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Part of him still wanted to, but the other, louder part absolutely could not risk being down on both knees and getting a no—for the third time.
As he picked up bagels and cream cheese, orange juice, and coffee, he told himself to be patient for a little longer. Sage had asked for the weekend, and he’d said he’d give it to her. Not only that, he could wait and see what his parents thought of her.
Okay, so the last one was just him trying to convince himself not to propose the moment he walked in the hotel room with breakfast. And he coached himself to simply enjoy the weekend, no proposal, with every step he took back to their room.
33
Sage straightened her skirt, her anxiety flowing freely through her. She reminded herself that she met a lot of people because of her job. Ty’s parents were just two more people. A man and a woman.
“Ready?” he asked as he killed the ignition. He’d parked in the driveway of what looked like a normal house in a suburb of Charleston.
“Is this where you grew up?” she asked, eyeing the dark blue house with white shutters.
“Yes,” he said simply, also watching the house.
Sage felt like she’d been taped to the passenger seat, taped to an unmovable fragment of land, taped and trapped, so she couldn’t move forward. She felt like someone had pressed pause on her life, but she was still living.
She took a deep breath. “Okay,” she said. “We better go in, so they don’t think we don’t want to be here.”
“They’re great,” Ty assured her again. He’d told her the same thing before. He hadn’t run from home because he was unhappy. He returned to visit his parents when he could, and he loved them. He got out of the car, and Sage joined him at the hood.
He took her hand as they entered the house, and he called, “Momma? We’re here.”
Sage committed herself to entering the house, and she hated how weak she felt at Ty’s side. She told herself that he loved her, that his parents would too.
Then, there they stood. Both of them, the pair, framed against the light coming in the back windows and spilling through the arched doorway that probably led into the kitchen.
“You’re home,” his momma said as she broke ranks and left his father standing on the cusp of the other room.
The house definitely had history, and old bones, and so many secrets to tell. It also held charm, and charisma, and a spirit of liveliness that really called to Sage. She stepped back as his mother embraced him, both of them talking over the other.
Ty then retreated to her side, beaming with that golden light he’d always possessed. “Sage, this is my momma, Savannah. Momma, this is Sage Grady, the woman I’m in love with.”
“Oh, my.” His momma clutched at her non-existent pearls as she took in Ty’s face and then looked at Sage. “It’s so wonderful to meet you.” She spoke with a heavy Carolina accent, and Sage loved her instantly.
“You too.” She hugged his momma, sinking into the older woman’s arms for only a moment.
“Kenneth, get over here.” Savannah gestured her husband forward, and she made the introduction to Sage this time. “Did you hear, Kenny? Ty says this is the woman he’s going to marry.”
Ty gave a light laugh that carried a nervous undercurrent. “Momma, that’s not what I said.” He exchanged a glance with Sage, and she merely smiled at him. “I said I loved her.”
“That’s wonderful,” Kenneth said as he shook her hand. “Do you love him too, Sage?”
“Daddy, I swear.” Ty shook his head. “You two promised you’d be on your best behavior.”
“This is my best behavior,” his daddy said with a twinkle in those light green eyes. His momma had darker hair and eyes, and Ty sat right in the middle of them. The best of both of them.
“Come in, come in.” Savannah herded them back into the kitchen. “Dinner is ready, and I can’t wait to hear all about Sage.”
“Oh, boy,” she said with a laugh. “Those stories aren’t very interesting.”
“Ty says you have three kids?” His momma bustled around the kitchen, bringing dishes over to the table, which was already set.
“Yes,” Sage said. “Two boys and a girl. None of them live here, though.”
“We’ll probably be headed to Texas for a wedding in the New Year,” Ty said. “Don’t you think, sweetheart?”
“If Dallen and Jenny ever set a date, yes.” He’d asked her to marry him. She’d said yes. As far as Sage knew, wedding plans were being made. But no date had been set. She wasn’t sure if that was how young people did things these days or what, but she needed to call Dallen and press him for a date she could put on her calendar.
