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“Nervous? No, not at all. I’m looking forward to telling everyone. They’ll be so happy to welcome you formally into our family,” Alec says.
I’ve never been proposed to before or even gone as far as meeting a boyfriend’s family. I never seemed to make it that far in my previous relationships, but this feels off. As if Alec is playing a part, which is odd. Alec is the most grounded person I know. He’s also honest and straightforward. He says what he’s thinking and means what he says. Maybe I’m just nervous, and don’t forget pregnant. I’m in my third trimester. That’s bound to affect my thinking.
A nagging thought makes its way to the forefront of my mind. When Alec was proposing, he never told me he loved me. I never expressed my feelings either. It struck me as odd at the time, but it now magnifies the problem.
Is it a problem, though? Maybe he’s not ready to tell me that he loves me? Or maybe he’s not sure that he’s in love with me. This line of thinking takes me to the next obvious question. Why did he propose if he wasn’t sure that he loved me? Maybe he feels that we should be married since we’re about to become parents. My spirits go down a bit. I admire his sense of responsibility, but it’s not necessary. I make a point to ask him his reasons for proposing.
Butterflies flutter in my stomach when we get to the Anderson home. I don’t wait for Alec to go around the car to open the door for me. I want to get this over and done with as quickly as possible. I don’t even want to imagine his mom’s face when Alec makes the announcement.
She’ll be so upset. Pain clenches my chest. That’s not the reaction I’ve always imagined my future mother-in-law having to her son proposing to me.
Alec takes my hand, and we walk together to the door. Before he rings the bell, he turns to me and kisses me. “You look like you needed that,” he says with that boyish grin I love so much.
He’s right. The kiss does make me feel better. More confident. Alec rings the bell, and a minute later, it swings open.
“Hello, Ms. Martin.”
“Hi, Stephen,” I say to the gray-haired butler.
He smiles when I remember his name. He and Alec shake hands vigorously, and then he ushers us in. I follow Alec into what they call the drawing-room. The whole family is there. Hugs and greetings fly around.
To my surprise, Alec’s mom is quite friendly. She even talks to me directly. “How is the book going, Ivy?” she says with a smile that makes her look really interested in knowing.
“Pretty good,” I say. “I’m plowing on ahead despite the challenges that have cropped up.”
Her blank look tells me she has no idea what I’m talking about. I guess Alec didn’t tell anyone. I tell them about my publisher canceling my contract, and everyone makes sympathetic noises.
“You’ll find another one,” Dr. Anderson says. “Sometimes things work out for the best. They probably weren’t a good fit for you. It happened to me too when I was writing my first book. My first publisher dropped me. It’s disappointing when it happens, but trust me, your book will find a home.”
I’m so shocked by her encouraging words that it’s a full thirty seconds before I can talk. “Thank you.”
We talk shop for a few more minutes until Dylan and Jace complain that we are boring them. Laughing, we head to the dining table. Alec and I exchange a smile. I can’t believe how much fun I’m having.
The first course is served, and we do not run out of conversation. Even Alec’s dad contributes and laughs along. Usually, he’s more of a spectator, listening and looking at his family as if he can’t quite believe they are his people. It’s a fun evening, and my tension dissipates.
When we are done with the main course, Alec raps a fork on his glass of water. Everyone stops what they are doing to give him attention.
My heart pounds hard in my chest. It’s been an awesome evening. Is it going to end now with Alec’s announcement? How will his family take to hearing that we are engaged? I fearfully glance at his mother, and she has a pleasant expression.
“Ivy and I have something to tell you guys,” Alec says and shoots me a smile, giving me courage.
“I proposed, and she said yes,” Alec says.
His mother is the first to react. “What wonderful news.”
My jaw drops in disbelief. She goes on and on about how happy she is and how welcome I am in their family. A complete about-turn to her earlier treatment of me. I stare at Alec in disbelief. He takes my hand, turns it around, and kisses it.
“Congratulations, you two,” Alec’s father says.
Dylan and Jace are muted in their responses. They seem shocked by the news and probably think we’re moving too fast. I don’t blame them. I would think the same if roles were reversed. But I know Alec and I have something special between us.
The fact that his mother approves just lifts me to another dimension, and it’s as if I’m on air. Suddenly, it all feels right. We’re not rushing into this, plus we’re having a baby together. We should be together. I can’t think of anything better than raising our child together as a family.
“Do you want to go for a walk outside?” Alec says.
I could hug him with gratitude. It’s a little overwhelming, and fresh air would be wonderful. “Yes, please.”
He helps me up, and we leave the dining room via French doors that open to the garden. He closes them behind us. As we walk through the perfectly manicured gardens, it feels as if we have stepped into another world. It’s quiet at first, but after a few seconds, the sounds of night insects come to me. We stroll quietly along a path taking us to a huge tennis court. My peaceful mind is disrupted by the opulence surrounding me. Beyond the tennis court is an ornate swimming pool complete with a rock waterfall.
