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ChapterTwenty-One
Chase
Hallie smoothed her hands over the tops of her thighs again before lifting a hand to twirl a lock of hair around her finger. When I parked in front of the gallery, her swallow was audible.
I glanced over, asking, “Are you nervous?”
She took a quick breath, letting it out in a sharp puff. “Of course. Meeting your dad and your sister is a big deal.”
“I get it. I was nervous when I met your parents.”
She looked over at me, taking another breath. “Did I mention this is a lot?”
My heart twisted in my chest. “It is. We didn't plan it, but all we can do is keep moving through it.”
She nodded and swallowed again.
“I think it'll be okay.”
“Yeah?” she prompted.
“I do.”
“Are they going to think I'm irresponsible and flaky?”
“No, I promise,” I said, reaching over to smooth a loose lock of hair off her cheek.
She nodded. “Okay.”
“Is that all you're worried about?”
Hallie shrugged lightly, smoothing her hands over her thighs again. “No, but I don't know.”
“It'll be okay. They don't bite, and I swear my dad and my sister are nice.”
She smiled before leaning over and quickly kissing me on the cheek. I wanted to tug her across the console into my lap and simply hold her. The urge to comfort her and protect her wasfierce.
My heart kicked hard in my chest. She drew back, and I leaned over, lifting my hand to palm her cheek. Looking into her eyes, I said, “I'm glad you're here.”
“I am too,” she whispered.
I kissed her once, quick and fierce, before drawing back. We walked in holding hands. The minute we stepped into the entryway, my sister, Tiffany, swung around from where she was standing by the small reception stand. Her eyes lit up. “Hey!” she exclaimed.
I watched as her eyes dipped down to see our hands laced together. She came over, leaning up to kiss me on the cheek before smiling at Hallie. “I'm Tiffany,” she said. Before Hallie could even reply, Tiffany pulled her into a hug. “It issogood to meet you.”
Hallie hugged her back, her cheeks flushing pink as she stepped away. “It's nice to meet you too.”
My father stood from a bench in the entryway and approached us, cuffing me lightly on the shoulder. “How's it going?”
“Good, Dad. I get to see you twice in one day.”
Tiffany spun around, her eyes bouncing back and forth between us. “What do you mean?”
“We ran into each other at Firehouse Café this morning,” my dad said.
“I’m going to see you twice in one day,” Tiffany offered.
“Well, you need to move back to Willow Brook to make that happen on the regular.”
