so infrequent that she let loose.
“We might have to drive all the way back like that,” she said on a laugh.
Dan tossed the keys back to me. “I approve. Smooth ride.”
I slipped them back into my pocket. “Glad you think so.”
“Let’s not keep them waiting,” Connie said.
Jennifer sidled up to me and slid her hand onto my arm. I jolted slightly at the surprised contact. Jen rarely initiated anything.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“You know what,” she said with that same genuine smile.
“Of course. You look so happy.”
“My dad loves cars.”
“Well, aren’t you glad we brought Milli then?” I asked as I guided her to the front door, trailing behind her parents.
She grinned. “I admit that it was the correct choice.”
The door opened, and a slender woman with a light-brown complexion answered. She wore a white eyelet sundress and wedges. Her black hair was in natural coils, framing the contours of her face. Her eyes were nearly as black as night with gold dusted on her lids, and her lips were painted a soft pink.
