We’d talked about the most random of shit, while also touching on our pasts too. Carter told me his parents would be heading into town in a month, which I was kinda anxious about. I’d never met a boyfriend’s parents before, as ridiculous as it sounded. It was sort of pathetic I supposed, a guy in his thirties with no real committed relationships to speak of, but Carter thought it was sweet.
I rolled my eyes at him as he continued. “I think you were just saving yourself for me. Why go through the hassle of parents when they weren’t mine?”
I laughed. “Yeah. That’s exactly it.”
“Shh, let me have my moment.” Seriously, he was loving my virgin meeting-parents status a little too much. “But I suppose it was also so you wouldn’t be scared off.”
I snorted this time and tugged him to my side and placed a kiss on his temple. “Is that right?”
“Well.” He looped his arm around my waist, and I wrapped my arm around his shoulder as we carried on walking. “My folks do come with a hazard label.”
Over the past few weeks, Carter had shared a few stories about his mom and dad; most were hilarious, so I knew what he was getting at. “It’ll be fine.” As long as they liked me, of course. I’d lost my own parents when I was a teenager. I’d loved them and we’d had an okay relationship, but it had been a helluva long time since I’d been around parents who were acting in that role, if that made sense.
I knew they loved Carter, so despite my nerves, I was confident that when they saw him happy, they’d like me. I’d make it so.
“Seriously, Tanner. You already know my mom has no filter, but when it comes to me and a relationship, she’s going to lose her mind.”
I paused and looked at him. “Have you not told her about us?”
He looked sheepish, and my heart would have dropped if he hadn’t immediately pressed his lips to mine and whispered, “They’re both going to love you, like love you, love you. But no, I haven’t truthfully told her how serious we are.” He took my hand and placed a kiss on my palm. “The only reason why is that as soon as she knows, she’ll start buying Rainbow Weddings or something else as crazy.”
I snorted and raised my brows. “Is there really a magazine call—”
He shrugged. “No idea. But the thing is, if there was, she’d buy it, and then start knitting—”
“Knitting?”
“Yes!” he said in earnest, color touching his cheeks and what looked like genuine fear making his eyes wide. He was fucking adorable. “Knitting for grandbabies.”
I didn’t even twitch, didn’t move a muscle as I allowed that to settle in. Babies. I already knew I was the best uncle there was. I’d dealt with vomit, crap, piss, and so many tears and sleepless night that the thought didn’t terrify me. My breath caught at the possibility that at some point in the future Carter and I could have a kid of our own. I could see it, and wasn’t that a fucking shock to my system?
“Oh shit.” Carter swore, so whatever he saw in my reaction must have been bad. “Do you need to sit down? Oh Christ on a cracker, it’s okay. I’ll put them off from visiting. It’s all talk anyway. You don’t need to w—”
His words stopped when I shook my head. I met his gaze and swallowed, not quite sure how to even describe what was going on with me, let alone voice it. “Don’t put them off.”
“But—”
“I want to meet them. I can handle it.” He didn’t look quite convinced as he stood there, almost looking as if he were ready to catch me. “We can handle them together.”
“Okay.” He nodded, hesitation pouring from him.
“Yep.” I finally smiled. “If your mom gets excited, that’s great. It means she approves.”
Carter’s features softened. “Tanner, of course she’ll approve. So will my dad. I love you.” I didn’t think hearing that would ever get old. “My loving you will be all they need to win them over.”
I tugged him into my arms and before I kissed him, whispered, “Make sure she chooses pink wool.”
His gasp was everything I hoped it would be. I loved taking Carter by surprise. As our lips locked and mouths moved against each other’s, a small dip of his tongue seductively brushed against mine. He pulled up for air before I was ready, eliciting a disgruntled groan from me.
A giant grin spread across his lips. “Thank you.”
“For what?” I asked.
“For not passing out.”
I laughed loudly.
“I’m serious,” he continued. “For a minute there, I thought you were a goner. Fortunately for you, I’m a doctor.” He looked entirely too smug.
“Is that right?”
“Well, you’re something akin to a gorilla at tim—”
The air whooshed out of him as I tackled him to the ground, turning as we landed so he fell on me. “Gorilla, huh?” I started laughing again, his shocked expression comical.
“Yes, definitely. What the heck was that?”
I shrugged and reached up to stroke his cheek. “Didn’t realize I needed an excuse to get you on top.” I wriggled my brows at him.
Carter tutted, rolling his eyes at me. “True I suppose.”
I leaned up and caught his lips with mine, before settling back down. “And for the record, I wasn’t that freaked out.”
A laugh-snort burst free from him. “You keep telling yourself that, buddy.” He shifted, nudging against my growing erection, and I groaned at the contact. Concern lit his eyes at the sound. “You okay?”
I shook my head. I tilted my hips up and rubbed against him.
He arched one brow, his lips lifting. “You need me to kiss that better?”
I bit my cheeks to stop from grinning and nodded, wearing the most solemn face I could manage. “I think it’s the only way to make this right and enable me to walk out of this alive.”
Carter nibbled his bottom lip, his eyes hooding as he eased his way down my body and prepared to show me just how lifesaving his mouth could be.
Chapter Sixteen
CARTER
We watched from the front door, my hand in Tanner’s, as my dad parked his car. I took a deep breath. “You ready for this?” Tanner squeezed my hand and released a small chuckle. I knew he wasn’t taking this visit seriously. Yes, we’d had that “sort of” discussion a month ago at the lake, in addition to a few others since, plus I’d recounted my mom’s loud squeal that had caused a ringing in my ears just two days earlier, but Tanner had no clue whatsoever what was going to hit him.
Two days. I had waited until the last possible moment to tell my parents Tanner and I were an item. I’d hoped a couple of days wouldn’t be enough time for her to overprepare for their visit, or make any possible calls to my extended family. I knew there was a good chance my great-aunt in Scotland could have already heard and was starting to look at flights to the US. I wouldn’t put it past my overexuberant mother.
When I’d admitted to my parents that Tanner, the same guy who’d worked his magic on my house over the past few months, was actually my boyfriend, my mom’s squeal of “I knew it!” had set dogs howling everywhere within a three-mile radius. I was sure of it.
“She’ll love me,” Tanner reassured with a smirk as I looked at him.
“It’s not that I’m worried about,” I deadpanned. He winked and squeezed my hand once more. Just as I intended to plant a chaste kiss on his perfect lips, it began.
“Oh my goodness, Jack, will you look at that.” I closed my eyes briefly, hoping to God that my mom wouldn’t completely terrify Tanner. “Aren’t they just adorable together?” And then, in a whirl of pink and perfume, she all but threw her handbag at Dad, who stood there open-armed in a well-rehearsed move, and she raced toward us.
A grin split my face as I wrapped her up in my arms. As much as my mom was certifiable at times, she was mine and awesome. “Hey, Mom.” I kissed her on the cheek while attempting to step out of her bone-crushing hug. For five-foot-nothing, she was strong and gave some of the best hugs.
; Not letting me out of her grasp just yet, she held me tighter, giving an extra squeeze as she said, “God, baby boy, I’ve missed you so much.” She finally edged back a little and reached up and cupped my face in her palms. After a moment of silence as her perceptive eyes studied me, she finally returned my grin. “You look so handsome”—I rolled my eyes—“and happy.” My heart squeezed. I really was happy, and the man somewhere behind me was the reason.
With the thought of Tanner firmly in my mind, I nodded. There was no way I could hold back from my mom. She read me far too easily, which was something of a blessing and a curse. I stepped out of her arms and looked over my shoulder at Tanner, stretching my arm out to him. He took my hand immediately. Rightness settled in my chest, warmth spreading through me at the contact. “Mom, Dad”—he’d finally reached us, laden with bags—“meet Tanner.”
Mom lunged at Tanner, wrapping him up in her arms. Half-amused and half-mortified, I continued, “This crazy woman is Marcy and this good-looking chap”—I winked at my dad and patted him on the shoulder, not daring to hug him while he was overloaded—“is Jack.”
“Hey, son, you good?” My dad’s deep voice held amusement as he shook his head slightly and indicated toward Mom, who had since released a bewildered Tanner but was now arm in arm with him as she dragged him toward the house.
“Yeah, Dad. Thanks.” I gave a small but happy sigh. “Come on, let me help with some of the luggage.” I took a bag out of his hands. “How long are you staying again?” I laughed.
“I best not tell you there’re another two in the trunk then, huh?” he answered. I groaned in response. With a laugh, he said, “Don’t worry, it’s just a week.”
I grinned as we walked toward the front door. Despite my anxiety of my mom possibly pushing us all over the edge, it was so good to see my parents. It was funny though, with the whirl in my stomach and tightening in my chest, I knew that Tanner meeting my parents was the more official declaration of our relationship. And that feeling right there was pretty wonderful.
Tanner had finally been introduced properly to my dad and had since disappeared with him on a tour of the house as he showed Dad all the renovations. The progress Tanner had made was phenomenal. The upstairs was finally completed with two fully functioning bathrooms, three bedrooms not only decorated but with doors that closed, and a staircase that was no longer a deathtrap. We’d celebrated the night Tanner had finally finished the staircase with me bent over as he’d taken me from behind. It was by far the best of ways to celebrate.
My gaze drifted away from said staircase and landed back on my mom. It was not the wisest of ideas to get wicked thoughts of Tanner, especially with my mom keenly observing me.
Her grin was wide and filled with happiness. “He’s just lovely, and so very handsome.”
Heat touched my cheeks. “He really is.”
“So, how long have you been in love with him?” Her gaze was firm, her brows high in expectation and a clear “don’t tell me any nonsense” vibe coming from her.
“Well.” I cleared my throat. “Erm….”
She sighed. “Are you embarrassed about something?” she challenged.
“No.” My reply was quick. “It’s just….” In all honesty, my reaction was bizarre even to me. But I knew the truth behind my heated cheeks. “Mom,” I admitted, “God, I love him so much. He’s just perfect.” Tenderness filled her features as I spoke. “Don’t get me wrong, he can be a pain in the butt too, but he’s so perfect for me. He balances me out, and gets me all wound up in knots, and I just don’t know… he just… he’s it.” Tears sprung to my eyes as Mom lifted her hands to cover her mouth and her own tears trailed down her face.
I cleared my throat, blinking away my emotion, trying in earnest not to let my gushy tears spill over. “So yeah, not embarrassed, just in love.” I swallowed past the lump in my throat.
Reaching out to cup my face, Mom let her eyes roam my features. “I’m so happy for you, baby, so so happy. If he’s everything you say he is and makes you this content, then he most definitely is perfect for you.” She pulled back, wiped her eyes, and then stood. “Okay, I want to meet my grandbaby.”
I frowned in confusion. I had no idea what on earth she was talking about. “Erm… Mom—”
Her cutting glance made me slam my mouth shut. “Rex, Carter. Seriously. Rex, this dog I’ve been hearing so much about.”
She was off her rocker. I snorted, aware I was in danger of a clip around the ear. “Mom, you know that’s Tanner’s dog, right?”
“Semantics,” she said. “Is he out the back?”
He was. With all the time Tanner spent here, which had become pretty close to 24/7 with the exception of regular visits to see Davis and Libby, we’d made sure my yard was secured so that Rex could be at the house while Tanner worked. Admittedly, I smuggled him into work a few times too. I loved heading out to play catch with the beast of a dog whenever I had a lull or a break. And I supposed in many ways, Mom was right. He’d become as much my dog as Tanner’s.
She headed to the back door after I’d nodded, and proceeded to open it. I considered throwing her a warning, but decided to sit back and watch instead. I couldn’t be held responsible for reverting to a more immature me when my parents were around.
On cue, Rex barged through the open doorway, taking Mom by complete surprise as he made to barrel between her legs. No easy feat when Rex was barely a foot shorter than her.
I burst into laughter as Mom found herself sitting on Rex’s back. For a moment she balanced precariously, as though she was starring in a Rhodesian rodeo, before Rex dipped and scooted through, leaving Mom reaching for the wall to steady herself. In just those few seconds, she looked windswept and suitably flustered. My snorted laughter snapped her gaze in my direction, and my continued hollers of laughter were enough to bring Dad and Tanner back to the room, and for Mom to throw me a look that could kill.
“Carter Francis, you little sh—”
Tears rolled down my cheeks and I clutched my gut. I’d inherited my lack of swearing from my mom, but like me, when the mood took her, she’d have a lapse and all manner of cussing would spill forth. And every time it did, I would end up collapsed on the floor and gasping for breath from my amusement.
“—you knew he would do that, you rotten—”
It was too much. My stomach hurt, cramps forming as I struggled to breathe, laughter spilling over, but making me sound like I was deranged.
“—toad. You think that’s funny? Just you wait till I tell Tanner what I caught you doing when you were sixteen with that Ken doll.”
My laughter stopped abruptly and I gasped in horror. She may as well have threatened to cut off my balls and been an inch away from doing it, my reaction was that quick. “You wouldn’t?”
She stood in the open doorway, hair disheveled, arms crossed over her chest, and looking so happy with herself. I looked at her and then at Tanner, knowing he’d heard her. How could he not have? It was time to act fast. “I’ll tell Aunt Betsy what really happened to the candlesticks that were ‘damaged’ when you moved.” I’d pulled out the big guns as I eyed her warily, wondering how far she’d take this.
Mom’s eyes rounded, growing as big as saucers as we stared each other off. She opened her mouth to speak but Dad’s voice got there first. “All righty then, and welcome to the family, Tanner.” I heard a small thud like sound, as if Dad was giving Tanner a commiserative pat on the back. I would have looked, but there was no chance I was letting Mom out of my line of sight just yet. She was standing right by the fruit bowl, and everybody knows fruit’s just ammunition. I seriously would not put it past her.
Tanner’s laughter swept over me, melting my tense shoulders a little and reminding me I was supposed to be the sane one. If this carried on, I’d only have myself to blame if after this week he decided to run. “Okay.” He clapped his hands, humor evident just in that single word. “Is it safe to cut through and start the grill?”
Mom re
covered quicker than I did. She patted down her hair and smiled sweetly. “Of course, Tanner. Lead the way and I’ll help. It’ll give us the chance to have a chat.”
I focused hard on my mom, willing her to look again in my direction, trying to warn her to not appear insane, and to please God, not share the Ken doll story.
It was midweek and had been a pretty crappy one at that, at least work wise, and I was desperate to get home. Monday I’d had to put Mr. Pollack’s sweet dog, Bessie, to sleep, which was a heartache; Tuesday I’d felt decidedly uncomfortable when Scott had started the process of internal reviews, which meant he’d breathed down my neck during an operation and a couple of appointments; and to top things off, there was a new email from Denver. He had already delayed his return once, making my time at the hospital increasingly uncomfortable with Scott’s cutting remarks and looks of disgust once more becoming a regular occurrence, but the email sneering at me from my inbox left me catching my breath. Denver was officially retiring and had announced Scott as the official manager, and new director, since he was apparently buying into the business.
Lauren had given me a smile of commiseration when just before we’d attempted to leave work that night, Scott had called the whole team for an impromptu meeting. She didn’t know the full extent of Scott’s bigotry, but she was observant enough to know that something wasn’t right between the two of us.
Since that one time at the bar months earlier, nothing as blatant had happened, which was a relief. There’d been no more cancellations, no outward vile remarks. But his looks, his tone, his general attitude when “dealing” with me, as truly that was what it felt like, as though I was an inconvenience, made work a challenge. I was no longer as eager to start the day, becoming increasingly anxious and frustrated by the hostility I would encounter.
Let Me Show You Page 13