Part 26 (2/2)
”Erica, this is my mother, Catherine.”
Catherine was a pet.i.te woman with short blond hair, tanned by the sun. She had cool blue eyes that reminded me of my own. She stepped back, smiling.
”Sweetheart, we have been dying to meet you! Blake has been keeping you all to himself.” She slapped him playfully on the arm before grabbing my hand. ”Come on in. I want you to meet Greg.”
She led us into a large kitchen where Blake's father was pulling trays out of the oven. He was wearing an ap.r.o.n over blue jeans and a T-s.h.i.+rt. Now I knew where Blake got his fas.h.i.+on sense.
”Greg, come say h.e.l.lo to Erica.”
Blake's father pulled off his oven mitts and the ap.r.o.n and joined us at the edge of the room. Tall, with graying dark brown hair, he was handsome and had a kind smile, his eyes glittering when they met mine. I saw so much of Blake in him.
”Wow. Good work, son.” He laughed heartily and surprised me next with a big hug. ”Wonderful to meet you finally. Blake speaks very highly of you.”
I fell speechless at the compliment. In fact, I hadn't been able to speak since I'd stepped into the Landon home. All of this was complete and utter overload.
”I hope you like chicken parm,” Greg said, easily filling the silence.
”I love it.” I smiled warmly.
”Oh that's right. Blake tells us you're a phenomenal cook. d.a.m.n, I hope this measures up.”
Blake laughed as he took two beers out of the fridge. ”All right, guys. Tone it down. Seriously. Want to get some fresh air? Otherwise these two will literally suffocate you with questions and compliments.”
”That doesn't sound so bad,” I joked. Blake's parents seemed amazingly sweet. I was definitely feeling overwhelmed, though.
”Go on you two. Everyone's out on the deck,” Catherine said, motioning us out of the kitchen.
Blake caught my hand in his, and we pa.s.sed through a large living room and onto a deck that spanned the length of the house, overlooking the ocean.
Heath and Alli turned toward us from their position at the railing.
”You!” Alli crossed her arms defensively and gave me a terse look.
Oh s.h.i.+t. She'd been right about hunting me down.
”Hey,” I said timidly.
She pushed off the railing and came closer, pointing at me with her manicured finger. ”Don't hey me, Erica. You are in huge freaking trouble. Do you have any idea how worried I've been about you? Who doesn't call their best friend back for weeks at a time? I mean seriously-”
”Calm down, babe. She just got here.” Heath rested his arm over her shoulder and gave her a little squeeze.
I recoiled a bit, leaning back into Blake's body, hoping he could somehow save me from the wrath of Alli. She was completely overreacting, not to mention killing the moment.
”Is there anything else you need to get off your chest? Now's the time,” I said, only half-joking.
She twisted her lips into a half smile. ”I love that skirt on you. I want it back.”
I laughed, and before I could say anything, she crossed over and pulled me into a hug. I hugged her back, realizing how much I'd missed her.
”Don't you ever do that to me again.”
”Sorry.” My voice m.u.f.fled quietly into her shoulder. I'd been keeping the truth from so many people for so long, sometimes I didn't even know who I was anymore.
”Apology accepted.” She stepped back. ”Now, do you want to explain to me what the h.e.l.l is going on?”
I glanced up at Blake and back to her. ”Let's talk later, okay? I'm sure their parents aren't interested in hearing about my drama.”
”I wouldn't go that far,” Heath chimed in, his eyes wide. ”Fair warning. You'll be lucky if we can get through dinner without getting the third degree on why you and Blake aren't together anymore.”
My eyes widened anxiously. This was looking more and more like an intervention that might end in tears and rehab for me too. No one could fully appreciate how fragile I'd been these past few weeks. I'd been worn down to the point where I seriously wondered if I was taking years off my life with the stress.
Blake kissed me on the cheek and whispered in my ear. ”Don't worry. I'll keep them occupied. Just relax and have fun.”
Catherine joined us, with Fiona in tow. Fiona looked perfect in a teal striped top and short white shorts.
”Erica, I'm so glad you could come,” she squealed, giving me a tight hug.
My throat tightened with emotion. Too much hugging. I couldn't handle all these people being so happy to have me close. Before I could overthink it, Catherine announced that dinner was ready. We all settled at the table outside on the other side of the deck. I sat between Alli and Blake, which was a relief.
”Erica, tell us about your family,” Catherine began as we started digging into the meal.
”Mom,” Blake snapped.
”What?” She shook her head, wide-eyed, and looked back to me.
”It's okay. Um, my mother pa.s.sed away from cancer when I was thirteen. My stepfather remarried while I was away at boarding school, so I don't really have a lot of close family now.”
”Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry.”
I shrugged, not wanting to seem emotional or upset about it. Plus, I'd barely scratched the surface. ”Thank you. It's fine, though. I get to make my family wherever I go now.”
Alli grinned and leaned into me a little.
Greg finished a bite of salad. ”Tell us about your business. Blake tells us that you're part of a rare species of women in technology.”
I glanced over to Blake whose lips twisted into an annoyed grimace. Greg opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Heath cleared his throat.
”Sorry to interrupt you there, Dad, but we have an announcement.”
The blood drained from Catherine's face. Alli rushed to speak.
”I've decided to move back to Boston.”
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