“Morgan,” she responded instantly, then peeked at me. “Are you going to run a background check on me now?”
“I would have run your license plate by now if I was going to,” I answered. “So no.”
“You’re very trusting.”
“And you are trouble,” I joked, but she didn’t smile.
“More than you know,” she murmured so quietly I wasn’t sure I’d actually heard her. “I think I’ll take Nico when we get back. I need a shower.” She sniffed her arm. “I think I’m sweating whisky.”
I laughed. “It’s got to come out somehow.”
“Well, I don’t want to meet your mom reeking of alcohol.”
“I appreciate that.”
“Is it weird I want her to like me?” Cadence tugged at her sleeve, not looking at me.
I slowed the car, surprised by her question. “It’s not weird.”
“It’s just, you respect her, and I don’t want to disappoint you.”
“Whoa there, you know you won’t disappoint me,” I tried to interrupt, taken aback, but she kept talking, not seeming to hear me.
“You’ve been kind. Letting me stay at your place and feeding my coffee addiction. I can’t repay you and now I’ve told everyone I’m your girlfriend which is causing all kinds of issues.”
“Cadence,” I said, but she kept rambling. “Cadence!”
“What?” She questioned, startled by my outburst.
“You can’t disappoint me.”
“You can’t know that.”
“I trust my instincts. Maybe you should too.” I pulled into the driveway, parking the car. “I’ll pick you up at 4:30.”
Her mouth twisted to the side, but she nodded before hopping out of the car.
***
I hesitated when I stepped up to the camper, my knuckles hovering above the door, my head tilted as I tried to figure out what was going on inside. A piercing shriek made me wince and I hurriedly knocked, but no one answered.
“Cadence?” I called out, but I didn’t think there was any way they could hear me over the noise. I took a chance and tried the door, surprised when it creaked open. “Cadence?”
“They say we’re young and we don’t know. We won’t find out until we grow. Well I don’t know if all that’s true. ‘Cause you got me and baby I got you,” Nico crooned and I cringed as he tried and failed to hit a note.
“Babe.”
I did a double take, thinking Cadence had noticed me until I realized her eyes were closed.
“I got you, babe,” she sang, bobbing her head. “I got you, babe.”
“They say our love won’t pay the rent. Before it’s earned, our money’s all been spent. I guess that’s so, we don’t have a plot. But at least I’m sure of all the things we got,” Nico belted out, enthusiasm making up for a total lack of talent.
There was a pause and I realized Cadence had noticed me. She waved her hand at me and Nico gave me a beady look.
“Babe,” Cadence prompted, her eyebrow arched expectantly.
I licked my lower lip, and unwilling to back down from a challenge, pitched my voice lower as I sang, “I got you, babe.”
“I got you, babe.” We sang the next line in unison, earning me a brilliant smile from Cadence, and I continued to sing along until we’d finished the song with Nico.
“Alright, we’re going to dinner,” Cadence announced and Nico’s head drooped. “But, I’ll leave the music channel on while I’m gone.” His wings flapped excitedly and he hopped around, his head already bopping in time to the next song.
“Miss you already,” Nico called before belting out, “What’s new, pussycat?”
I backed out the door, not ready to do another sing along and Cadence followed me, wearing a smirk as I said, “Parrot karaoke.”
“Parrot karaoke,” she confirmed, closing the door and locking it. “We’re lucky he decided on the 60’s channel.”
“Lucky,” I repeated, not sure I would ever forget hearing a parrot sing Sonny and Cher.
“Hakuna Matata,” she responded with a shudder.
“Lucky indeed,” I agreed with a sharp nod. “Ready to meet my mom?”
Cadence exhaled with a huff. “Is she ready to meet me is the real question.”
“She’ll love you,” I promised and Cadence shot me a doubtful look, her hands tucked into her pockets. “I’ve never brought anyone home to meet her.”
A weak chuckle escaped her. “No pressure then.”
“You’re batting a thousand. So far everyone you’ve come across likes you.”
“Except this is your mom. Not the owner of a chop shop.”
“You impressed Hank,” I reminded her and a flat stare met mine.
“Because I can hold my liquor. Not exactly how I want to impress your mom.”
“She’ll like you.”
“Oh, now we’re down to like not love,” Cadence muttered, nodding as I opened the car door. “I can’t wait until we get to tolerate.”
I shook my head, chuckling. “You’ll be fine.”
“You say that now.” She eyed me. “You dressed up.”
“So did you,” I countered, nodding to the dress she wore, a sweater covering her arms. “You look pretty, by the way.”