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“Last-minute shopping. What are you doing here?” His lips quirk up in a grin. We’re at a mall two days before Christmas. Of course, he’s here shopping. “Hi, Autumn.”
“Hey, Mr. M.” My best friend turns on the charm.
“So, what are you here for?” Dad asks Autumn.
I give her a warning look, but she’s not looking at me. “Oh, Parker and I are helping Holden with some shopping.”
“Holden?” Dad turns to look at me. “Do I know this Holden?” He turns back to Autumn. “Is this your new beau?” he teases.
“Um, no. Not mine.”
And she just threw me under the bus. I glare at her, and she mouths that she’s sorry. I know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of my father’s intense gaze. I don’t blame her. Besides, I should have at least mentioned him by now and called them to let them know I was seeing someone. This is on me. I was going to call Mom and ask her about inviting him on Christmas Day. I knew she would be fine with it, and I was hoping she could soften the blow to Dad.
“Holden’s my boyfriend,” I say, squaring my shoulders and meeting my father’s stare.
“Boyfriend?” Dad’s eyes widen. “Since when do you have a boyfriend, duchess?” he asks, his voice tight.
“Since last night.”
Her shoulders relax only slightly. “Who is he?”
Here goes nothing. “Holden Bailey.” I wait for the name to register. It takes him no time at all, and his eyes narrow.
“He was just traded to the Blaze.”
“He was.” I nod.
“And how did the two of you meet?”
Great. I’m twenty-one, so it’s not like hanging out at The Outfield is illegal, but I know Dad won’t like it. He’s protective of us. “We met several weeks ago at The Outfield.”
“I see,” he says, his voice tight. “Well, when do we get to meet him?”
“About that,” I say slowly. “I was going to talk to you and Mom later today about him coming over for Christmas.”
“You just started dating.”
“But we’ve been seeing each other.” It’s not a complete lie, but where Dad’s concerned, it’s better this way. “I’m meeting his family.”
“This is serious?”
“He’s my boyfriend, Dad.”
“A boyfriend I’ve never met,” he counters.
“You’ll meet him.”
He nods. “So, what? He doesn’t have time to buy his own gifts for his family and has you doing it? What’s he doing today? Do you know where this boyfriend of yours is?” he asks.
I don’t dare tell him that he’s here at this very mall. I can only hope that Dad and Holden don’t run into one another. “He’s actually doing some last-minute shopping.”
“So, what are you doing shopping for him?”
“He bought a new house. He has to rush home for a furniture delivery this afternoon, and he needs, well, everything.” I open my hand where his credit card is still clutched. “He gave me this and told me to do my worst.”
“He gave you his card?”
“He did.”
“And what? You’re going off a list or something?” Dad’s trying really hard to find something wrong with this scenario, but he’s not going to find what he’s looking for.
“No. He rattled off a few things he needs and told me to buy whatever.”
Dad looks at Autumn, and she nods. “It was really sweet, Mr. M. Holden was all ‘I trust you’ and ‘I need it all.’”
“Right.” Dad runs his hand that’s not holding his purchases down his face. “You need to call your mother.”
That’s his go-to when he doesn’t know what to do with my sisters and me. I imagine it’s hard for a man’s man like Easton Monroe to raise three headstrong daughters and have a wife just like us. He’s a man in a woman’s world. We know he loves us, but oftentimes, especially as we all get older and develop our own lives outside of their home, he struggles with how to handle us. When it was my older sister, Paisley, I found it amusing. Now that that weariness is because of me, not so much. It’s not enough to make me give up Holden, but it still makes me feel bad.
“I will,” I assure him. “Are you headed home now?” I ask. Partly, so I can have him tell Mom I’ll call her, and the other part is worried about him running into Holden without me being with him. At least not until I get Mom up to speed and can be the buffer for their first official meeting with Holden being introduced as my boyfriend.
“I just finished up and was heading home.”
“Well, tell Mom that I’ll call her when we’re done here.”
“She’s not going to be happy hearing about Holden from me.” He tries to lay on the guilt, but it’s not working. I know my mom, and as long as her girls are happy, she’s happy. Dad’s deflecting, and we both know it.
