Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

M y hands sweat. I don’t know why I’m so nervous. I’m bringing the people I love the most in the world together. This is a good thing. I keep mentally telling myself that it will be fine. We will be fine. My mum and Nathan will like each other, Jules will limit her desire to embarrass me, and dinner will be great.

“I’ve never seen you so stressed. We can turn around if you’re not ready for this,” Nathan offers.

“No, it’s fine. I just… I don’t even know why I’m so nervous. I just want you guys to all get along, I guess.”

“I will be on my best behaviour, Bentley. Scout’s honour,” he says.

“Were you even a boy scout?” I ask him.

We’ve had a few conversations about our childhoods—his was the polar opposite of mine. His parents struggled with addiction. Nathan was an orphan at seventeen when his mother and father both overdosed on the same night. He was quick to shut the discussion down, not wanting to go into details. I can’t even pretend to understand the challenges he had to overcome to get to where he is today. I may have been dealt my own life-altering hand, but I always had my mum and Jules.

Nathan was alone. What he’s accomplished, he’s done it by himself. He doesn’t have to do that anymore, though, because now he has me. As this thought pops into my head, I’m questioning why I haven’t just caved and moved in with him already. I don’t want to be apart from him. That one night I spent at home this week was hell. Although the breakfast date he took me on afterwards was heaven.

“I was never a boy scout, but for you, I’ll be whatever you want me to be.” Nathan winks in my direction.

“I bet you would.” I laugh. “Just don’t listen to Jules too much. She will be going out of her way to embarrass me. Anything she tells you will be highly exaggerated or just plain fiction.”

“Noted.” He nods his head. “You know I’d still love you anyway, right? No matter what anyone else thinks, Bentley, there are two people in our relationship. You and me. And what we think is all that really matters.”

“I know. I just… I want you to like my mum. I want my mum to like you,” I tell him.

“You’re mother raised you . I’m sure there’s not much to not like. Also, it’s me. She’s going to love me. Most ladies do,” he says with a grin.

“Arrogance is not a good look on you, Mr Miller,” I tell him.

“I object. My arrogance has won me many cases.”

I shake my head and smile. He’s right. His confidence is attractive, and I’ve seen it work in meetings and depositions. He really is amazing at what he does. “So, are you going to tell me what you and the other partners have been working on in the conference room for the last few days?” I ask him.

He glances at me in his peripheral. “Work stuff,” he says, evading my question.

“Anything I can help with?”

“No.”

Okay, I guess whatever they’re all working on together is on a need-to-know basis. And I’m not someone who fits into that category. I get it. I’m a first-year. I don’t expect any kind of preferential treatment because I’m Nathan’s girlfriend.

“You don’t have to tell me what it is,” I say aloud. “But know I’m here if you do need to talk about anything. I just want to be there for you as much as you are for me,” I tell him.

Nathan is quiet as he pulls to a stop out front of my mum’s house. Turning the ignition off, he twists in his seat to face me. One of his palms cups my cheek. “You are fucking amazing, Bentley Johnson, and I love you,” he says.

“I love you too.” I smile before crashing my lips to his. “Come on. Eat quick, because I already can’t wait for you to take me home and fuck me into a coma,” I tell him.

“Fuck, Bentley, you can’t say shit like that to me. How am I meant to meet your mother with a boner?” He groans as a hand reaches down to adjust his pants.

“You always have a boner,” I deadpan. It amazes me how he’s always so ready.

“Not always, only when I’m around you, or thinking about you, or thinking about thinking about you. So, basically, you’re right… pretty much always.”

I open the door and climb out of the car. Nathan scowls at me as he makes his way around the other side but doesn’t say anything. I know he likes opening the door for me, but being an independent woman and all that, I can open my own doors. I join my hands with his and walk up to the front of the house. I pause, suddenly nervous all over again, before grabbing the knob, opening the door, and leading Nathan through the foyer.

“We’re here,” I call out.

“Dining room,” my mum replies as she appears in the hallway and gestures us forward.

“Hi, Mum. This is Nathan. Nathan, my mum, Shirley.” I wave a hand between them.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Johnson.” Nathan holds out a palm to my mum.

She ignores it, embracing him while bypassing the handshake. “Likewise, come here.”

I watch as Nathan awkwardly returns the hug before pulling away. His hand finds mine. He entangles our fingers together again before offering me a reassuring squeeze.

“You’re just in time, Bentley. You can help your sister set the table,” Mum says.

“I’ll help you,” Nathan offers, gripping my palm even tighter. At first, I thought the gesture was for my benefit; now I’m thinking it’s more for his.

Is the ever-cool Nathan Miller nervous?

I tilt my head up and peer over at him. Yep, he’s nervous. It’s a look I’ve not seen on him before. And, for some reason, his nerves put my own at ease. “Come on, I’ll get you a drink first.” I pull him towards the dining room, where there’s a small wet bar.

Jules is setting plates down on the table when we enter. “Hey.” She glances up and smiles.

“Hey, how are you?” I ask her, as I walk straight to the bar and pour a glass of whiskey before passing it to Nathan.

He looks around the room, then quickly downs it in one go. “Thanks,” he says as he hands the glass back to me.

Jules and I both laugh. “You do know you’re like a gazillion years old. You don’t have to sneak alcohol,” my sister tells him with a grin.

“A gazillion?” Nathan parrots with a raised brow.

“You’re not that old. But she’s right. You don’t need to sneak a drink. Want another?” I offer.

“No, thank you.” Nathan is rigid. He’s standing close to me, but I’ve never seen him so stiff.

“Relax. You’re okay,” I tell him.

“I am relaxed.” He smiles but it falls short.

“Come, sit down. I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life.” Jules points to a chair where she’s already placed a table setting. “I have so many stories for you. So many ,” she repeats, placing extra emphasis on the last two words.

“No, you do not!” I hiss at her. “Muuuum!” I call out at the top of my lungs. “Control your feral child!”

Nathan looks at me. He’s fighting the smile tugging at his lips. His brows are raised, his eyes wide. Leaning in, he whispers in my ear, “You have nothing to worry about. Me, on the other hand, I’m fucking hard as a rock. Did you really have to wear that dress?” he whispers.

I look down at my very plain white sundress. It’s absolutely nothing special. “Yes. And do not listen to a word she says,” I warn him.

Mum walks in, carrying a plate with a roast lamb sitting on top. Shit, she really went all out for this dinner. I feel bad for not being here earlier and helping her.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Nathan offers my mum.

“Yes, keep those two from murdering each other and that one from deafening the entire neighbourhood.” My mum nods her head at me.

“Me!” I exclaim, pointing to myself. “It’s her fault. She’s purposely trying to embarrass me.” I point to Jules.

My mum places the roast in the middle of the table. “I think you’re doing a bang-up job of embarrassing yourself right now, Bentley,” she throws over her shoulder before marching back out of the room.

Her words sink in. Oh god. She’s right. I just acted like a petulant child. In front of Nathan. What is it with little sisters bringing out the worst in you?

I sink onto the dining room chair. “It’s okay. Take a load off, Bentley, I’ll finish this,” Jules says, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

“Thanks. Appreciate it,” I respond with a smirk.

Nathan sits next to me. “Relax. I happen to think you’re adorable,” he says to me, not so quietly.

“Oh my god! Please tell me you have brothers or equally hot friends,” Jules says to him.

“No brothers, sorry.” He shrugs before adding, “Or friends either.”

“But Bentley said you had hot friends.”

My face heats up. “Jules, seriously?”

“What? You did say that.” She lifts a single shoulder.

“You think my friends are hot?” Nathan turns his glare on me.

“Objectively good looking. Not hot,” I clarify.

“Ever thought of going out on our own. Creating a firm with just the two of us. And no objectively good-looking partners?”

“Stop it. You know that I don’t think about them like that. Those thoughts are solely reserved for you,” I tell him.

“Thank fuck. I’d hate to have to bury my best friends,” he says, leaning in to peck me on the lips.

“You two are making me sick—way too cute.”

“Thanks.” I beam at my sister.

Mum enters the dining room again with an oven dish of baked veggies. I stand up. “I’ll be back,” I tell Nathan. Heading into the kitchen, I collect the bowl of peas and corn, and the gravy boat. Mum appears at my side and grabs the salad bowl. “Were you planning on feeding an army? There’s only one of him. I don’t have a harem, Mum,” I tell her.

“A harem? Let’s hope not. Also, I didn’t know what he’d like,” she says and pivots on her heels, making her way back to the dining room.

I place the dishes in the middle of the table and reclaim my seat next to Nathan. There is more food here than what any of us could possibly eat.

“This looks fantastic, Mum. Thanks,” Jules says.

“It does look good, Mrs Johnson. Thank you for having me,” Nathan adds.

“You’re welcome, and please call me Shirley.” Mum smiles.

We all load up our plates and dig into the food.

“So, what are your intentions with my daughter, Nathan?” Mum asks, breaking the silence.

“My intention is to marry her,” Nathan replies without missing a beat.

I choke on the peas I just shovelled into my mouth, and end up coughing and sputtering while trying to regain my composure.

Nathan’s hand slaps my back. Then he picks up a glass of water and hands it to me. “You okay?”

“Yep,” I say, and try to swallow around the lump in my throat.