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He nodded. “I am, and I’m sure Whitney won’t turn down the chance to see everyone,” he said, forcing more confidence than he felt into his tone. She hadn’t gone with him to his mother’s house the last several times he’d visited, and he knew his mother was desperately trying to be supportive and not show how upset Whitney’s absence made her. The two had always been really close, especially with Lydia’s failing health. He hoped to somehow help them get that closeness back.
“Wonderful,” his mother said with a smile. He knew that smile was hiding her own skepticism that she’d be seeing her future daughter-in-law next Sunday.
…
Then…
Trent had never introduced a woman to his family before. There had never been anyone else in his life who he’d wanted to take home. Family was the most important thing to him, and allowing someone close enough to join that tight circle had never happened before. Until now. With Whitney.
And luckily, in this case, his mother knew Whitney probably better than he did, being Jess’s best friend, yet Trent still felt nervous as the two of them walked hand in hand up the front steps to his family home on Christmas. Dating for more than two months, they’d really connected, and it was time to bring her home to “meet” the rest of his family.
Not as Jess’s best friend. But as his girlfriend.
Of course, he hadn’t exactly asked her to be his girlfriend yet. They hadn’t really put a label on what was happening between them. But they weren’t dating other people, and they spent practically every evening together… They still hadn’t had sex. A lot of kissing, touching, and intense make-out sessions, but they were taking their time.
But Trent knew he wanted her to be his girlfriend. He wanted her to be much more than that. He was definitely in love with her, but he was worried about saying the words too soon and scaring her off. Whitney was so strong and independent, he was nervous that maybe she didn’t want anything more serious than what they had. She was younger than him by almost eight years—he might be ready for the next chapter of his life, but she may not be on the same page yet.
His arms stacked high with Christmas presents, he allowed her to go ahead of him to open the front door.
The noise and chaos that greeted them from inside warmed him. He loved his big family and when they were all together like this. It didn’t happen often enough with his older sisters married and living in other parts of California and his younger sister, Kara, an annoying teenager who would prefer to be with friends than hang out with family.
But that day, everyone he loved was in the same room.
As they entered the living room, where his family had gathered to open presents, Trent’s nervousness grew. How did he introduce her to his older sisters, who may not really know her all that well?
“Hey! There he is,” his sister Rachel said, taking the stack of gifts from him. She eyed Whitney with unconcealed interest. “And who is this?” Her tone suggested his mother had filled them all in already on the fact that he was dating someone and was bringing that someone to Christmas for the first time ever.
His sister was setting him up.
“Um, Whitney, this is my sister Rachel. That’s her husband, Grant, over there and their son, Dawson. Sitting under the tree is Michelle, and that’s her husband, Craig, on his phone near the window…” Starting with the family was easier. It gave him a moment of reprieve before he had to decide how he was going to introduce her. “Those little troublemakers are my nieces Joy and Bethany. And you know my sister Kara.” He pointed to the teen, wearing her headphones and watching YouTube videos on her phone. He paused. Hesitated. “And everyone, this i-is…”
Whitney turned to look at him as he continued to hesitate and stammer. “Who am I, Trent?” she asked with a look of teasing challenge in her pretty eyes.
A room full of expectant faces waited for his answer. Sweat pooled on his lower back, and his mouth was dry.
He swallowed hard. “This is Whitney. My girlfriend,” he added, staring into her eyes. He held his breath as he waited for her reaction. He could sense the approval and acceptance from his family around them already, catching grins from the corner of his eye.
And when Whitney smiled, all the tension eased from his shoulders.
“Damn right I am,” she whispered to him as they joined the others.
Seated next to her under his family Christmas tree, surrounded by the sights and sounds of love and happiness, Trent knew he wanted to spend every Christmas, every Easter, every family event and every Sunday dinner with her there with him.
“This okay?” he asked her.
“This is perfect,” she said sincerely, squeezing his hand. “This feels like home.”
Trent couldn’t remember having made the holiday wish, but somehow he’d gotten exactly what he wanted.
Chapter Four
Now…
Whitney checked the time on the clock hanging on the boardroom wall. Three minutes after nine. She cleared her throat. “I wonder where Scott is. He did say nine o’clock, right?”
Mayor Rodale nodded, glancing up from her phone. “I’m sure he’s just running a little late. He hasn’t found a new place in town yet, so he’s still commuting.”
From San Diego. Three months into the job and he still made the long trek through a traffic nightmare to get to work every day. Made Whitney wonder if he was as committed to moving back to Blue Moon Bay as his mother thought he was. If so, wouldn’t he have found a place by now?
