Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“How did you get here?” I ask her. I sit down, curling my feet under me, and she does the same next to me, turning to face me. Some say we are identical if they don’t know us, but Zoe’s eyes are greener than mine. She also has a dimple right where she has a freckle.
“Well after you called me from Starbucks, I was thinking of just coming down, but then Evan called me and asked if I wanted to come down.” Zoe starts talking, and now Lilo jumps on the couch and sits next to me, putting her head on my lap. “It was a no-brainer.”
“I’m so nervous about meeting his parents,” I tell her, and she smiles.
“Mom and Dad are coming too,” Zoe says, and my eyes widen.
“What?” The question comes out in a whisper.
“Well, Mom was worried about you,” Zoe starts, “and well, you know how Dad is when it comes to Mom.” I nod my head. There is no doubt in the world that my father loves my mother. That he cherishes her right down to his soul. If she is sad, he makes her happy; if she is worried, he moves heaven and earth to make sure she isn’t. “So Dad is calming her down by bringing her here and letting her see for herself that you are okay.”
“I have to tell Evan.” I am about to get up.
“Dad already called him and set things up,” Zoe tells me, and I just look at her. “He just wanted to make sure that Evan wasn’t blindsided with them coming. So Evan set up a lodge for them and also his parents so they could mingle and get to know each other.”
“But I just started dating him,” I tell her. “This is crazy. Is it really time for the parents to meet?”
“Oh, you silly, silly girl.” Zoe laughs, shaking her head. “He’s the one.” I stare at her, not saying anything. “He is the one, and your heart knows it. Your head, not so much.”
“It’s too soon.” I don’t know if I’m telling her or myself. “I’ve only known him for a month.”
“Who cares how long you’ve known him? When you know, you know,” Zoe says. “There is no textbook or manual that says when you can and cannot fall in love.”
“It just seems a bit rushed,” I tell her, and she shrugs.
“When it happens, it happens. No one can control that.” I know she’s right. “You just have to embrace it and admit it.”
I roll my eyes at her. “Don’t be all wise and shit.” She laughs, and then I see the back door open, and Evan comes out toward us.
“Is it okay that I’m here?” he asks. “Do you want sister time?”
“My parents are coming?” I look at him. I’ve looked at him a lot over the past couple of days. I’ve memorized how he looks when he smiles, when he smirks, when I make him come, and how his eyes now shine at my question. “Where are they going to stay?”
“I told them they could stay here,” he says, sitting next to me and kissing my neck, “but your mom didn’t want to burden me, so I rented them a house two blocks over.”
“And we are having a family lunch on Sunday,” I also remind him.
“It’s the perfect time,” he says, pulling me to him. “I was going to order the food, but my mother lost her shit.”
“I can’t cook,” I say, my heart starting to beat faster, and I now get up. “Like I can cook, but I can’t cook for your mother.” I start shaking my hands.
“Oh, here we go,” Zoe says, and Evan looks over at her with worry on his face. “This is her ‘I’m freaking out’ voice.”
“Why?” he asks the question. Yes, a stupid question indeed.
“Why?” I shriek.
“You shouldn’t have said anything,” Zoe tells him.
“Why? Because the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
“That is so not true.” Zoe shakes her head. “It’s usually through your vagina.”
I put my hands on top of my head, then look over at Evan, who is about to start laughing but stops when he sees my face. “This is why we can’t do the lunch.”
“Beautiful,” he says softly. “My mother doesn’t care if you can cook for me.”
“Lies.” I raise my hands. “She’ll want someone who can take care of you.”
“I’m pretty sure he can take care of himself.” Zoe puts in her two cents that I don’t really want to hear right now.
“I have been taking care of myself.” Evan looks at Zoe, who raises her hand like you see.
“I don’t mean like that,” I tell them, and now I start to pace. “I mean, I can take care of you if you’re sick.”
“Eww,” Zoe says. “If he’s sick, leave the house.”