Savor You (Fusion #5)(30)

“Me too,” I reply. “Have you filled them all in now?”

“No.” She finishes her second cupcake and sighs. “Landon and Cami know it all because I just had to talk to someone about it. The others know bits and pieces. We’ll probably have a girls night soon. I’ll drink too much and spill everything, then throw up and all will be right with the world again.”

“Really. Is that what women do?”

“That’s what these women do.”

“Good to know.” I laugh and kiss her forehead. “What would you like to do with the rest of your Sunday?”

“What time is it?”

“Just past one. You napped for a while.”

“Shit,” she mutters and reaches for her phone. “I have to do dinner with my parents tonight. We do it one Sunday every month, and it’s today.”

I quickly rethink my plans for an evening in with lasagna and movies. “When do you have to leave?”

“Around three. Mom and Dad like to eat early. I think it’s a law that older people have to eat dinner before five. Oh, and you’re coming with me.”

“I am? Why?”

Her head jerks up. “You don’t want to go?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Well, Landon and Cami won’t be there today, so I thought it would be a quiet way for you to meet them. But maybe I’m being dumb. You don’t have to go at all. In fact, forget I said anything.”

I cover her mouth with mine, effectively shutting her up.

“I will go with you.”

“Is it weird?”

“No. I told you, this isn’t just about sex. I’d like to meet your parents.”

“Okay.” She nods and texts her mother. “I’m letting her know that I’m bringing a man. You do know that because they’re old fashioned, and because they’re my parents, my mother will have the wedding planned before we leave.”

“That’s convenient.” I bark out a laugh when she stares at me in horror. “It’ll be fun. I’m quite charming when I meet new people.”

“This might just make you run back to L.A.”

“I doubt it.” I kiss her again and she wiggles away, stands, and finger-combs her hair.

“I have to get ready.”

“You look fine to me.”

“I have to go home and change my clothes.”

“Let’s go. We’ll just take one car.”

“You’re a bit bossy.”

“Hello, pot.”

She laughs and accepts my hand, letting me lead her out to my car. “Get used to it.”



“So, where are you from, Camden?” Mia’s mom asks. The four of us are seated around the table in Mia’s parents’ home. They’re polite, and I can tell by the glint in their eyes that they’re very interested in what my intentions are with their daughter.

Not that I can tell them that. I haven’t even told Mia that.

“Kirkland, just outside of Seattle.”

“Nice area,” her father says.

We’ve spent the past hour talking about television, being a chef, and how pretty Mia was as a baby. The latter much to Mia’s dismay.

“What Mia needs is a nice man to settle down with,” Mrs. Palazzo says, making Mia’s eyes go wider than I’ve ever seen them.

“Mother!”

“It’s the truth,” her dad says. “You should get married and have babies. You’re not getting any younger, and you have the hips for it. You would give us plenty of grandchildren.”

“I sure wish the floor would open up and swallow me now,” Mia says, pinching the bridge of her nose. I can’t help it. All I can do is sit back in my seat and laugh.

“Well, I mean, does Mia come with a dowry?” I ask, unable to keep from smiling when Mia glares daggers at me. Her father’s eyes narrow, as if he’s considering it.

“I’m sure we could come up with a mutually beneficial agreement.”

“Mom.”

“He’s kidding,” her mother says, but Mia shakes her head no.

“He’s not kidding. Make it stop.”

“We are certainly not arranging for Mia to have a dowry,” she says sternly.

“I’m completely kidding,” I add, holding my hands up in surrender. “Mia doesn’t need a dowry.”

Her father almost pouts as he takes a bite of his garlic bread.

“I see where Mia gets her talent for cooking. This is delicious.”

“I like him,” Mrs. Palazzo says with a nod. “Mia, come help me with dessert.”

“If you’re not here when I get back, I totally understand,” Mia says. “I had no idea that my parents would actually try to talk you into marrying me.”

“I’m fine,” I reply honestly. “Go get us dessert.”

She glares at her father. “Be nice.”

When Mia and her mother are in the kitchen, Mr. Palazzo smiles at me with a shrug. “It’s fun to rile her up.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

“Of course her mother and I want her to find a special man. We want many grandchildren. But the most important thing is that Mia finds someone worthy of her.”