Chapters (44)
I can tell my mom doesn’t totally understand why I’d want to live in the dorms when I could have an off-campus apartment, but she keeps her comments mostly positive as I lead them up the stairs and to my room.
I introduce them to Emily and Sydney, who are sitting on the couch watching TV. A glance around the room, and I can tell they picked up for my parents.
Bri is closed up in her room so it’s a quick tour of my room and the living area, which only takes a few seconds to really see. I’m just about to usher them back out so we can say our goodbyes when there’s a knock at the door.
“I’ll get it.” Sydney leaps from the couch to answer it.
“Thank you for coming,” I say as I hug my mom tightly.
Sydney calls out from the door, “Chlo, it’s for you.”
33
NATHAN
Shaw and I’d been playing video games for the better part of two hours when I couldn’t take it anymore. No texts, no calls. Shit, I’d take communication by pager right now. Morse code. An owl. I just want to know I didn’t screw things up beyond repair. Gabby told me to be patient, but I’m failing pretty miserably with that virtue.
Which is how I end up standing in Chloe’s dorm with her parents looking me over. Shit.
“What are you doing here?” Chloe asks. Her eyes widen, but she walks toward me.
I smile a little too big to cover the panic strumming through my veins. Meeting the parents was very clearly not on the list of to-dos tonight. Mine or hers.
“I…” I start to make an excuse, but I’ve told enough lies to last a lifetime. “I wanted to see you.”
She blushes and smiles as she turns to her parents. “Mom and Dad, this is Nathan, my boyfriend.”
My heart stops beating for a second at the word boyfriend. It’s the second time she’s shocked me by using it. The first time was the morning after our one night together when she was trying to please her roommates. I gotta wonder if right now she’s using it to please her parents. But when she glances back at me, her eyes dance with amusement and I know she means it. I haven’t lost her yet.
“Meet my parents, Ellie and Jeff Macpherson.”
I don’t miss the slight quirk of her dad’s eyebrows.
Her mom, however, isn’t so subtle. “Chloe Marie, you didn’t mention a boyfriend.”
I step toward them with my heart beating a million times per minute. “Nice to meet you.”