Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
“Okay! Let’s meet the parents!”
I jumped out and jogged over to the passenger side, helping her out. I took her hand in mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze as we approached the entrance. Once inside, I glanced around. I saw my mother, father, and David sitting at a large table, deep in conversation.
“There they are!”
We started to walk toward the table, and I could feel Vivianne slow down, almost like she was ready to turn and bolt.
The second my mother saw us, she jumped up. “Ladd! Look at you!” she said, before engulfing me in a hug that nearly took my breath away with how hard she was squeezing me. She drew back and gave me a once-over. “You look so happy, sweetheart.”
I chuckled. “That’s because I am happy.”
She turned and looked at Vivianne, and if it was at all possible, her face lit up even more. My father stood and made his way over to me.
“And I can see why you’re so happy,” Mom said. “My goodness, aren’t you a beautiful young woman.”
Vivianne blushed. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Wilde.”
Waving her formal name usage off with a hand, Mom replied, “My mother-in-law is Mrs. Wilde. Please call me Nellie.”
“Nellie, it is, then,” Vivianne replied.
“May I hug you?”
“Of course you can,” Vivianne replied as my father came up and shook my hand.
Leaning in, he whispered, “She’s beautiful. I see why you broke my promise.”
It was my turn to feel my own cheeks heat.
After Mom hugged Vivianne two more times, my father approached.
“Nellie, you’re going to scare the poor girl off if you keep this up.” He reached for Vivianne’s hand and shook it. “No Mr. Wilde for me either. Please call me Gus. It’s a pleasure to meet the young woman my son has been going on and on about. He’s said nothing but wonderful things about you, Vivianne.”
Exchanging a glance with me, Vivianne smiled. “You have an amazing son, I hope you know that. I’ve never met someone like him before. He has the kindest heart of anyone I’ve ever met.”
My father looked at me, then focused back on Vivianne and winked. “He gets that from me.”
“Balderdash!” my mother said. “He gets it from me, thank you very much.”
I pulled out a chair for Vivianne, and she sat down. My mother and father were across from her, with David and me flanking each side.
“Before we get into how you two met, why don’t you both figure out what you want to drink and eat.”
“We already know,” I replied. “We always split the stromboli and each get a side salad.”
My mother smiled as my father stared as if he didn’t recognize me.
“You? Ladd Wilde? Share food?” he asked.
“Stop it, Gus,” my mother playfully scolded.
“What?” my father replied. “I just never in my life thought I’d hear the words ‘food’ and ‘share’ come from Ladd’s mouth.”
David and my mother both chuckled.
“It’s true, I see him share food with her all the time,” David said. “Even though I begged him for a fry the other day and he told me to get lost.”
I rolled my eyes.
“You don’t share food with other people?” Vivianne asked.
“If I’m being honest, you’re the first person I’ve ever shared food with.”
“He likes his food. Always has, since he was a baby. I knew the first time I fed him actual food and he threw a fit when I pulled him away, that he was obsessed” my mother declared.
Vivianne giggled. “Well, I feel honored then.”
After we gave the waiter our orders, my mother, whom I had previously warned not to ask anything personal, went for the safe question.
“How did you two meet?”
Vivianne and I both looked at one another and smiled. “I saw her with a group of her friends, and I’m pretty sure I fell in love with her right then and there.”
“The one thing I told you not to do,” my father sighed, but he also winked at the same time.
“We had a mutual friend who introduced us, kind of,” Vivianne laughed. “He tried to, but Ladd beat him with the introduction. He asked me out to dinner that night, and we came here.”
Surprised, my mother replied, “Here? Did Ladd tell you this was my favorite place to eat?”
“He did!” Vivianne confirmed. “We come here a lot; although, I think I have their alfredo sauce mastered.”
“Her sauce is better,” I added.
“Do you enjoy cooking?” Mom asked.
Vivianne nodded as she took a drink of her water, then placed it back on the table. “I love to cook. I don’t get to cook nearly as much as I’d like with working and school.”
“What’s your degree in?” my father asked.
Smiling, Vivianne replied, “English. I’m hoping to be an English teacher.”
Mom beamed at Vivianne. I could already tell she adored her. “Any certain grade you’re thinking?”
“I’m torn right now. Either middle school or maybe late elementary.”