Chapter 18

18

Sofia

I take a deep breath as I stand in front of the mirror, smoothing down my dress for the tenth time. Tonight is a big night—I'm finally meeting Rhett's parents. To say I'm nervous would be an understatement.

"You look beautiful," Rhett compliments, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. He presses a soft kiss to my neck.

I lean back against him, drawing comfort from his solid presence. "Are you sure? Maybe I should change..." I trail off as I look at myself closely in the mirror.

Rhett turns me in his arms to face him. "Baby, you look perfect. They are going to love you, I promise."

I bite my lip, still feeling uncertain. "What if they don't? What if they think I'm not good enough for you?"

"Hey," Rhett says softly, tilting my chin up to look at him. "None of that talk. Mom and Dad are the best, they're a bit crazy, but you're going to love them. I only wish Annie lived here so you could meet her too." She's in Florida, where she's been for the past year.

I smile up at him. "I know, you're right. I'm just nervous. I want them to like me."

Rhett kisses me gently. "They're going to adore you, just like I do. Now come on, we don't want to be late."

We head out to Rhett's Jeep and make the drive to his parents' house. As we pull up in front of a charming two-story home, my nerves kick into overdrive again. Rhett reaches over and squeezes my hand reassuringly before we get out of the car.

We walk up to the front door hand in hand. Before Rhett can even knock, the door swings open to reveal a smiling woman who must be Rhett's mother.

"There you are!" she exclaims, pulling Rhett into a tight hug. When she releases him, she turns to me. "Sofia, oh my goodness. It's so nice to meet you." She pulls me into a hug and any bit of nervousness I had is gone. "I'm Rhett's mom, Carol. Come inside and meet his father." Looping her arm through mine, she leads me into their home.

A man that could pass as Rhett's older brother appears in the hall. "This must be Sofia. Our son wasn't lying when he said you were beautiful. I'm Rhett's father, Stephen."

He hugs me too, and I can already tell they are good people. His mom leads us to the back patio, and we take our seats around the table. "Can I get you two something to drink?" she asks as we settle into our seats. "We have wine, beer, soda, water..."

"A glass of white wine would be great, thank you," I reply with a smile.

"I'll take a beer, Mom," Rhett adds.

As Carol heads inside to get our drinks, Stephen leans forward in his chair. "So, Sofia, Rhett tells us you're a preschool teacher. How do you like working with the little ones?"

I feel myself relax as I start talking about my job. "Oh, I love it. The kids are so fun and energetic. Every day is an adventure."

His mom returns with our drinks and joins the conversation. "That's wonderful. I always thought about being a teacher when I was younger. Have you always worked with preschoolers?"

We fall into easy conversation about my work, Rhett rests his hand on my thigh as we talk. His parents are hilarious, and they've made me feel so comfortable.

As we enjoy dinner on the patio, the conversation flows easily. His parents ask me about my family, my hobbies, and how Rhett and I met. They listen with rapt attention as I recount the story of the fire and Rhett rescuing me.

"Our boy has always been a hero," Carol declares proudly, reaching over to pat Rhett's hand.

"He certainly is," I agree, smiling at Rhett. He winks at me, squeezing my thigh under the table.

"So tell us, Sofia," Stephen says, leaning forward. "What do you think of our son? Be honest now."

I laugh softly. "Well, I think he's pretty amazing. He's kind, funny, brave..." I trail off, blushing slightly. "I feel very lucky to have met him."

She beams at me. "Oh, sweetie, we're the lucky ones. It's so wonderful to see Rhett so happy. You've brought out a side of him we haven't seen before."

I feel my cheeks flush at her words. "He makes me very happy too," I admit softly, looking over at Rhett. His eyes are warm as he smiles back at me.

"Well, I think it's clear you two are perfect for each other," Stephen says. "Now, who's ready for dessert? Carol made her famous apple pie."

We all eagerly agree to dessert. As she goes to get the pie, Stephen regales us with stories of Rhett's childhood antics. I can't help but laugh at the image of a young Rhett getting into mischief.

"Dad, come on," Rhett groans good-naturedly. "You're going to scare her off."

Stephen looks at me. "No way. She doesn't seem like the easily scared off type."

I laugh and shake my head. "Definitely not. I love hearing these stories."

Carol returns with the pie and we all dig in, savoring the delicious dessert as the conversation continues to flow easily. As the evening winds down, I find myself feeling completely at ease with Rhett's parents. They've been so warm and welcoming, making me feel like part of the family already.

When it's time to leave, Carol pulls me into another tight hug. "It was so wonderful to finally meet you, Sofia. You must come over for dinner again soon."

"I'd love that," I reply sincerely. "Thank you so much for having me."

Stephen hugs me as well. "You're welcome anytime, sweetheart. Take good care of our boy."

"I will," I promise, smiling up at Rhett as he wraps an arm around my waist.

As we walk back to Rhett's Jeep, I feel a warmth spreading through my chest. The evening went even better than I could have hoped. Rhett's parents were so kind and welcoming, making me feel instantly at ease.

Rhett opens the passenger door for me, and as I slide in, he leans down to kiss me softly. "See? I told you they'd love you," he says with a smile.

I can't help but grin back. "They're great, Rhett. Thank you for introducing me to them."

He gets in the driver's seat and starts the car. As we pull away from his parents' house, Rhett reaches over to take my hand, intertwining our fingers. "I'm so glad it went well. Mom texted me already, saying how much they adore you."

I feel a warmth bloom in my chest at Rhett's words. "I'm so glad. I really like them too."

As we drive back to my place, I can't stop smiling. The evening had gone better than I could have hoped. Rhett's parents were so kind and welcoming, making me feel instantly at ease. I already felt like part of the family.

"What are you thinking about?" Rhett asks, glancing over at me.

"Just how lucky I am," I reply softly. "Your parents are wonderful. And you..." I trail off, squeezing his hand. "I love you so much, Rhett."

He brings our joined hands to his lips, kissing my knuckles. "I love you too, baby. More than I ever thought possible."

When we arrive at my apartment, Rhett walks me to my door. I unlock it and turn to face him, not quite ready to say goodnight. "Do you want to come in for a bit?" I ask, hoping he'll say yes.

Rhett smiles and nods. "I'd love to."

We step inside and I kick off my heels, sighing in relief. As comfortable as those shoes are, it still feels good to take them off after a long evening.

Rhett wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me close. "Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" he murmurs, his dark eyes roaming over me.

I blush, smoothing my hands over his chest. "You might have mentioned it once or twice," I tease.

He leans in, capturing my lips in a slow, deep kiss that makes my toes curl.