His mother and Eliza left to finish dinner, and he couldn’t help but follow, touching her on the hip, stopping her.
“Are you okay?” he asked, concerned. She was the first—and he hoped only—person he’d knocked down.
“Yeah, of course.”
“My family can be a little tiresome.”
“I love them,” she said. “You’ve got a wonderful family. You must love it here.”
“Eliza, you want to come and cream the potatoes? They’re ready.”
The smile on her face at his mother’s call took his breath away. “I’ve got to go.”
She patted his chest and he watched her leave, wanting to do nothing more than pull her back into his arms. Heading back outside, he noticed his dad and brothers were watching.
“What?”
“You do realize there’s tension there, between the two of you.”
“Fuck off.” He didn’t need Caleb to get his hopes up.
“I don’t know, I think Caleb has a point.”
“Dad, you’re joining in now?”
“What? An old man can’t come and tell you what he thinks when a girl looks at his son a certain way? I’m telling you, there’s something there. You should explore it.”
He looked back toward the house but like always, he couldn’t see her. Was it too soon to ask her out on a date? Should he ask Aunt Betty first? There were so many questions and concerns, he honestly didn’t know what the hell to do.
Sitting back, he listened to Caleb talk about a couple of the cars that were having trouble back at his shop. They were old ones and he didn’t know where to get the parts. Their dad, as always, was full of information, and James listened with only half an ear.
It was his dad who’d convinced him to open a DIY store since he loved to build and fix things with his hands. He really did have a good life. Eliza, she didn’t have what he had. She didn’t have a family, just Aunt Betty. Was this life too much for her? Did his family make her nervous? He wanted her to like him, but family could be so crazy at times.
He couldn’t think with all these doubts right now. He just needed to get through dinner without any more trouble or embarrassing stories.
Dinner was called twenty minutes later and Eliza was already seated at the table next to his mother. They were deep in conversation and seeing her there, happy, it did something to him.
He wanted her. There was no doubt in his mind that he did. His feelings for her had never gone away, and even though so much time had passed, nothing had changed. This felt like the prom all over again. He’d wanted to ask her but never had.
Could he ask her out now?
It would be so easy to.
****
“You didn’t mind them? I know they can be a little … all over the place, but they mean well. What was my mom talking about?”
Eliza found his nerves really charming. “You’re nervous.”
“You’re the first woman I’ve taken home to my parents.”
“I’m not a date, though.” She would have loved to have been his date. Licking her lips, she waited, wondering what he would say.
“No, you’re not a date.” He gripped the steering wheel even tighter. “Would you like it to be a date?”
“Is this your way of asking me out on a date?” she asked.
“I guess I’m trying to, but I don’t know. Have my parents freaked you out?”
She thought about his family. “I loved it.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. I’ve never been around such a large family before. It was really special to see, and I really enjoyed it. Your mom is amazing. I hope you realize how lucky you are.”
“Aunt Betty didn’t … have more kids?”
“Of course she didn’t, you know that. She did go on dates and had the occasional boyfriend, but nothing stuck. It was usually just the two of us. I think she wanted kids of her own, but she wanted to do it when it was … complete. You know? The stable relationship, that kind of thing.” She’d always wondered if she was the reason nothing ever went right for her aunt.
She loved her aunt so much. She could have sent Eliza into the foster care system but without any hesitation, she’d taken her in, clothed her, loved her. Eliza would always consider Aunt Betty her mom.
“So, if my parents and brothers haven’t scared you off, would you consider going out with me?”
“You’re really asking me out on a date? We’re talking a meal out and … you know, fun?”
“When you’re no longer limping or in pain. I’m considerate like that.”
She laughed. “I can’t believe a Hard boy is asking me out on a date. I’m a little shocked.”
“Go out with me, Eliza, please.”
“Then yes. As soon as I’m able, I’ll go out with you.”
They pulled up outside his house.
She opened the door, and he was already there, crutches in hand. Her ankle was sore this morning, but the doctor said between rest breaks she had to walk on it, just to stretch it out and help with the pain.