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“Say what?”
“That I’m cute.”
Lexie gaped at him. Yeah, he was really good at reading body language, but that was approaching almost mind-reading levels.
“How did you know?” she asked, incredulous and a tiny bit awed.
“You have that smile on your face.”
“I have a certain smile for when I think you’re being cute?”
“Yes. It’s a patronizing one.”
Well she’d have to take his word for it, she thought with amusement. She hadn’t realized she had a different smile. Turning her back as he helped her into her jacket, she rolled her eyes a little. Even if she did have a certain smile, she didn’t believe for a second that it was patronizing. Patrick just didn’t like being called cute.
Even when he was being adorable.
She had that damned smile on her lips again, the one that grated on his nerves because it said she was amused and thought he was being cute.
Cute like a pathetic puppy dog.
Like a little boy.
Like a baby.
Patrick gritted his teeth, knowing he was burning off some of his anxious energy by focusing on Lexie so intensely. But, despite her reassurances that her parents were completely fine with them dating, he had a small, hard knot in the pit of his stomach that refused to go away. His entire life, he’d not just loved her parents, but he’d looked up to them. When his own parents were missing from his life, hers were asking how he was doing, keeping track of his grades, coming to his high school football games. Of course, that was partly because Jake had been on the team too, but even when Jake was injured and benched, they’d still come. To see him.
There weren’t many people whose opinion mattered to him, but the Standishes were at the top of the list. They’d supported him, cared for him, and been his role models since he was a kid. He dreaded seeing any kind of disappointment or censure in their eyes.
Lexie was their baby. Their little girl. Not only was he much older than her, but he knew the Standishes had a general idea about the kind of sexual needs he had. Considering his close relationship with them, he’d never hidden from them what kind of club Stronghold was. They’d always known, even if they’d never asked for details.
He couldn’t help but wonder what they were thinking now.
The nerves were getting to him. Walking up to their front door felt like he was walking to his doom, walking in front of the firing squad.
A soft, warm weight pressed against his side, and he glanced down at Lexie. She beamed up at him, completely relaxed and happy. Her blue eyes sparkled with love and reassurance and the damned thought that he was oh-so-cute. He could see it in her smile.
Still, he did feel a little calmer with her so lovingly leaning against him. Because no matter what happened tonight with her parents, she was worth it. She was worth everything.
“Sweetheart! Patrick!” Mrs. Standish practically shouted as she opened the door, happiness filling her voice. Her arms opened wide to embrace Lexie, bright, shining blue eyes landing on him as she hugged her daughter, and her smile widened.
Some of the knot in his stomach relaxed. Part of him had worried Lexie had exaggerated her mother’s reaction to the news that they were dating, in an effort to spare his feelings. Seeing Mrs. Standish now, he could read her sincere joy and excitement.
“Come here, big guy,” she said, releasing Lexie and holding her hands up towards Patrick’s face.
He bent down so she could clasp his face between her hands, landing a kiss on her cheek as she brushed one against his. “Hi Momma.”
She’d always insisted he call her that, whereas Mr. Standish had asked to be called Brandon after Patrick had turned eighteen. Before that, he’d accepted Mr. Standish. The Mrs. never had.
“Come on in, come on in,” she said, stepping back and bustling away towards the kitchen. “Dinner’s almost ready. Brandon,” she called, raising her voice in the direction of the living room, “the kids are here.”
Taking Patrick’s hand, Lexie pulled him in the direction of the living room, where he could hear the sounds of the television. She wound her fingers through his as they walked into the room, both of them immediately locating Brandon, in his usual chair. Glancing at the television, Patrick grinned as he saw Brandon was watching a Knight Rider re-run.
“Hi Daddy,” Lexie said, pulling Patrick behind her as she went to greet her father.
Brandon was a tall man with a ruddy complexion and the same black hair as both of his children, although his was now liberally salted with white. Jake looked a lot like him, other than inheriting Mrs. Standish’s startling blue eyes, whereas Lexie had gotten her mother’s creamy complexion, slight figure, and pert nose. Standing up, Brandon leaned down to hug his daughter, who finally relinquished her hold on Patrick’s hand to hug him back.
It felt weird to be holding hands with her in the Standish’s house, but Patrick hadn’t wanted her to feel rejected, so he’d done it.
