He leads us into the house. My stomach is nervous and I feel like there are a thousand butterflies taking flight. I really like his parents and don’t want them to think less of me. I never cared this much before what a guy’s parents thought. This is different though; this is the guy, the one I let myself fall madly in love with. It matters this time.
The smell of bacon hits me as we walk in the door. The smell reminds me how hungry I actually am; I just hope my nerves will settle so I can eat.
“Morning,” Aaron says when we walk into the kitchen.
“Hey, kids,” his dad greets us.
“Come on in and make a plate. I’m just finishing up the gravy now.” His mom smiles at us.
Aaron pulls out a chair for me. Once I’m seated, he leans in and kisses me. It’s a chaste kiss on the lips, but he does it right there at the kitchen table. In front of his parents!
His mom sets a pan of gravy on the table and sits next to her husband, while Aaron sits next to me. “Dig in,” she says, starting to make her plate. “Whitney, how was the sunrise?” she asks.
I swallow hard. “It was beautiful. I think watching it from the loft was a part of that.”
“Oh, I agree. That’s my favorite place to watch it on the farm. I’m glad Aaron took you to see it. It’s something to remember, for sure.”
Just like that, the tension inside me melts away. It’s with those kind words that I know they accept us and my mind was the one making it out to be a big deal. I let my fear get in the way of trusting him.
“Better than the view at the pond,” his dad chimes in.
“I don’t know, Dad. I think both have merit.” Aaron squeezes my knee under the table.
“I would agree with that,” his mom says.
That’s how the morning goes. Aaron and I eat breakfast with his parents and talk about anything and everything. There is no tension, just four people sharing a meal. They make me feel welcome and part of their family, something I was never sure I would find again. Aaron and his family are giving me that.
After breakfast, I help Aaron’s mom clean up the kitchen. She tries to tell me not to, but I don’t listen. “You made this amazing meal. That’s the least I can do.”
“You ladies duke this out. I’m going to run upstairs and shower, and then we’ll head to your place,” Aaron says from behind me where I’m standing at the sink.
I turn to look at him, keeping my hands in the soapy water. “Okay.” I smile. We hadn’t talked about plans for the rest of the day, but I’m on board with spending time with him. Leaning in, he kisses me, grins, and then sprints off up the stairs.
“I swear, that boy, he has never walked up those steps. Seems from the time he was big enough to tackle them he’s been at a dead run.” His mom laughs.
“It’s those long legs.”
“You’re probably right.”
She and I make quick work of cleaning the kitchen. She tells me that she gets to keep Walker and Lexi this afternoon while Kinley and Evan go grocery shopping. “I had to beg her to let me keep them.” She sounds offended.
I chuckle. “McKinley just feels guilty. You all and Aaron are really her only sitters at this point, and she doesn’t want to take advantage of that.”
She stops and looks at me. “Huh, I guess I need to have a talk with her. Those are my grandbabies. There is no such thing as me having too much time with them.”
“I second that,” his dad calls from the living room, and we both laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Aaron says, walking into the room, pulling a shirt over his head.
“That has to be the quickest shower known to man,” I tell him.
“I got places to go, not time to dawdle. Get in, get clean, and get out.”
“You growing a beard?” his mom asks.
Aaron looks over at me and his brown eyes sparkle. “Yeah, I think I’m going to try it out.” He winks. “You ready, Whit?”
“Yeah.” I turn to his mom. “Thank you so much for breakfast.”
“You are always welcome here, Whitney.” It’s like she can read my mind. Then she steps toward me and wraps me in a hug. Tears prick the back of my eyes. A mom hug. It’s been so long since I’ve had one of those. Sure, I get them from Aunt Jenny, but this is different. I’m nothing to this woman, and she’s embracing me, welcoming me into her home.
“Can I have my girl back now?” Aaron asks. As soon as she releases me, he has me in his arms. He knows me too well. “I’ll see you guys later.” His dad yells out his good-bye, his mom waves, and we are out the door and in the truck. “You okay?”
“Yeah, just a mom hug.” I shrug.
“Babe, she will smother you with love if you let her. My entire family will. Let them love you like I do.”
I nod and pinch the side of my leg just to make sure this isn’t a dream. I’m finding happiness and a new life here in Kentucky. More than I could have hoped for.
The drive to my place is quiet, but not uncomfortable. “I need a shower,” I say as soon as we walk in the door.
“I might have missed a spot the first time, maybe I should take another one too,” he suggests.
“Olivia’s home, Aaron.”
“And?”
“And, we are not taking a shower together with her here.”
“Why the hell not? Trust me, she wouldn’t hesitate if it was her and her boyfriend.”
“I—okay, you’re right, but we still are not. I’ll be quick,” I assure him. I just need a minute.
“Okay, I guess I’ll just lie here on your bed and think about your sexy-as-hell naked body dripping wet.” He sighs and adjust himself, lying back on the bed.
“You,” I point to him, “are a handful.”
“I’m your handful.” He grins.
I just shake my head at him and head to the shower.
It’s taking restraint, more than I thought, to lie here and have her just through that door, naked, wet, and soapy. My cock is pressing against my zipper and I’m contemplating joining her anyway when her phone rings. Reaching over to the nightstand, I see the name Kathy on the screen. I don’t answer it; instead I silence the ringer and place it back on the nightstand. A few seconds later, it dings with a new voice mail. Not thirty seconds after that, another ping. Glancing over, I see a text message from Kathy that says “Call me.” Sounds like it might be important. I’ve climbed off the bed to go tell her about it, and you know, sneak a peek, when the bathroom door opens. Much to my disappointment, she’s dressed.