Juicy Rebound (IceCats 1)

He doesn’t ask about Drew at all, so I know he means what he says. “I do trust you.”

“Okay, then don’t put me in the category he’s in because he didn’t know how to love. Love didn’t hurt you or mess you up. It was his inability to love you right.”

I know I should be focusing on what he just said and not that fact that he said love twice in one sentence, but it’s hard. Is he telling me that he loves me? That he knows how to love me? Surely not. There is no way he could love me. That’s just insane. I don’t have my shit together, and I can’t even admit that he and I are doing something way more than just dating. I don’t know when it moved past that, maybe after the Halloween party, but it’s definitely become more significant. Maybe it was always more significant.

“Okay, now come on. My mom has already opened the curtains twice looking out at us.”

He leans over, kissing my lips before getting out of the car. He gets my bag out of the back seat as I throw open the door. He comes to me, holding his hand out. When I take it, he smiles, bringing my knuckles to his mouth. “My parents are great, but they’re still a little hesitant because of the whole Lana thing.”

“Understandable.”

“So I’m not sure how they’re going to react to you, okay?”

“Okay. They know I’m coming, right?”

“Yeah, they sent the plane. But still, just a warning.” He sends me a flashy grin before opening the door and leading me into the house with his hand. “Hey, Mom, we’re—” Before he can finish his sentence, his mom is in the foyer, grinning from ear to ear. She’s petite, with long blond hair and dark-green eyes. She has wrinkles by her eyes and around her mouth, but her eyes are so vivid. She’s wearing a pair of brown leggings with an oversize turkey shirt that reads “I’m ready to wobble gobble.” Chandler seems a little taken aback as he says, “Oh. You know we’re here, I see.”

“Yes. Hello, I’m Elizabeth. But you can call me Lizzy or Mom. Whatever makes you happy!” She is practically bouncing with excitement, and I really don’t understand why.

“Whoa. Okay, Mom. Cool your jets. You’re scaring her,” Chandler laughs as he puts my suitcase by the door. “This is Amelia.”

“Hi.”

“Hello, gosh, you’re just so gorgeous. I didn’t expect her to be so pretty.”

“Wow, thanks, Mom.”

I snicker at his offended look.

“And sweet-looking. She doesn’t look like a bitch.”

I giggle. “That’s a plus.”

He gives me a dry look. “Apparently.”

“Holy crap. You upgraded, Chandler.”

I look to the doorway of the kitchen to see an older man with a matching wide grin. His eyes are dark brown, and his brown hair is dusted with gray. He has a large nose that doesn’t really fit his face, but his grin is so bright, it’s hard to really notice it. He has a matching shirt to his wife’s, and that fills me with such joy. My mom used to make my dad match her.

A grin pulls at my lips as I glance up to Chandler. “Do you not date good-looking people?”

He shrugs with a roll of his eyes. “I thought so, but maybe not.”

“He didn’t,” they say in unison, and Chandler rolls his eyes.

“They weren’t awful. But then again, I didn’t know what beauty was until I met you.”

Air rushes from my lungs as he closes the distance between us, kissing my nose tenderly. As if he doesn’t care that his mom and dad are standing there. As if I’m the only person in the room. When he pulls back, he gazes into my eyes, and everything just fades away. I quirk my lips before taking his chin in my hand and kissing him softly. He squeezes my hip before pulling away slowly.

When he winks, I grin as he turns to his parents. “So, yeah.”

Lizzy is beaming, and Charles looks pretty pleased. Before anyone can say a word, the door flies open and a bunch of guys file in. I remember them from the party. Chandler’s teammates.

“Moon! Football. Now!” Nico says as he tosses the ball up and down. “Let go of your girl and come on.”

A bunch of the guys agree, razzing him as he rolls his eyes. “You good?”

I nod. “Yeah, I’ll help your mom in the kitchen, if that’s okay.”

She almost comes out of her skin with glee. “I’d love that.”

“Great,” he says, kissing my temple. He looks to his dad. “Listen, you can play, but it’s not my fault if you throw out your hip again.”

His dad chuckles. “Shut it. Let’s go.”

“Please be careful,” Lizzy calls after them, but I don’t think they hear her. When she looks at me, I smile. “He’s gonna throw out his hip again.”