“We’re going to get in trouble for indecent exposure if we don’t stop,” he says against my mouth. “As good as you feel, we have to stop. I’m game with picking
up where we left off later tonight.”
I groan. “We have to?”
“Pick up later?”
“No, stop.”
“Yeah. If I’m going to meet your parents, which I totally am, you know. I’ve wanted to anyway and now Mommy Dearest gave me a reason. But if we want them
to like me, I probably shouldn’t get us arrested from going at it in public.” He offers his signature wink.
Going at it? Little firecrackers pop in my belly, but then I realize what he said. “You’d really suffer through a meeting with my mom for me?”
“Annabel Lee, when are you going to realize there’s not much of anything I wouldn’t do when it comes to you?”
***
My leg won’t stop bouncing up and down. I seem to have completely lost control over it. Even though I haven’t eaten all day, I’m not hungry. Tegan will be
pissed if he finds out I skipped meals, but honestly, the thought of food makes me want to hurl. I’ve texted Tegan a million times to make sure he doesn’t want to back out. It wouldn’t hurt my feelings, I explained. I would understand. He started off humoring me by telling me he couldn’t wait (which, hello? Has to be a lie. Why would someone be excited to torture themselves with my family?), but by the end I only get replies like, ‘shut up’ and ‘I’m ignoring you now’.
He has no idea what he’s getting himself into. Mom is rough around the edges under normal circumstances. Add in the fact that we’ve hardly spoken since I
dropped the bomb about having a boyfriend she never thought I could get and I’m a little nervous about sending him into enemy territory without any ammo.
All of this isn’t the only thing making my leg jump up and down like it’s on crack. No. My first boyfriend, the boy I’m pretty sure has kidnapped my heart is
coming to meet my parents. He’s doing it for me. Because he wants to help, because he wants to know everything about me. That’s enough to make a girl go crazy on its own.
Dad comes around the corner and into the entry way that’s become my home for the past fifteen minutes just as the doorbell rings. I jump, fidgeting with my
hands.
“Relax, pumpkin. You’re not going up against a firing squad here.”
Funny he seems to subconsciously realize Tegan and I will be under fire too.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“You’ll be fine.” He slides his hand down the side of my head and kisses my temple. “I’m the one who should be freaking out here. My little girl is bringing a boy home. In some ways, it’s every father’s worst nightmare, but you know what? I figure I’m pretty lucky because my little girl is an incredible young lady with a good head on her shoulders. If she likes a guy enough to bring him home, I know he has to be pretty special.”
I blink to hold back tears. “I love you, Daddy, and he is. He’s almost as special as you.”
The bell rings again. “Go on. Answer the door and stop trying to suck up.” His voice cracks and I know he realizes what I’m saying.
Shaking my hands as though I can make all the nervous energy fall out of me, I step forward and open the door. And I can hear it now, the scoffs people would let loose if they heard my thoughts because two months ago, I would have done the same thing. But seeing him there—Tegan with his blond waves, his electric smile and those eyes that always see more than I want to show —makes me forget to be nervous.
The way he steps toward me, kissing the opposite temple than my father just did, but in a completely different way. The way his hand lingers on my waist. It all
makes me feel like I can face any army, any enemy as long as he’s by my side.
“We ready for this?” he whispers into my hair.
“We’re ready for anything.”
One quick squeeze to my waist and a kiss to my hair later, he steps away from me, holding his hand out for Dad. “Hey, Mr. Conway. I’m Tegan. It’s great to
finally meet you.”
Chapter Nineteen
WITH YOU I CAN WIN ANY WAR
“So, Tegan. Annabel hasn’t taken the time to tell us how the two of you met?”
I tense at Mom’s statement. That’s such a lie. I told her about the gym and him being my trainer. It’s just her way to make it seem like I’m keeping stuff about him from her. And the way she says his name? It’s worse than how she says Em’s.
Tegan’s sitting beside me. Close to me—having moved the chair over. He finishes chewing, sets his fork down and replies. “I started out as her trainer at the gym.
We kind of hit it off from the beginning.”
I can’t help it, I chuckle. What world is he living in?
“Okay, well maybe that’s a stretch. The first day, I’m pretty sure she wanted me to die a fiery death.”
I love that he’s being himself. He’s polite and respectful to them, but he’s also not tempering down his sense of humor…or his ego. It’s that take it or leave it attitude I wonder if I’ll ever have. “I didn’t want you to die…”
“I’m pretty sure you wanted me to die, Annabel Lee. I felt the daggers every time you looked at me.”
“Hey! That’s not fair. I wasn’t that bad. I just didn’t—”
“Like me?”
Giving him a smile, I tease, “Shut up.”
When Mom clears her throat, I realize we kind of forgot they were here.
Tegan looks back and forth between my parents. “So yeah, we started working out together and things just took off from there. She and my mom got close. I’m
pretty sure my brother likes her more than he does me, but that’s because she’s great with him. Treats him like he’s a real person, ya know?”
“Actually, I don’t. Annabel, you didn’t tell me you’ve met his family.”
Dad cuts in before I can reply. “Do you mind if I ask about your brother, Tegan? Annabel didn’t mention anything so I didn’t realize…”
“No problem. He’s paralyzed,” is all he says about Tim. Then he looks at Mom again. “She’s doing awesome, you know. Not that I care or anything. I don’t
mean it like that, but she’s amazing. Working real hard.” It’s one of the first times I’ve seen him stumble over his words and it sort of makes me love him even more.
“That’s very nice of you to say, Tegan.” Dad gives me a wink.
“And you live where? Close by here? How old are you? I wasn’t aware teens could be trainers.” Mom’s interrogation continues, sneakily trying to figure out if he
passes the Hillcrest elite test.
“I live down in the older part of town. Mom, my brother and I share an apartment over there. She’s a waitress a few miles from our place. I graduated this past
June and I’m eighteen. Turn nineteen a few days after Annabel’s birthday.”
In a few weeks. We’ve already planned to celebrate our birthdays together.
“Well, that’s a pretty ambitious job for someone your age. Most kids are working at the mall.” What she’s saying sounds all nice and dandy, but I know what
she’s doing. She’s looking for information. Whatever she can find to build a case.
“Mom…”
“It’s cool,” Tegan tells me. “I’ve always liked being physical. I’m considering a career that has to do with the human body so I figured it would be a great place for me to start. It only took a few classes. Plus, I’m saving for school too.” No shame. No fear. No bringing up doing it for Tim, which I know he does because he doesn’t want the pity. Just honesty.
Dad jumps in. “That’s very respectable. It sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders, son. I’m not sure if Annabel told you, but I’m an orthopedic
doctor. If you ever want to talk bones or the body, I’m always up for it.” Dad’s voice sounds way too excited. It’s endearing, but I’m also not sure I want my boyfriend hanging out with my dad. “Annabel wants to go into medicine too.” He adds with pride.