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“Hank. Mom. This is Noah. Noah. This is my mom, Marla, and my stepdad, Hank.”
Mom shakes Noah’s big hand and examines him with a narrowed gaze. Oh great, she’s already caught on to our charade. “I know you.”
Noah nods and my stomach sinks.
“Last summer. You were taking pictures downtown. Do you remember us?” she asks.
Hank intercedes and shakes Noah’s hand. “Good to meet you properly this time and not when my wife is bombarding you about romance.”
“Nice to meet you too.” Noah takes his time shaking Hank’s hand.
Hank hugs me. “How’s my favorite innkeeper?”
“She’s good.” I smile at him.
“She should be great, what with a wedding on the horizon.” He draws back and peers at me as though he knows the truth.
Oh jeez, I’m never going to be able to pull this off.
“Well, this was the daughter I’d wanted to set you up with. What a coincidence.” Mom gestures at me.
“That is a coincidence.” Noah gives her the full wattage of his smile.
“Let’s sit.” I step back over to my seat.
Hank pulls out my mom’s chair and Noah does the same for me. No one except Noah looks at the menu. The three of us know the menu by heart.
My new hire, Matty—a teenager who is still getting used to serving—comes over with shaky hands to take our orders.
“Don’t be intimidated by us, we’re nobodies,” Mom says to the poor kid and places her hand on his.
“Miss Mandi is my boss,” Matty says, his cheeks flushing.
“And she’s sweet as sugar. Would never hurt a fly,” Hank chimes in as if we’re some good Southern family.
We all give Matty our orders and he nods about one hundred times, jotting down everything, then disappears back inside the building.
“So, I’m surprised to hear you’re engaged to my daughter.” My mom turns her attention directly on Noah, who is seated beside her. “When I talked to you, you said you didn’t have time for love. That you travel too much.”
Noah reaches over the table and grabs my hand. I really wish my stomach would stop reacting like this is real when he touches me. “Well, like you said, that all changed when Mandi and I got to know one another.”
“And what a coincidence that you’re Midge Winters’ grandson?” Hank says. “We’ve known Midge a long time.”
“So how long have you both known each other?” Mom looks down at where Noah’s hand is on mine.
I quickly interlock our fingers. “He’s been coming to the inn for a little over three years.”
“You’ve been hiding him for three years?” My mom’s eyes bulge out and she glances at Hank in disbelief.
“No. We just recently started dating, but with his traveling, it was hard. But then Noah asked me to marry him, and I accepted.” That sounds truthful, right?
Matty comes by with fresh bread and our drinks. My wine couldn’t come soon enough.
“Thanks, Matty. Good job.”
He smiles at me, although his nerves still seem like they’re on high alert. I’m right there with him.
“You’ll excuse my surprise, Noah. Mandi isn’t really an impulsive person. Usually she brings me pro and con lists for important decisions.”
