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As we watched the players on the court, my initial unease began to dissipate. I was able to relax and be in the moment without worrying about everyone watching me.
“How are you doing?” Theo asked. He handed me one of the waters an usher was passing out.
“I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed myself like this,” I said, grinning.
“Good,” he replied. “Let go of your worries and just have fun.”
As the match continued, I couldn’t help but laugh at Theo’s occasional jokes. His easygoing nature was infectious, and it allowed me to forget, at least temporarily, about the weight of my responsibilities.
“Are your parents coming in for the dinner tonight?” Theo asked.
“They should be here now,” I replied. “Your parents will be there?”
“Yes. My mother is looking forward to it. She’s been wanting to meet you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “She has?”
Theo chuckled. “Of course. They know I’m crazy about you. And you are going to be part of the family.”
A blush creeped onto my cheeks. “Oh, well, I’m looking forward to meeting her too.”
“I can’t wait for you to meet the whole family,” he said. “They are going to like you. Victoria especially. You guys are the same age.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “In a lot of ways, you guys are alike.”
My heart skipped a beat at the mention of his sister and his family. Theo had never talked much about his sister, but I knew she was a prominent figure in his life. He was very close to her and the rest of his siblings. If they didn’t like me, it would never work. Theo loved his family too much to go against them. I would never ask him to.
“I hope they like me,” I said nervously.
“They will,” he said. “I know they will.”
As we watched the match, I felt a sense of excitement mixed with fear. Meeting his family was a big step in our relationship, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready for it. I wanted to make a good impression, but the pressure to do so was weighing heavily on my shoulders.
The crowd erupted into cheers as the match came to a close. Theo and I stood up, clapping along with everyone else. “That was amazing,” I said, turning to him.
“It was,” he replied, smiling warmly at me. “Are you ready for tonight?”
I took a deep breath. “I think so. I’m nervous, but I’m excited too.”
He took my hand and squeezed it gently. “You have nothing to worry about.”
“Do you think our parents will get along?” I asked.
“My parents are very diplomatic,” he said. “Do you think your parents are going to be okay with them?”
“Of course,” I said, nodding. “My parents are used to faking it. They sit down to dinner with people they loathe and no one would be the wiser. They’ll get along with anyone—until they go home.”
“I guess that comes along with the title,” he said, laughing. “My parents do their best to smile and nod, but I don’t know if they’re as skilled as your parents. But my mom and dad don’t care about what people think about them. Not really. They do their best, and at the end of the day, they are happy to go home and be together.”
“Confident,” I said, nodding. “They have each other and don’t really need all this.”
“No. I’m not saying they are above any of this. They’re not. They still care about making the right matches and advancing the family name. They picked your family because of your title. So, they aren’t perfect and they aren’t saints, but they do have different priorities than others.”
“No one is perfect,” I said, smiling. “I’m looking forward to meeting them. All of them.”
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