19. The Truth

19

THE TRUTH

T he next morning, Andi got up earlier than Jarrett. She'd felt bad she fell asleep on him when he came back the second time.

When they went to bed, she made it up to him and they both were sleeping within minutes.

She woke before him and slipped downstairs to start coffee and breakfast. She learned that if she got up to shower, he'd get to the kitchen before her.

In the few weeks they'd been staying the night with each other, they'd gotten into a nice routine.

"You didn't get in the shower first," he said.

"No," she said. "Because then you would have come and started coffee. Why don't you go shower and I'll get breakfast going. How about pancakes? I've got a craving for them."

"Sounds good to me," he said. He was in his underwear and made his way closer,gave her a kissandthen she watched his ass as he walked out of the room.

She thought she had a long day yesterday, but it was nothing like he had.

She got everything out to start breakfast and then poured herself a cup of coffee.

Jarrett was in and out of the shower faster than she thought and joined her.

"Anything I can do to help?" he asked.

"I've got it," she said. "Have a seat."

"Actually," he said, "I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh," she said. This didn't sound good. "About what?"

"Us," he said. "I want to tell my mother. You know once I do they will want to meet you."

"Okay," she said.

"You're fine with it?" he asked.

"Why do you seem so shocked? We've been dating a few weeks short of two months at this point. Or thereabouts."

"True," he said.

"Did something happen yesterday?" she asked.

"Not really. Well, Alex knows."

"How is that?" she asked. "Did you tell him?"

"It's a small island. One of the guys on his crew saw us at dinner a few weeks ago. Nothing major there, but then he met Mac early the other day for the house inspection. He was going to get me to go too."

"And my car was here," she said. "Got it."

"Alex wanted to know why I was alone at the wedding."

"I had to work," she said. "And dating a few months doesn't mean you bring someone to a wedding that you probably responded to months ago."

"That's what I said. But with the holiday being in a few days, I know we planned it that I'd stay Christmas Eve and then have the morning with you and then I'd go visit my family a few hours and come back..."

"But your mother is liable to want me to go if she knows I'm alone?" she asked.

"Yes. She's going to ask about you."

"And Mac already knows, which means your father and brothers could too," she said. She could see them sharing things like that on the island, knowing their professions.

"They do," he said. "But I didn't want to do any of this if you weren't sure. If you didn't want to go and meet them."

Meaning he didn't want to have his mother have her feelings hurt so would hold off saying something if Andi decided she wasn't ready.

"I don't have a problem with it. I'm just not used to big family anything. You know that. What are you going to tell them about me?"

"I'm going to tell them what I know. Is that a problem?"

"No," she said. "I didn't know how much you would is all."

"I'm not going to give them a complete bio on you. They will know how we met. My mother will ask where you're from and I'll say Tulsa."

"You can say Denver too," she said. "I don't want you to have to lie to your family. It's the truth."

He smiled. "Don't worry about it," he said.

She was cooking breakfast and flipping the first batch of pancakes over. "Can you get me a plate?"

He turned and got one down and brought it over, his hand landing on her ass after.

She was in one of his T-shirts that he'd left here and she'd pulled it out to sleep in last night. The only other thing she had on was her underwear and slippers on her feet. The shirt covered her to about mid-thigh, but his hand was under it.

"I like seeing you in my shirt," he said.

"I like wearing your shirt. Any time you want to leave more here, you can."

"Is that an invitation to leave some changes of clothing here?" He normally wore cotton pants and abutton-downshirt to work and jeans on the weekend. Nothing all that crazy that he couldn't leave a change of both here.

Andi didn't dress up much for her job because she didn't want to ruin her clothing so she could leave a change at his place if he was willing.

"It is," she said. "I've got room."

"Then you can do the same at my place," he said.

She smiled and reached for the plate he'd set down,put the three pancakes on it and then handed them over. "Go eat. These will be a few minutes and I'll join you."

"I'll wait," he said. "They will stay warm enough. Or better yet, you go shower and I'll finish these. I know you won't wash your hair."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Go," he said.

She ran into her room and grabbed some clothes, then the bathroom and took a quick shower.

When she returned to the kitchen, breakfast was on the table,thepans and bowls were cleaned up and put in the dishwasher too.

"Aren't you just so sweet," she said.

"I try," he said. "Come eat."

She sat at the table and the two of them dove into breakfast. "Are you calling your mother today?"

"I am," he said. He looked at his watch. "Probably in an hour or so. She'll be up. She's always up early."

"You're going to do it in front of me?" she asked. She thought for sure he'd do it when he went home.

"I am," he said. "A problem with that?"

"No. What if she wants to meet me today?"

"She won't," he said. "Don't worry."

They ate their breakfast and just talked about the wedding after that. And when he said he was going to, he placed the call to his mother.

"Hi, Mom," Jarrett said. Andi could only hear one side of the conversation.

She listened to him calmly talk to his mother and say nothing was wrong and that he was dating someone. There was silence from Jarrett while he listened to his mother.

She heard her name said and a little about her. She guessed he did this so she'd know what he was saying and then he hung up.

"Not so bad," she said.

"I told you it wasn't. She wants to meet you but not today. She knows I'm here with you."

"Which means she will call you later tonight to find out more?" she asked, smiling. Her father was famous for that.

"Yes. Don't worry."

"I'm not. And rather than talk about this anymore, is there anything you want to do today or just relax before our workweek starts?"

"Relaxing sounds like the best thing to do."

"Good," she said. "But I'm dying for spaghetti and meatballs and am going to make a big pot. You can take some home too."

"You're too good to me."

"Maybe I'm thinking the same of you."

Which would only make the hurt worse if she was forced to leave again.