Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71497 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71497 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Pushing that conversation to the back of my mind, though, I pulled in and parked, putting on a relaxed expression I hoped looked believable. “Ready?”
He’d better be because they pulled in next to us and his mother was already out of the vehicle. She wasn’t happy, but she was looking very normal and like any other human mom who was pissed at her son.
“Yes, Daddy.” Kenzie leaned over and kissed my cheek, not caring about our audience. “Don’t worry. I’m keeping you even if they don’t like you.”
He seemed to think that would make me feel much better, but before I could question him, his mother was tugging on the door handle. “Mackenize McMillan, did you find your mate without telling your mother?”
Oops.
“Kenzie.” The frustrated tone in my voice had him pointing a big smile my way.
“No one says mates anymore. We use boyfriend or partner or spouse. Real words.” His response and maybe the way he was ignoring his mother was making her even more insane. It was also making her eyes sparkle and I could definitely see where Kenzie got his looks from.
I hadn’t actually meant to comment on it, but the shock of the situation had the words popping out. “You’ve got her eyes, cutie.”
Yep, she could hear me.
But it seemed to work in my favor because her frustration level dropped dramatically and I got a warmer smile.
“Yeah, I’m a weird mix of both of them. I’m really glad I’m not as short as her, though.” Kenzie seemed dead set on making her nuts because he giggled as she glared at him again. “Hi, Mom. I can’t open the door while you’re this close.”
Yep, he was poking at her.
Dragons liked to live dangerously.
Thankfully for both of us, his father looked much more laid back and seemed to be trying not to laugh as he climbed out of the driver’s seat. No dragon sparkles and no frustration there. He seemed completely unaffected by his wife’s anger and his son’s cheeky responses.
Seemed like a good sign to me.
His mother looked like she was going to charge back in, but Keith wrapped her up tight and took a few steps back, cutting off her frustration mid-stream. “Kenzie, come apologize to your mother and tell your…your partner why she’s a bit miffed at you.”
Understatement of the year right there.
Kenzie seemed to have complete confidence that he wasn’t about to die, though, and nodded with a big smile. “I did.”
Kind of.
I wasn’t going to throw him under the bus, though, so I didn’t point out that he might’ve left out a few important details. “How about you introduce me?”
Climbing out of the car to make it clear to Kenzie he had to stop fucking with his mother, I ignored his giggles and focused on looking relaxed and completely at ease with the situation. It seemed to work, thankfully, because his mother didn’t look like she was going for his neck any longer and his father held out his hand as I came around the front of the car. “Good to meet you. I’m Keith McMillan.”
Kenzie decided being polite was a good idea now that he was in strangling distance and completed the introductions.
When we were all politely introduced, I stepped closer to Kenzie just in case I had to protect him and tried to decide what to say next. “I was thinking that we should have you over for dinner next week. We’ll have to figure out a time that works for everyone.”
I shrugged as they looked slightly surprised. “With my job, my schedule can be interesting to work around, though.”
I had no idea what had them giving each other curious stares, but Kenzie did. “I told you I’d find someone who could take care of me. Daddy cooks and makes sure I have hot meals and don’t just eat cupcakes.”
It was the first time anyone had introduced me as Daddy to their parents, so I found myself smiling at Kenzie for a variety of reasons. “You take very good care of me too, and you’re not a picky eater, so it’s not a problem.”
He seemed to eat almost anything that wasn’t soup, so I wasn’t going to complain about cooking for him. If I didn’t, it would just leave us eating salads and sandwiches, which would end up punishing both of us. Nope. I didn’t mind cooking at all.
“That sounds lovely. Thank you for inviting us over.” Lindsay smiled politely and didn’t remark on the fact that I was asking her over to have dinner at her son’s house.
“I’m looking forward to it.” They seemed to sense the honesty in my response because their smiles were less polite and more genuine. “Kenzie’s had nothing but wonderful things to say about you both even though we haven’t been seeing each other long.”
I was hoping that reminding them both we’d only been dating about a week would smooth over some of his mother’s frustration, but I wasn’t sure it worked.