“Obviously.” He pulled out some orange juice to drink, taking a swig before turning back to face her.
Carly came in and looked from one of them to the other. “We missed you,” she said softly.
He raised his brows. “Really? Looked like you all did fine.”
“You were busy,” Mandy reminded him.
“I didn’t tell you to leave the house because I had to practice.”
Mandy shrugged. “I went for a walk and ran into Eddie and Carly. We went window-shopping. Everything’s all decked out for Valentine’s Day. Hearts and flowers everywhere.”
“And Zach just drove by while you were out? Right?”
“Yes, that’s right.” Mandy crossed her arms over her chest.
“Bullshit.” Joe put the juice away. “I’m going to shower. We have to leave in about thirty minutes. You might want to get dressed.” He looked her up and down. “And trust me. With my father, jeans won’t cut it.” He stalked past and went to her bedroom.
He pulled off his clothes, throwing them on the bedroom floor then walked into the bathroom. Joe got into the shower, turned on the water and stood beneath the streaming water. So Zach gave them a ride home. Why the hell was he so bent about it? Shit.
He got his hair wet and looked for shampoo, swearing when the only thing he found was some damn female fruity crap. He poured some out and used it anyway. He didn’t think Eddie would appreciate him wandering wet and naked upstairs to get his suitcase.
He climbed out of the shower and dried himself then used the hairdryer on his long hair. Joe walked naked into the bedroom to find Mandy still dressed in jeans and he shook his head.
“Mandy, you can’t wear jeans.”
“Why not?”
“You just can’t.”
He pulled down the garment bag and got out his clothes. He tugged on a pair of briefs, then a white shirt. He pulled on his suit pants, zipping them up. He tugged the leather belt out of the garment bag and put it on, adjusting his shirt cuffs. He shrugged into his suit jacket, all the while ignoring Mandy, who sat on her bed watching him with a pissed frown. Finally, he tied his tie, put on his socks and dress shoes then he was ready to go, but she was still in the damn jeans and T-shirt she started in. His father would have a coronary. Joe growled and started going through her clothes to find something for her to wear.
“What are you doing?”
“Looking for something for you to wear.” He turned to glare at her.
“I look just fine.”
“I’m not debating that, but you cannot wear jeans.”
“Why?” Her voice rose.
“Are you freaking kidding me? Didn’t you hear the conversation I had with my father? Don’t you get it?” He fought to keep an even tone…losing the fight miserably.
“I guess I’m just stupid.”
He bit his lip to keep from rising to her taunt. “Jeans are not proper attire. Don’t you have a dress?”
“A dress?”
“Yeah. Or a skirt? Something female.”
“You’re joking, right?”
“No, I’m not.”
“I’m not wearing a dress,” she yelled.
“God damn it, Mandy. This visit was your fucking idea. I could have gotten out of it,” He was shouting…he knew it but he couldn’t stop.
“How?”
“Somehow.”
“I look perfectly fine.”
“Right. Fine. Just fine. Wear whatever the hell you fucking want, but don’t be surprised when he assumes you’re rock-and-roll trailer trash.”
“That’s it.” Eddie threw open the door. “Damn you, my daughter is not trailer trash.”
“I never said she was, Eddie.”
“The hell you didn’t.”
Joe lifted his eyes to the ceiling, fighting the urge to howl. This was the capper to a fabulous day. He woke up and his True Mate’s father tried to beat the shit out of him. Then his own father called sending waves of disappointment down the phone lines and he got stuck going to visit and finally, his Mate comes home grinning at another male while her father wants to jump him for round two. Fuck this.
“Daddy, you’re not helping,” Mandy said quietly.
“Listen, dude.” Joe turned on Eddie. “Your daughter suggested we go visit my parents for the day. Leopold Schwarzerwulf will look down his aquiline nose at her if she shows up in jeans and a T-shirt that says Everyone has a photographic memory but not everyone has film.”
“Why can’t he accept me as I am?”
“That’s not my father. He’s exacting. He’ll judge you.”
“I can get cleaned up but why a dress? What’s wrong with jeans?”
Joe shook his head. “Wear whatever the hell you want, but expect to be judged and found wanting. My father is a demanding, exacting male so what you’re wearing will not impress him. Jeans won’t impress him. He’ll be expecting you to be dressed up. I’m trying to help you out here, but it seems like you don’t want anything from me. Fine. That’s cool.” He took a deep breath. He pulled his wallet out of the pants lying on the floor and picked up his guitar case. “Toss me the keys. I’ll go out and start up the car, we’ve got to get going.”
“We’re not done with this conversation.”
“Yes, we are. Look, you already have a strike against you because you’re my True Mate. Wearing casual clothes will just add insult to injury, but it’s your call, angel. Be a badass if you want. Keys…”
“I can drive.”
“Like hell. I’m not going to pull up and get out of the passenger side and have my father ask me if I’ve been pussy whipped.”
“Dude,” Eddie growled.
“Oh, he won’t say it like that. Something along the lines of ‘has finding your True Mate unmanned you, Joseph?’ Like I need that question. Keys, damn it.”
She dug in her pocket and tossed. He caught them then left the room, shaking his head as he stalked out to start the car.
“I hate to say it, honey, but I think Joe’s right on this one.”
“Why?”
“I’ve met Leopold once. It was enough.”
“Is he horrible?”
“No. He struck me as a good male, but it’s all about rules and regs with him. Proper behavior. Shit like that. T-shirt and jeans aren’t proper to him—especially for a daughter-in-law.”
Mandy sighed. She knew her father was right, but she didn’t want to admit it. It stung when Joe had ignored her after talking to his father. She could have danced around naked in the living room while he practiced and his only reaction would have been to tell her to get dressed so they wouldn’t be late. But showing up like this would only hurt her, not Joe. Oh it might hurt Joe too, but…
“He’s been such a bastard today,” she muttered.
“Well, if you were looking for payback I think you managed it by accepting a ride home with Zach. Joe looked a little sick to his stomach.”
“Did he?” Mandy winced when she realized how hopeful and happy she sounded about hurting her True Mate. What the hell was wrong with her?
“You know he did. He hurt you so you hurt him. We should have walked back.”
“We didn’t need to though.” Eddie snorted and Mandy ducked her head. “I’m new to this True Mate stuff.”
“Bullshit.” Eddie hugged her. “Honey, don’t do what I did. Don’t sabotage your relationship just as it’s getting started. You may hurt him, but you hurt yourself far worse. I could have had years of support from Carly, but I pushed her away. You have to let him in.”
“He ignored me and I didn’t like it.”
“After he talked to his father?”
“Yeah.”
“He and his old man have been at odds ever since Joe struck out on his own at twenty. Give Joe a break and talk to him. He’s basically a good guy.”
“Are you softening up about him?”
“Maybe. I’ll see.” He shook his head, “Hell, you just met. You should still be in the honeymoon perio
d, not having your first fight.”
Mandy laughed. “Well, I guess we’re ahead of schedule. Why don’t you go, so I can change.”
“Good call. Have a nice visit.” He kissed her forehead and closed the door as he left.
Mandy surveyed her closet, smiling as her eyes caught something feminine that was still her. When she walked out to the car fifteen minutes later, she was glad she’d compromised. Joe’s face lit with admiration.
“You look beautiful, angel,” he told her softly, taking her hand and kissing it.
“This old thing?” She grinned, as she waved at the knee-length red silk dress and matching heels she wore.
“It’s just right. Dressy without being over the top. I’m sure my father will approve.”
She frowned. “Why is that such a big deal to you?”
He sighed, looking down. “I love my father. I know it sounds like I don’t but I really do. He’s a hard taskmaster and I’m such a regular fuckup I don’t want anything to rub off on you. You’re gorgeous and smart. I want him to give you a chance. In this dress, he will.”
“Are you sure he’ll like it?”
“Oh, yeah. You’re stunning.” He hugged her, leaning close, he whispered in her ear. “I’m sorry I ignored you earlier. It wasn’t you. I just needed to practice. When King Leopold orders a command performance I need to be in top form.”
She leaned back and looked up into his eyes. “You weren’t?”
“Not even close. It’s still not good, but with two hours practice I don’t feel so shaky.”
“Eddie said you guys were practicing all week for the gig last night.”
“There’s a major distinction between rock guitar and classical guitar. Different mindset. Different practice style. It’s just different. If my father wanted me to bring my Les Paul and shred the hell out of it, I could have spent the morning in bed with you, which is what I wanted to do. But he told me to bring the Hauser. I haven’t touched it in a week. At least not to play classical. I use it to play acoustic rock music, but that’s not the same.”
Mandy nodded. “I’m sorry we caught a ride home with Zach. I was hurt so I wanted to hurt you back.” He dipped his head and she kissed his cheek in apology. “I really am Daddy’s little girl.”
“We both messed up. I assumed you understood how insecure I was feeling and you thought I didn’t want you.”
“Still love me, Joe?”
“Yeah. You still love me, angel?”
“Yeah.”
He pulled her close and their mouths met in a warm kiss. Joe’s phone began to play Ride of the Valkyries and Mandy groaned. “Your father has crappy timing.”
“He’s making sure we’ve left.” He pulled out the phone and answered it. “We’re leaving right now, Father.”
“Good. We’ll expect you at one. Drive carefully.” Mandy heard the click when Leopold hung up and she shook her head.
“Wow.”
“Welcome to the family.”
Chapter Nine
Mandy looked at the residential area they turned into, her eyes widening. She’d been expecting comfortable but the houses here were upscale. This was upper-middle class or lower-end rich housing.
“How do they afford this? They’re musicians, aren’t they?”
“Yeah, but they hooked up with academia when they first settled in Denver. Both had two salaries—for academia and performance. Now the academic pension is allowing them to maintain a nice living, plus they both still take students.”
“What do they teach? You haven’t told me much about them.”
“Father is a violinist. He’s played since he was eight and he’s seventy-two now.”
“He must be really good if he’s been playing sixty-four years.”
“He is. I think Father could have been a soloist if he’d really wanted to. He’s talented and feels the music. You know? He doesn’t just play his violin—it sings.”
“And your mother?”
“Ah, Mother…” He smiled. “She’s wonderful.”
“Musically? Or is she nonmusical?”
“Oh, no. She sang on Broadway. When Father met her, she was understudy for the part of Maria Von Trapp in The Sound of Music. It was a touring group and Father had been hired for the pit.”
“So that’s why your ringtone plays Maria?”
“And it’s her name. Convenient, huh?”
Mandy laughed. “Yeah. Very.”
“I really think you’ll like her and she’ll like you too.”
“I hope so.” Mandy cocked her head. “A popular music singer. So how did the Miss Musical Theater mesh with Mr. Classical.”
“Good question. Mother made the switch to opera. Does that give you your answer? Mother has a lovely coloratura voice so the transition went fine. She also plays piano so she teaches both voice and piano.”
“Is she a lot younger than your father?”
“Not a lot, no. She’s sixty-six years old. Well, she’ll be sixty-seven next week. She was born on Valentine’s Day.”
“Your birthdays are really close together.”
“Yeah, that’s probably why we get along so well.”
“So she’s five years younger than your father? Like us, huh?”
“Same age difference, yeah, but I wouldn’t encourage you to switch from one type of photography to another. Essentially that’s what Leopold did with Mother. I think she enjoyed musical theater but she changed because Father wanted her to.” Joe shook his head.
“Has she said that?”
“No, but they’re True Mates. You can’t get her to say a word against him…ever.”
“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”
“I suppose. I just wish I was sure the change had been her idea instead of wondering all these years whether she sang opera just to make him happy.” He pulled into a long driveway. “This is it.”
Joe pulled up and stared at the house.
“Nice place.” It was a perfectly maintained Tudor-style home.
“My bedroom was on the right side up there.” He pointed. “I used to climb out on Saturday nights when I was too young to drive.”
“Where did you go?”
“Rock concerts or I’d sneak into local rock clubs. Once I was old enough to drive, I told Father I had a date then I either went to play a gig somewhere, or went to concerts.”
“Rebel child. I bet you were a handful.”
“I suppose I was.”
Mandy looked at the window he said he’d crawled out of and shuddered. “You know you could have killed yourself up there.”
“I climbed down to the gabled roof. Slid down that then dropped to the ground.”
Mandy shook her head. “Carly keeps telling me she hopes I have pups like me. I sure hope we don’t have pups like you or I’ll be gray by the time I’m forty.”
Joe grinned. “Gotta love me.”
Mandy laughed. “Yeah. I do.” She leaned over to kiss him, sighing when he pulled her close to kiss her back. She eased away. “You’ll muss me and I went to a lot of work to look this good.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll muss you on the way home.”
“That will be fine.” Mandy started to open her door.
“No, don’t get out. I’ll come around and open the door for you.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I want to. Anyway, we’re already under scrutiny and I better be on best behavior.”
“So you do it to impress your father, not me. Huh?” she teased.
“I’m multitasking.”
He climbed out, came around to open the door for her. He held out his hand to assist her. Mandy climbed out, then adjusted the strap of her camera bag and looked up at Joe.
“I’m nervous.”
“Don’t be. They’ll love you.” He pulled her close to hug her and gave her a kiss again. It helped.
She took a deep breath. “Okay, get your guitar and let’s go.”
Joe blinked. “Oh hell. My guitar.
I completely forgot it.”
Mandy laughed. “I feel way better now. This time you paid attention to me and ignored the guitar.”
“I’ll try to always do that in the future. I can’t make any guarantees though.”
“I know. Musicians are like that.”
Joe pulled his guitar case out of the backseat and took her hand to lead her to the front door. It creaked open. It looked like no one was there until a tall, imposing man came into view. That had to be Leopold.
It is. Father loves to scare the crap outta people by doing a Lurch imitation at the front door.
Language, Joseph, she teased.
Joe winked at her with a laugh and led her up the steps.
“Joseph. It is good of you to visit. Come in.” Leopold opened the door wider, stepping back into the entry hall to give them room to enter before shutting the door behind them. He stepped between them, looking from Joe to her, obviously waiting for a formal introduction.
“Father, this is Mandy Goldwolf. My True Mate.”
“Mandy? Did your parents not give you a proper name?”
“Amanda,” Joe interjected.
“Ah, much better. It is lovely to meet you, Amanda.”
Mandy cocked her head as she assessed her father-in-law. Imposing. Shaggy white eyebrows and a shock of white hair covered his head. His eyes were ice blue, and his face was chiseled—like a marble statue. She could see Joe in him…their facial structure was the same, but Joe’s dark eyes made him seem warmer. On top of his striking features Leopold wore a dark suit, white shirt and red tie. Whoa. Imposing was the only word that fit.
“Do you not speak, young lady? Are you perhaps mute?
Mandy grinned at him. “Just looking you over. Joe looks like you so you musta been a real hottie when you were younger.”
“A what?” His brows rose and his eyes widened.
Joe stiffened in horror, seemingly frozen in place. Mandy smiled at her mate. She wasn’t going to pretend to be something she wasn’t. Not now, not ever. Mandy opened her mouth to respond, but before she could a cultured female voice cut in.
“You’re right, my dear. He was a…how did you put it? Yes, a hottie.” Maria entered the hall, crossing to take Leopold’s arm, smiling up at him. “Weren’t you, my love?”
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