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Mom looked sympathetic. Ronan’s heart flipped
“My degrees will be two PhDs. One in mechanics and another in innovations.”
Both his parents’ mouths gaped. They’d definitely pigeon-holed her in a different box. Ronan loved the surprised looks on their faces. This was a fun change after years of girlfriends being fairly reactive to that question; Calista had taken the upper hand instead, surprising them like she did him.
“Do you want kids?” Mom plowed on with the full knowledge that she was being invasive. She was no longer even eating, just full-on interrogating.
“Depends.”
“On?” Mom asked.
Ronan knew the questioning was wrong, but he wanted to hear Calista’s answers.
Calista glowed. “If they’re like Piper, absolutely. My sister’s wonderful. Or like their dad, depending on who he is. Guessing I would pick him because I liked his traits.” Calista looked dreamy.
Ronan felt a pang in the middle of his chest from her words. She had no idea how revealing they were.
Mom gestured to him. “What do you think of someone with a busy full crazy travel schedule like Ronan having kids?”
Calista lost her far away expression and nodded hard and enthusiastically. “Oh yes, lots of little Ronans would be amazing. As many as possible.”
His parents laughed.
His heart swelled in his chest. He put his hand on her lower back.
Mom’s expression melted. She nodded at Ronan.
Dad’s face softened too. “He wasn’t all that easy.”
Calista shook her head, wearing an expression of denial. “I bet he was perfect. He’s so amazing.” She rattled off his stats with ease, and then went into his leadership skills, and spoke of how often he put the other players first and made time for them.
Ronan’s heart filled, and he laughed. “Stop,” he said, interrupting her recitation. He tilted her chin up because he couldn’t help himself and kissed her lips. She tasted of a lemony iced tea and something uniquely Calista. He wanted to move further into the kiss.
Dad cleared his throat.
Right. Ronan lifted his head.
The conversation turned more normal as they all cleared the table while talking about the logistics of their quick visit and the game tomorrow. Calista insisted his parents ride with her and that she’d drop them off at the airport after the game.
Dad gave him an approving look behind her back.
They’d gone through all of that before he let his parents know to keep their relationship quiet. Which was fair because his head was spinning. They’d both given him approving looks. Over Calista, who couldn’t cook, wouldn’t be a traditional wife exactly, and he…he…wife? “We’re keeping our relationship a secret. No one knows about us, so don’t mention Calista being here.” Ronan blurted the words faster than he intended.
Mom and Dad stared hard at him, and he realized he’d just stopped talking after telling them he was keeping his girlfriend a secret with no further explanation. They’d raised him better.
Calista rubbed her arms. “I’m having a meeting this week to see if my purchase of the Snowers goes through.”
His parents looked uncomprehending.
“She’s purchasing the Snowers,” Ronan said, knowing the unexpected idea needed repeating. He rubbed his temple and steadied his breathing to wait for their reaction.
Calista nodded. “The seventy percent that’s available.”
His parents had startled, but surprisingly, no questions or warnings came out. “You’ll have to let us know how all that turns out,” Dad said.
Mom gave him a side hug. “It’s late kiddo, long day, long flight. We’re going to head up.”
Dad cupped him on the shoulder. “’Night.”
