“Thank you so much. It was a great performance, followed by an awesome game,” she says as Angie wiggles down and runs to Lucy.
“Your backhand was a little sloppy,” Dad says, and I meet his gaze, hating that he’s here.
“It went in,” I say with a shrug.
“Even an ugly goal is a goal,” Claire says. She quickly adds, “But that goal wasn’t ugly, Jude, I’m just saying.”
I laugh. “Yeah, I know, babe.”
“Oh, there are Phillip and Reese,” Claire says suddenly. “Sorry, excuse me.”
“I want to meet them, Claire,” Mom says and Claire nods.
“Yes, ma’am, just a second!” she calls as she runs toward to Phillip, hugging him tightly.
“Why do you want to meet them?” Dad asks.
I pull my gaze from where Claire is hugging Reese now to see my dad with an annoyed look on his face, watching Claire with her family.
“Probably because she’s important to me?” I ask.
“I’m surprised you’re still with her,” he says and I glare.
“I don’t know why you even care,” I say, and my mom places her hand on my chest.
“Not now, they are coming this way,” she says, and I look over to find that Reese and Claire are coming toward us, pulling Phillip along. He doesn’t look pleased at all.
“Reese, Phillip, this is Jude’s mom and dad, Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair,” she says with a grin. “And then his sister Lucy, her daughter Angie, Jace, and Jayden. Everyone, this is my uncle and aunt.”
Everyone shakes hands, my brothers acting all awkward since he’s an idol to us, but to my surprise, Phillip is really pleasant to my family. But when his gaze meets mine, I see the annoyance in his eyes. He doesn’t want to meet my family at all. He wants me to go away.
Too bad I’m not.
“So, you don’t like my son, I hear?” my mom asks, and Claire’s mouth drops open. Mine doesn’t though; I’m not shocked at all. My mom is a mother hen; everyone loves her people or she cuts them.
Phillip looks a bit taken aback but he recovers well, laughing as he shrugs his shoulders. “It’s not that I don’t like him–”
“I think your exact words were ‘I don’t like you,’” I say, and he cuts me a look that seriously scares the fuck out of me.
Trying to cover it with a laugh, he looks back at my mom. “You have to understand that I don’t think anyone is good enough for her. I mean, do you like Claire?”
Mom smiles sweetly. “I do. She is a wonderful girl. You’ve done well.”
Phillip’s face reddens a bit as he says, “Thank you. She’s special to us.”
“I can see why. She dances like a dream.”
“She does. We’re very proud. And just to clarify, I think Jude is great,” Reese says, sending me a grin.
I smile back, and when I glance at Claire, her face matches her hair.
“Thank you,” Mom says with a polite grin. “And I do understand, but I also think that if Jude loves her, she has to be special. Maybe you can consider that?”
Reese chuckles beside Phillip, and he sends her a glare before nodding his head. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll try.”
“Good, I have a feeling it’s serious between these two.”
“Please, it’s only been what, a month?” my dad asks.