Trouble with the Fake Boyfriend (Rock Bottom #3) - Holly Renee Page 0,18
we here?”
“We are.” I pulled the keys out of the ignition and tucked them into my pocket.
Brooke stared out the windshield of the car at my home, and I tried to imagine how she was seeing it. The only time she had ever been to Tennessee, she had been to Tucker’s parents’ house.
And Tucker’s house was at least two times the size of my mom and dad’s. I didn’t come from money. My parents worked their asses off every day to give me the things I wanted and needed, and I didn’t really realize until I got older how much of a toll that must have taken on them.
I never appreciated anything the way that I should have.
But my parents never really acknowledged the fact either. I always thought we had just as much as everyone else, even when we didn’t
I wasn’t embarrassed by the fact, but I just wanted to know what was running through her head.
“You could have stopped at a rest stop.” She pulled the mirror down and started fixing her hair. “Your mom’s going to think, ‘Oh great. Liam brought a hobo home that he found on the side of the road’.”
I chuckled. “You do not look like a hobo.”
She pulled a small bag out from the much larger one by her feet and started pulling out all sorts of products. She wiped under her eyes where mascara had run then started dabbing some crap in its place.
“You don’t need all that. You look beautiful.” I wasn’t just saying that either. She did look beautiful. She always did.
“I appreciate the sentiment, Liam, but I am not walking into that house to meet your parents for the first time looking like this.” She started rubbing gloss on her lips.
If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was at least half as nervous as I was.
“I’m going to start getting the bags out of the trunk.” It might take me all night too. That girl could pack.
I pulled our bags from the car and waited as she climbed out of the passenger seat and straightened out her clothes. She was dressed comfortably for the long drive, and I could tell that it bothered her. I rarely ever saw Brooke not dressed to the nines.
“This way.” I nodded toward the front door and grabbed all our bags.
“I can get one of those.” She started to reach for one of her bags, but I moved it farther away from her. “So my mom can have my balls first thing? No, thank you.” It didn’t matter if my mom was here or not. That girl was crazy if she thought I’d let her carry her bags.
She walked behind me, close enough that I could still smell the scent of her perfume, and I hesitated at the front door before pushing it open. “You ready for this?”
“As ready as I’m ever going to be.” She shrugged, and I grinned as I stepped through the door.
“Mom?” I set our bags against the wall. “Dad? Where are y’all at?”
My mom came around the corner with a dishrag in her hand and a giant smile on her face. “Jim,” she yelled my dad’s name. “You owe me money.” Then she walked right past me, her only son who she hadn’t seen in months, and wrapped Brooke in her arms.
“Liam’s dad and I had a little bet about whether or not you were real.” She grinned at Brooke and held her at arm’s length so she could get a good look at her. “I mean of course you’re real, but that you’re really dating our son.”
Brooke laughed, almost nervously, and I worried that we’d blow it before we even got started.
“It took a lot of convincing on his part.” Brooke laughed as my mother smiled.
“Well, come on in.” My mom backed out of her way and motioned toward the kitchen. The heart of this house.
As she passed me, she patted my cheek and winked at me, actually winked at me, but I couldn’t lie and say it didn’t feel good to see her so happy. Even if her happiness was due to my lies.
“Your home is beautiful.” Brooke turned in a circle to take in the kitchen and my mom beamed at her compliment.
“Thank you.” She walked up to the stove and stirred something that smelled absolutely delicious. “There’s about thirty years of work and constant changes. Bless my poor husband.”
Right on cue, my dad walked into the room behind me and clapped me on