The Boyfriend Blog

“Good, isn’t it?”

I nod. “So good. I’d kill for the recipe for the sauce on this chicken.”

“Don’t commit homicide,” he says, laughing. “I can get you the recipe.”

I tilt my head to the side and swallow my bite. “How?”

“Well…” Craig leans back in his seat with a proud smile. “Because my parents own this place. My mother is Lorraine.”

“Are you serious?” I put my fork down and take a drink. “Craig, that’s awesome. How come you didn’t tell me sooner?”

“Most women get freaked out at the prospect of meeting my family on the first date.”

I must have a worried look because Craig holds up a hand. “Don’t worry, my parents promised to stay in the kitchen until we’re done. Unless, of course, you want to meet them.”

“Uh…” Do I? My eyes flit toward the back of the restaurant where the kitchen is located. A small, grey-haired couple is smiling at me from behind a counter.

I smile back, and the woman’s eyes widen. She waves, nudges the man beside her with her elbow, and before I know it, they’re walking toward us.

Oh, shit.

Craig follows my gaze across the room. “Oh, shit,” he murmurs, mimicking my thoughts. “I’m so sorry.”

“For what?”

“Just…” His eyes dance between me and the sweet-looking couple strutting our way. “Don’t judge me, okay?”

“Judge you? I don’t under—”

“You must be Lizzie.” I’m yanked from my seat into the arms of a woman who smells of grease and surprisingly enough, sugar. She pulls back but holds me at arm’s length. “Craig has told us so much about you.”

“He has?” I just met him last week on Mingle.

“Oh, yes, dear. And this is Craig’s dad, Teddy,” she says, nodding toward the man beside her.

“Hi?”

The man smiles and tips his hat at me.

“Mom, let Lizzie go.”

She swats Craig’s hand away when he reaches for me. “Hush now. You’ve had your moment, now it’s our turn. How do you feel about babies?” Lorraine asks.

“Babies?”

“Now you’ve gone and done it, Lorraine,” Teddy says. I look up into a pair of aged blue eyes that look so much like Craig’s. “You’ll have to forgive my wife, she’s excited because she’s about to be a grandma.”

“Wow. Congratulations.”

“So, you like babies?” she asks again.

“Who doesn’t?”

“Oh, Craig, you were right, she’s perfect.” Lorraine pulls me forward, smashing my face against her bosom. Not exactly how I pictured this going. With a grunt and possibly an elbow to the woman’s gut, I wiggle out of her arms.

“Right about what?” I straighten my top and look at Craig. “And why would you say I’m p

erfect? You don’t even know me.”