9. Chapter Nine

As we pulled up to the quaint little white farmhouse on the outskirts of Kristiansand where Matty had grown up and his mom still lived, nerves started to get the better of me. The second Matty threw the car into park, I grabbed the door handle, planning to open the door and jump out. Movement was the only thing that helped burn off my excess energy, and I'd been cooped up in the car for over three hours. I needed to move.

"Wait, wait," Matty said, putting a hand on mine. "Don't rush in just yet."

"Why not?"

He raised his eyebrows and tipped his head toward the other cars waiting in the driveway. One was a van, and I recognized it as part of the production. "We need to make an entrance for the cameras."

Frustrated, I let out a little groan and sighed. "Fine. But I need to move soon or I'm going to lose my mind."

Matty nodded in understanding, but before we could say anything further, Steve and Brock stepped out of the production van and waved at us, looking business casual in slacks and polos, both of them. The difference was, Brock had a massive camera in one hand plus a backpack of gear. Steve, on the other hand, looked fresh-faced and his hands were empty.

I tried not to groan again, the antsy energy making my limbs tense. The problem was, I wasn't just a ball of cooped-up energy wishing desperately I'd encouraged Matty to stop at more than one gas station. I was also worried about meeting Matty's mom, and that worry was manifesting itself in the need to move. I wanted to make a good impression, considering we were going to be in this thing for a long time. The producers had explained in no uncertain terms that once the visa cleared and Matty had come to the US for our wedding, we'd have to stay married for at least two years before Matty was safe to stay in the US without me. If we split before then, he risked being deported. It was critical that I left a good impression on his mom. If she hated me… well, it was going to be a long two years.

Steve met us at the car, all smiles. "Alright, gentlemen. Quick check-in. Matt, how much does your mom know about this whole situation?"

Matty grimaced. "I've only told her we're on a reality show, and Jared is visiting. She doesn't know about the premise of the show, or that I'm moving to America."

Steve's grin reminded me of a shark—predatory, hungry, and ready to eat us alive. "Thank you for following those instructions. She knows we're coming?"

Matty nodded. "I told her I was going to be on a TV show, but I didn't tell her more than that."

Steve nodded. "Perfection." He handed us mic packs to put on and gestured at Brock, who hurried in with the camera, hauling it up on his shoulder. "Jared, how are you feeling about meeting your soon-to-be in-laws?"

I smiled brightly and tried to look casual. "I'm really excited to finally meet everyone, you know? I've loved Matty since we were teenagers, first as friends and then more, of course. But because of the distance, I've never met his family in person. Sure, I've seen Kasper pass by the screen on occasion, but nothing more than that." As I mentioned Kasper, I tried to keep my tone neutral. He hated me, always had, because he thought I was a bad influence. It wasn't my fault that Matty and I had gotten into so much trouble when he lived with us… at least, not entirely.

"And what are you looking forward to most about meeting Ms. Solberg?"

"I can't wait to hug her. Matty always told me how great her hugs are. I want her to know how much I want to be a part of this family." That was the truth. I wasn't close with my parents anymore and I missed being a part of a loving, close-knit family.

Steve turned to Matty, and Brock swung the camera in his direction. "And Matt, are you nervous at all?"

Matty cast his gaze up while he thought about it. "I'm not particularly nervous to tell my mom about the show, or the marriage. I am nervous to tell her we're leaving the country, though. I know she'll be devastated."

Steve nodded and snapped at Brock to stop filming. Brock lowered the camera and gave Steve a thumbs-up.

"It looked good. I think we can go with what we've got."

"Perfect," Steve said. "Then let's get the show on the road."

We grabbed our overnight bags from the car and I followed Matty up the walk, trying hard not to look at the camera Brock held steady on our faces. We hesitated on the porch until Steve nodded his approval. Matty knocked twice on the door before pushing it open and calling out to his mom. "Mamma?" He called out a few words in Norwegian I assumed meant something like, "We're here," but since my Norwegian sucked, I couldn't be sure. We waited in the entryway for his mom to respond, which was just seconds later.

A tall, thin woman with crisp blue eyes and blonde hair that fell to her shoulders appeared from around the corner. The resemblance was strong, and I wondered if Kasper looked more like his father, because Matty was practically a clone of his mom. Around her waist was an apron, which she was drying her hands on as she approached.

"Matthias! Babyen min!" She pulled Matty into a tight hug for a long few seconds, eyes closed, breathing in his scent deeply. She murmured something in Norwegian into his shoulder before releasing him.

"I've missed you too, Mamma." He took a step back and gestured to me. "This is Jared."

"Yes, Jared! I've heard so much about you." She hugged me then, wrapping me in her warm embrace. As she hugged me, I caught the scent of something smoky, but I couldn't quite pin down what it was.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Solberg."

She stepped back and swatted my arm gently. "Enough of that. Call me Nina, please. Now, what's new?"

"Let's go sit, and I'll tell you everything," Matty suggested.

Nina nodded and led the way into a cozy living room, where we took our seats on a well-loved gray sofa and she settled into a matching armchair. "Tell me everything."

Matty took a deep breath and began explaining. "Well, as you know, I've been working as a travel writer for about ten years now."

She hummed. "And you've told me you'd like to branch out, travel to other parts of the world."

"Exactly. Well, a magazine based in America has offered me a position writing about American travel, starting with a sort of fish-out-of-water series. They like what I do here and want me to bring my voice to their publication. Long-term."

She clasped her hands and beamed. "Matthias, that's wonderful. But… does that mean you'll be moving to the States?" Nina furrowed her brow. "That can't be. You'll travel to America but live here, won't you?"

He took a deep breath, inhaling through his nose, and reached over to put his hand on my knee. Immediately, Nina's eyebrows shot up. "What's this?"

"Mamma, Jared and I… we're together now."

"Together?"

"That's what I wanted to tell you. I'm applying for a special visa that will help expedite my citizenship. And of course, that's where Jared comes in. We're… we're getting married."

Nina clapped her hands together, a smile overtaking her face. "That's wonderful! Oh, I'm so happy for you darling. Both of you." She beamed at us for a moment before her features clouded again, her brow dipping. "But where will you live?"

"America, Mamma. I'm moving to America."