by Zoe Ashton
“Mom!” I shrieked as I ran towards her. She flung the poster to the side and with her arms open, she greeted me and gave me a tight squeeze.
“Oscar, how are you?” I said to my stepfather who I kissed lightly on the cheek. I hadn’t seen them since the previous Christmas, which in my family’s terms was a very long time.
“You look well, Mabel,” Oscar said, returning the kiss on my cheek. Then I saw my parents’ eyes look past me towards where Damien was standing.
“Is that him?” mom asked me, her mouth dropping down. They hadn’t expected me to actually bring him. They had probably already started assuming that my boyfriend was imaginary.
“Hello, I’m Damien,” he introduced himself by stepping forward. Oscar stretched his hand out to him while my mom left out the formalities and pulled Damien into another one of her tight hugs.
“Mabel has told us nothing about you. We were starting to think she’d made you up!” mom was shrieking from excitement while she kept Damien pressed to her chest. When she finally let him go, Damien came over to me and threw an arm around my shoulder and drew me into himself.
“Well, the secret’s out. I’m an actual living being,” Damien said with a laugh, and my parents laughed too. I could feel the goosebumps on my arms as he held me close. We had barely touched before, and now he had his arm around me. Surprisingly, he didn’t seem as awkward as he should have been. I was more on edge than he was.
“And what a handsome actual living being you are indeed!” mom exclaimed and giggled when she looked at me. “She never even showed us any pictures of you. And she definitely didn’t have anything to be ashamed of,” she added, eyeing Damien up and down some more. It was almost like she had a crush on him too.
“We don’t actually have many pictures together,” Damien said and threw me a loving look. I had no choice but to stare back at him in surprise. “We’re always having so much fun together that we forget to document it,” he added, and mom placed a hand on her heart and sighed.
“Oh, we’ve always been so worried about this one, you know? Mabel’s a loner; she never dated in high school or college. We were convinced she didn’t want a family,” mom continued, and I wriggled out of Damien’s grasp. All this talk was making me more guilty about lying to them.
“Stop it, mom. You’re embarrassing me,” I cried and picked up the bags off the floor. Damien pulled it away from my hand and gave me a gentle, encouraging smile. I didn’t know where to look. I was starting to grow suspicious of him. I hadn’t thought much about it before, but now I was seriously starting to wonder what he had to gain from doing this. Why he was going out of his way to be nice to my family. What would he gain from making a good impression on them?
“Anyway, shall we head home, kids? Everyone else has already arrived, and they are all dying to meet you, Damien,” Oscar said and started leading the way towards their car. “And you too, Mabel,” he added, and my parents chuckled.
I watched as they took each other’s hands, still very much in love, and walked ahead of us. Damien was walking with both our bags and beside me, matching my every step. When my parents had passed out of our earshot, he turned to me, the wind caught his hair and ruffled it, and my knees nearly buckled.
“They seem lovely, Mabel. You’re very lucky to have parents like them,” he said in a quiet voice. I felt a gulp in my throat, and I knew I was going to explode with guilt. Damien was right; I was lucky to have a loving family. They were nosy and boisterous and loved embarrassing me, but they didn’t deserve to be deceived.
I remained silent as we continued following them towards the parking lot. I was growing increasingly aware of Damien’s presence beside me, and I couldn’t let go of the gnawing feeling I had. The thought was just sinking, in that, I didn’t actually know this guy, I didn’t know his intentions. As handsome and charming as he was, he was still a complete stranger to me.
“Damien,” I said and stopped him by placing a hand on his arm. He stopped in his tracks and looked at me, still with that glorious smile on his face that was capable of making women swoon and drop like flies. I tried to ignore how distracting his face was.
“I don’t want them to love you. I want you to make them dislike you, so that it’ll be easy for me to tell them that I’ve broken up with you,” I said, meeting his clear blue eyes. There was a slight change in Damien’s eyes; they darkened for a few moments, and then they cleared again.
“Sorry, Mabel. I can’t do that,” he said self-confidently and then walked away from me towards my parents again. I was left standing with my mouth hanging open.
Chapter 8
Damien
We settled into the car. Oscar offered me the seat next to him while Shelly and Mabel sat at the back. I could sense Mabel’s discomfort without even looking at her. My response to her previous statement had thrown her off, and she kept trying to catch my eye in the rearview mirror. I avoided looking at her because there was no way that I was going to make myself purposely unsavory to her family’s eyes.
“Ready?” Oscar asked, throwing me a smile.
“Steady,” I said, and Shelly giggled in the back seat. Mabel was deathly silent. She wasn’t enjoying this as much as I was.
Oscar revved up the engine, and we were on our way. Napa Valley was beautiful, and I kept getting distracted by the scenic route we were on, while at the same time responding to Shelly’s interrogation. Mabel wasn’t offering many responses, and I decided that I could literally make anything up and it wouldn’t matter to anyone.
“Tell us about some of Mabel’s bad habits,” Shelly asked from the back, and I turned in my seat. I avoided looking at Mabel and pasted a smile on my face. I was genuinely enjoying myself. This was a perfect make-belief world with no strings attached.
“Did you know that she needs to count to hundred every night in order to fall asleep?” I said, and Oscar and Shelly both broke into a volley of laughter.
“How do you deal with that every night?” Oscar asked, and I shrugged my shoulders at him.
“I count with her,” I said, and Shelly snorted through her laughter.
“Tell us more!” Shelly shrieked, and the three of us were laughing again. I had to think of something quick.
“She loves taking cold showers these days, despises hot water in fact,” I said, and Shelly’s eyes were wide, and she looked at her daughter in shock.
“When did this happen?” Shelly asked, and Mabel only rolled her eyes and looked away.
“That’s strange, Mabel. Is that for health reasons?” Oscar asked, now sounding a little concerned and I realized that I might have taken it a little too far. Mabel still wasn’t saying anything.
In the rearview mirror, I caught her eye, and I mouthed the word “sorry” to her. This was something that Shelly saw, and she leaned in to throw her arms around Mabel.
“You two are so cute. I’m just so happy for you, sweethearts,” she said and covered her daughter’s face with kisses. Mabel tried to push her away, but Shelly wasn’t about to let go.
“We’re so glad you could make it, Damien. Did you have to cancel your meeting in Florida for this?” Shelly asked me, and for a moment I forgot myself.
“In Florida?” I said with my brows crossed in confusion. In the rearview mirror, I saw Mabel gulp and arch her eyebrows in warning.
“Oh yeah, that meeting. Yeah, I canceled it because I told Mabel that it was about time I met her folks,” I said, and Shelly clapped her hands with excitement.
“The others are going to love you,” Oscar said with a smile on his face as he continued to drive and I settled back into my seat.
I tried to shut their voices off for a few moments so I could assess the situation better. Napa Valley was beautiful, and this could turn out to be a great vacation surrounded by even greater people. Oscar and Shelly had made me feel welcome right away, and judging by them, the rest of the family would probably be the same. But it seemed like Mabel was increasingly starting to think that
this was a bad idea.
She had already suggested that I make myself less likeable. I didn’t want her to take some drastic measure and ruin the entire weekend for all of us.
We arrived at the Pratt estate, driving down a pathway that was flanked on either side with the vineyard. I couldn’t hide my awe with what I was seeing. I couldn’t imagine why Mabel was in such a sour mood. What could possibly bring her down in a place like this? We drove to the house and Oscar parked his car in the driveway; at the center of which a beautiful marble fountain was spurting trickles of soothing water.
At the sound of the car being parked, the front door of the large red brick house opened up, and a group of people came pouring out. Mabel’s family. Three women, three men, and two kids all laughing and greeting Mabel and Oscar and Shelly like they were seeing each other after decades.
I opened the door on my side and stepped out, and Mabel did the same behind me.
“That’s Damien, guys!” Shelly said excitedly to her children and sons-in-law, and everyone waved at me in unison. It was overwhelming, but their smiling faces were infectious. I could sense Mabel shrinking into herself beside me.
Before she could move away from me, I caught her by her waist and pulled her close to me. In full view of the rest of the family, I lowered my head to hers and pressed our lips together. I could sense her muscles stiffening; she had grabbed my shoulders with her hands as I continued to kiss her.
She tasted of peppermint; her lips were luscious and soft, a
nd for a few moments I forgot myself. I felt like I was drowning and I couldn’t be sure of where I was. She felt natural in my arms. Till she pulled herself away. I was snapped back to reality and realized that she was glaring at me with her nostrils flared.
“Isn’t that adorable?” someone from her family cried out, and before I could apologize, one of her sisters had come over to give Mabel a hug. Followed by each and every one of them showering me with hugs and kisses and compliments. I had never felt more special or welcome before.
Chapter 9
Mabel
The next time I had Damien alone was when my mom had shown us into my old bedroom to freshen up. We had been in the house for at least an hour before this happened, and already everyone seemed to be too excited to see him. He was the first boyfriend I had brought home, the first relationship I had that lasted beyond a couple of dates. Naturally, nobody in my family could believe what a brilliant catch I’d landed myself.
To them, Damien was the perfect boyfriend. He was smart, successful and devastatingly handsome. Especially since I’d told them nothing about my mysterious boyfriend other than that he existed. They probably expected a biker boy all this while, with a million tattoos and a nose ring, and who had no real ambition in life. Those were the kind of guys I dated in high school and college. The very reason why none of those relationships lasted. Anybody who looked like Damien or was even remotely charming as him was always out of my league.
Now it was strange having Damien in my old bedroom, especially since he was literally a stranger. Suddenly my room felt small, and in it, he seemed too big. No boy had ever been in my room before.
I shut the door behind me, and when I turned, I found Damien looking out at the view of the vineyards from my window. He wasn’t fretting or worried, and neither was he uncomfortable.
“Why did you do that?” I snapped at him, placing my hands on my hips.
Damien turned to me, and there was a smile on his face. He searched my face with his clear blue eyes, and I could feel the back of my neck burning up.
“Do what?” he asked, and I rolled my eyes.
“Why did you kiss me?” I spat out the words and Damien started laughing.
“Because that’s what boyfriends do, Mabel. They kiss their girlfriends in front of family, and besides, they loved the show,” he said, and I realized that he was walking towards me.
I had nobody to blame but myself for this. I had brought it upon myself. I had invited a stranger home to my bedroom, and he was participating in deceiving my family. But I couldn’t get the thought of that kiss out of my mind. It felt like being slapped. A shock of electricity had run down my spine when our lips met. I felt like I could melt in his arms. I had to do everything in my power to drag my lips away from him. I was instantly aroused when I should have been shocked.
“We need to set some ground rules,” I stated, jutting my chin up in the air. Damien looked casual and handsome as he stepped towards me. Only a few inches remained between us. I could smell him, feel the warmth of his body … he was that close. The chiseled features of his face were sharp, and he would have looked almost arrogant in his good looks if he wasn’t smiling so much.
“What kind of ground rules?” he asked, and I threw my hands up in the air.
“I don’t know … no touching or kissing. I mean, I just need you to be present. I don’t need you to sell them a story,” I said, and Damien cocked his head to the side. I could see that he was studying me; his eyes were slowly taking in the sight of my body. I felt vulnerable and naked under his gaze. He was too handsome for me, too irresistible.
“And what happens at night when we have to share that bed?” he asked with a grin forming on his face again. He had pointed to my narrow bed in the corner with the pink linen. I had poor taste in colors as a kid.
“I’ll take the couch; you can sleep on the bed,” I said and pointed at the small couch under the bookshelves in the other corner. Damien looked at the couch, and then the expression on his face changed again. He was frowning.
“You can take the bed, I don’t mind,” he said, and I shook my head.
“I insist. I made you do this. The least I can do is offer you the bed,” I said, and Damien took a few more steps towards me. If I had moved even the slightest bit, my breasts would have grazed his chest. I could feel the goosebumps on my arms.
“I’ll take the couch, Mabel,” he said in a gruff voice while looking down at me.
“You won’t fit on the couch,” I said in a small, weak voice. His eyes were making me nervous. I was losing my train of thought again.
“You’re right; you’re quite small. I could lift you up with one hand,” he added in that same gruff voice. Our gazes remained locked. I felt like I was sinking right into his eyes as he continued staring at me. I gulped as I drunk in the sight of his lips, his sandy blonde hair, the width of his chest. He was right; he could lift me up easily. He could swing me around in his arms, and I would be nothing more than putty in his hands. Damn, that kiss was so hot!
“Anyway, we should go be with your family. They’ll think we were getting it on in here,” he said abruptly and stepped away from me. I felt my cheeks flush. Damien walked past me to my bedroom door and then turned to look at me again. The smile had returned to his face while I felt like the ground had been yanked away from beneath my feet. How could a stranger have this effect on me?
“Yeah, let’s go,” I said and followed him out of the door.
Chapter 10
Damien
The family was ready for dinner soon, and I discovered that the Pratts liked to sit around a long elongated oak table in a cozy dining room and every member of the family had assigned seats. Usually, it was Mabel’s youngest sister, Erica, who sat beside her for meals and since she got married, her new husband, Matthew, sat on the other side. Now the seating plan had to be changed a little so as to accommodate me beside Mabel.
“You guys didn’t think he was coming, did you?” Mabel looked at Oscar and her mother as they scurried to fit in an extra chair for me.
“We didn’t want to get ahead of ourselves; that’s all, sweetheart,” Shelly said and smoothened some strands of hair on Mabel’s head. She turned to me and gave me a smile as I pulled out the chair for Mabel.
Mabel, in turn, gave me a sour look, unhappy that I was being a gentleman and she sat down with a thump. Her sisters Linda and Elsie had already started to pour red wine into all our glasses, except Erica’s,
since she was pregnant. Shelly was tossing the salad at the end of the table while Oscar and Matthew were helping to serve the mashed potatoes.
“You keep sitting, sweetheart. This is your first time in our home. From the next time, you’ll be assigned duties as well,” Shelly said when I stood up to offer my help with the setting up. The two kids Daphne and Duke were still running around the place, and Mabel finally stood up to go lift them up and settle them into their chairs. Someone had turned music on in the background as well, and the house smelled deliciously of pork roast, red wine, and mashed potatoes. It was comforting and warm, and I was completely at ease here.
“So, are you a freelance designer?” Elsie’s husband Adam turned to me as we clinked our wine glasses together.
“You could say that I suppose. I run my own agency,” I told him, and from the corner of my eye, I could see that Mabel had looked up at me. She knew very little about me, and she definitely didn’t know this.