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“Okay, maybe a little. I’ve never done this before.” Her fingers slide against the placket of my shirt, toying with a button there. “Met a guy’s parents. Even though you’re not like my boyfriend or anything and they probably won’t even remember who I am in a few months, I have this thing where I want people to like me. I want to make a good impression. And I don’t like being unprepared. Which is what is happening right now.”
“Do you want to leave? I can make up an excuse about work.”
My parents’ arrival is not ideal, but other than the fact that Sophie is stressed about meeting them, I’ve warmed to the idea. My parents are cool, and the house, as Sophie mentioned earlier, is large. We’ll still have time alone, and with my parents traveling now as much as they do, I’ll admit, it will be nice to catch up with them.
She searches my eyes and her face softens.
“No,” she shakes her head, “that’s silly.”
“I think we can still have fun here, but I want you to feel comfortable.”
“I know. Thank you.”
My effort to help put her at ease is thwarted when her eyes suddenly widen in alarm. “Are they going to tell Hannah?”
“No. I already asked them not to.” I don’t mention that Hannah already knows. Even without telling her outright, my necklace purchase confirmed I’m still seeing Sophie some capacity.
She pulls away and drops onto the bed.
“Ugh,” she groans, “I think telling them not to tell is worse, because then they know there’s a reason why we don’t want people to know, and that makes it even more suspicious.”
“Is that a true crime theory?” I grin.
She levels me with a glare.
“I explained that you’re part of Hannah’s wedding planning team and that to keep things professional, we’d like to keep our relationship quiet until after the wedding.”
She shoots up off the bed.
“After the wedding? That’s a year away! Surely, they don’t expect us to still be together then?”
I drop to sit on the edge of the bed, my elbows resting on my knees while I look down at my hands.
“Honestly, I don’t think they have any expectations for me and a woman I’m seeing. They’ve given up on me settling down.”
I look up to find she’s stopped pacing, and her face has softened. “Does that upset you?”
“It’s a product of my own creation, so I can’t be too upset.”
Sophie steps closer, her hands find my shoulders while mine move to the backs of her thighs, loving the feel of the smooth skin under my fingertips.
“I don’t think it’s fair to put someone in a category and expect them to stay there. Isn’t that what life is about? Growing? Changing?”
“Yeah, I agree.”
“That’s what I’m currently going through with Griffin. He’s still in parent mode and I’m trying to live my own life.”
I smile up at her. “He’s a protective big brother. I don’t know that you grow out of that.”
“Do you still feel that way about Hannah?”
“It’s different. I never had it as a full-time role like Griffin did. At this point, it’s probably a reflex for him. It will take time to untrain himself.”
“Have you talked to him about me?” she asks.
“Not exactly. He mentions you and loves to tell everyone at the office what you’re up to. It’s very informative.”
“Oh, really?” Her lips quirk and brows lift.
