Awkward Love (Stumbling into Love 2)

“Makes sense. I was the same way when I met your mother’s family. Thought they’d take one look at my ass, throw me out the door, and tell me I wasn’t good enough for her.”

Mom’s family had moved to Florida a while back, and we didn’t see them often. They loved Dad, though.

“Just be yourself. It’ll be fine.”

Be myself. I hoped myself didn’t include rambling and knocking over drinks. “Are you sure that’s the route I should go?” I teased.

“Smartass.”

“I can’t help it.”

“Better, remember? You’re better. They’ll see that, and if they don’t, that’s on them. Not on you. Be the man you are, and that’s all you can do.”

The waitress returned and set our plates in front of us. We talked about Dad’s new clients and the jobs they were working on. He asked about my fall classes and TAing and things like that.

When lunch was over, he set his card down to pay before saying, “Let’s do this more often. I know you’re going to be busy soon, but make some time for your old man?”

I smiled, wanting that, wanting to get to know him more. We never let ourselves do that. “I’d like that a lot.”

CHAPTER THIRTY

Will

I was nervous as shit.

Which made me annoyed as shit.

What the hell did I have to be stressed about? It wasn’t like I was that close with my family anyway. If, for whatever reason, things went south today, would it be all that different? I’d always been the outcast of the family and probably always would be.

But God, I didn’t want it to be with this. I wanted Mom to accept Jameson the same way she did Nolan’s girlfriend or Brad’s wife—hell, any of the women my brothers had brought home over the years. When it came to Jameson, all that should matter was the fact that I loved him and he treated me well. Nothing else.

I’d called Mom earlier and let her know I was bringing home a guy. She had been quiet, and I’d told her that if she had anything negative to say, to do it then, and that we wouldn’t be coming. I expected her and my brothers to treat Jameson with respect, and she’d said it was fine and she would never be hurtful, but I also knew she wished I was bringing home a girl instead of a guy.

“Does your family judge people if they randomly puke due to nerves, especially over dinner? Asking for a friend,” Jameson said as I drove us to the home I grew up in.

I chuckled. “You’re not going to puke.”

“And you know that how?”

“Because you’ve been nervous a ton of times, and you never spontaneously vomit. Hell, you didn’t even throw up when you got drunk off your ass on our first date.” I smiled at the memory. It was still amazing sometimes, how we’d gotten from there to where we were now.

“Nice of you to remind me.”

“Nice of me to remind you that you didn’t puke? That’s a good thing.”

“No, that I got that drunk.”

“Well, now we have a funny story to tell. Should I open with it?”

Jameson’s eyes went wide. “Don’t you dare!”

I couldn’t help laughing. He knew I would never do that.

When I pulled up and parked in front of the house, I turned to him. “Seriously, though. How you doing, Professor? I know this is a big deal for you.”

“I should be asking you that question.”

“I’m fine.” I shook off his concern as if I wasn’t freaking out. “It is what it is.”

“Will…”

“It’s fine. Also…my house is nothing like yours, obviously.”

He rolled his eyes. “I don’t care about that.”

I couldn’t imagine what my family would think if they saw his house. They already told me I thought I was better than them. I had no idea what they’d say about Jameson, which was another concern. They would find out he was my boss’s son. Would they think I got the job because of Jameson? Why had I decided this was a good idea again?

“Thank you,” he said, and my brows pulled together. “For inviting me. It means a lot. I know things are complicated with your family, but I’ve never done this, and I like to see where you came from. I want to know everything about you.”

That right there was why I was doing this, and that was what mattered. “Come here.” He leaned in, and I kissed him. My tongue just teased his lips when there was a loud honk. We jerked apart to see Brad and his wife, Chloe, pulling up. He laughed his ass off like it was the funniest thing. I flipped him off.

“Welcome to the Carson house.” This was going to be interesting. “They’re a little obnoxious.”

When we got out, I went straight to the other side of the car and took Jameson’s hand. I wanted everyone to know what was up from the start, and if there was a problem, we’d be leaving.