Beneath This Man(175)

'I didn't want to row over it.' he shrugs. 'They're here now.'

I look at my mother, who is smiling brightly at my challenging man, and then at my father, who executes his I'm-just-doing-as-I'm-told look. I return confused eyes to Mum. She is still smiling brightly and I'm mortified to see that she's obviously affected by Jesse. I don't know why I'm mortified, he draws the same reaction from all women and I need to remember that my mother is nearer to Jesse's age than I am.

Oh God!

'Urmm, Mum, Dad. This is Jesse.' I gesture between them. 'Jesse this is my Mum and Dad. Elizabeth and Joseph.' I hadn't planned for it to be like this. I hadn't planned it at all, actually.

'We've met.' Jesse says.

My eyes fly to his. 'What?'

'We've met.' he repeats himself, which is not necessary because I heard the first time.

His lips are twitching. Okay, I'm thoroughly confused. He sighs and walks towards us until he's stood in front of me, a bit close for comfort, considering my parents are just there and this is all a bit of a shock for them, and for me.

'I didn't go for a run this morning.' he says.

'You didn't?' I frown. 'You had your running kit on.'

He laughs lightly. 'I know. It's not what I would have chosen to wear to meet your parents, but desperate times.' He shrugs.

'You're making up for it now, Jesse.' My Mum pats his suit clad arm and my mouth drops open.

What the f*ck is going on here? I want to swear my head off, but my Mum hates swearing just as much as Jesse. Well, Mum hates all swearing, full stop. Jesse just hates me swearing, but thinks it is perfectly acceptable for him to rant like a sailor.

'I'm sorry.' I reach up and rub my temples. 'I'm confused.'

'Sit.' Jesse takes my arm and leads me over to a stool, taking a seat next to me. Mum resumes position next to Dad. 'I spoke to your Mum late last night. She was understandably worried about you and asked me lots of question.' He raises his brow at my Mum who laughs lightly.

'Nosey, isn't she?' Dad tuts, and Mum slaps his shoulder.

'She's my little girl, Joseph.'

'Anyway,' Jesse continues, 'I thought it was best for them to come and see for themselves that I'm not a raving loon, keeping you captive in our tower. So, here they are.'

'Here we are.' Mum sings. She clearly has no issues with the mature, stunning man who is gently stroking my hand.

I try and recover from shock. 'So, you met them this morning? Why?' I ask.

'I felt I needed to explain myself.' Jesse says. I look at him and could weep. I can't believe he's done this. 'Ava, neither of us anticipated each other and for very different reasons. I know your parents opinion counts for a lot to you, and as it means so much to you, it means a lot to me too. My priority is you. You're all that matters to me. I love you.'

I hear my Mum hit the deck in her mental faint and my Dad, although emotionally detached, gives an approving nod. 'All any father wants is for their daughter to be taken care of.' Dad reaches over and puts his hand out to Jesse. 'I believe you'll do good.'

Jesse accepts my Dads offering. 'It's my fulltime job.' Jesse smiles, Mum swoons and I laugh.

Good God!

Jesse raises a sardonic eyebrow at me. He knows what I'm thinking. Are my Mum and Dad aware of how serious he is when he says that? I have to commend Jesse on his speech, though. He's won them over fair and square, and I do feel like I've had a huge burden lifted from my shoulders, but I'm conscious that they don't know Jesse's business nature and what he did when he drank. Or about the punishment he subjected himself to because he thought he had failed me, because he thought he deserves retribution - or the fact that I could be pregnant. I could go on forever. That's a whole other weight on my shoulders. Did he explain to them about the drinking? After Matt's call to them, they must be wondering.

Mum gets down from her stool and makes her way around the island, her eyes all glazed. 'Come here, you silly sod!' She pulls me down from the stool and throws her arms around me. I hiss a few times, clenching my eyes shut. 'You've got yourself in a right pickle. You've fallen in love, Ava. You should have told me.' she soothes.

Oh, I have got myself in a pickle, but for a whole lot more reasons than she knows.

'Right, are we eating or what? And I'm gagging for a pint.' My Dad drags me back to the here and now.