“Thank you all for coming,” I say, as I make my way to the table where everyone sits.

“You better not have knocked up my sister because—”

“Thomas,” his mother stops him. “Let him speak.”

Claire’s family is here and so are my parents. They listen to everything I have to say without interruptions.

“Why isn’t she here?” Mr. Solis asks.

“There are many factors involved. I can’t offer her something I don’t have. Before I can give her options, I have to know they are tangible,” I say. “My team and I are leaving for London in a couple of hours.”

Nikki laughs. “Seriously, you’re buying her a company; what if she doesn’t want it?”

I glance at her, is she for fucking real? “If you know Claire, you know I’m doing the right thing. If she had the money, she’d buy it.”

“I still don’t like you,” Thomas says. “But this is a good start.”

“We always knew you’d work things out with her,” Mom says, excited.

“Mom, Dad.” I take a deep breath, because fuck, if this isn’t the worst time to bring this up. “Look, I’m sorry for what I’m about to say. I should’ve done it before but…Claire and I aren’t a couple, yet.”

Mom frowns and says, “You two live together.”

I shake my head, “She lives next door, I got lucky. The truth is, she worked for me. She was going on vacation to Cancun and I thought…”

I hang my head and give them the entire story, from beginning to end.

“She likes you and she’s pretty uncomfortable about the situation,” I say. “I just didn’t want to accept I had fucked up things between us.”

“Language, Milo.”

“Milo,” Thomas laughs hysterically.

“Shut the fuck up, Tom-Tom.”

Nikki is the next to laugh and she actually high-fives me.

“I believe in you,” Nikki says. “I have to go but keep me posted.”

“Just don’t say anything to her yet. I don’t want to give her any false hopes,” I request.

“Well, Mom, cover for me because if I see her sad, I’m going to tell her everything,” Nikki says. “I’m helping by staying on the sidelines.”

“I don’t understand why you felt like you had to lie to us,” Mom says upset. I know she won’t be over this for years.

“Because you’re always meddling in his life, Crystal,” Dad answers. “He’s your son and you want the best for him, but sometimes, you have to let him live and make mistakes in order to find his own path.”

“If not, they will lie and run away from you,” Mrs. Solis adds. “She cares about you, Miller, and I hope you can make things work for the two of you.”