Page 34 of Bro Amazing

"Since you don't have reservations already, maybe you want to check out the Thai place down the block. We get it sometimes for takeout," suggests Miles, holding my parents' attention.

"That's a good idea," says Mom. "I love Thai food."

"We wouldn't lose our parking spot and have to find a new one somewhere else," Dad muses. Of course he's thinking about the practical logistics instead of what he's actually hungry for.

"Since you know where it is, would you like to join us?" asks Mom, as if I can't get us there myself.

Although to be fair, I don't know exactly where this place is since I've never been there, but Mom doesn't know that. Besides, how hard can it really be to find a Thai takeout place that's just down the block?

"We can continue to discuss your future career options too," says Dad, finally heading toward the door and apparently having forgotten that he isn't supposed to be offering unasked for career advice.

"And how it's going with all of you living together," adds Mom, completely committed to the idea of interrogating my roommates.

"I'm sure they have to work, and we don't want to intrude on their plans," I say weakly. I have to stop this potential disaster forming right before my eyes.

"Not a problem," says Miles. "The benefit of working for yourself is that you get to pick when you take breaks. You all don't mind pushing back practice a little bit do you?" he asks the others. "For our Clarissa."

I didn't think I could blush any harder than I already am, but apparently my embarrassment knows no limits today and my face heats even more. My parents cannot learn how much I really amtheirClarissa.This is not going to end well.

"Thai sounds better than chips. I'm in," says Lionel, and the other gamers quickly agree.

"Wonderful," says Mom, pausing beside the front door. "We can wait here while you get ready to go."

"Oh, we're ready now," says Helix, dropping his snacks on the hall table.

Mom glances down at their sweatpants, horror clear on her face. For a woman who can't imagine leaving the house without a full face of makeup, the idea of going out in public with five gamers in sweatpants and T-shirts is making her eye twitch.

"Let's go upstairs and you can all change into jeans instead." I herd my roommates up the stairs even as they grumble about preferring their sweatpants. "Do you even own jeans? All you ever wear are sweatpants."

"Are you at least going to help us take off our pants, then?" teases Helix as soon as we hit the upstairs landing. At least he has the decency to keep his voice low enough that my parents won't hear him from downstairs.

"No," I answer immediately, but at his pouting look, I relent a little. "Maybe after my parents leave, but only if you all agree to be on your best behavior during lunch."

"We're always good," says Ethan.

"Especially based on all of your moans," agrees Quintin. "I'd say we're very good."

"That's not what I mean, and you know it." I cover my face with my hands and fight to regain my composure. If my parents weren't here, I would probably give in to their flirtatious banter. It's been less than twenty-four hours since I've gotten any new research material, and while I'd never admit it to anyone, I've kind of missed their attention. But my parents are downstairs and I don't want to keep them waiting because if they're left unsupervised for too long, they'll snoop around. All in the spirit of taking care of me, but still. It's better to get them out of the house as soon as possible.

"I still don't understand why we have to wear jeans to leave the house since we've never had to before," says Ethan, pouting.

"My parents are …" I hesitate, struggling with how to describe my parents in a way that won't reflect too negatively on them. "… strict about what they think is appropriate."

Really, my parents just have strict beliefs about how lives should be lived, and they involve dressing a certain way, ticking off certain life achievements in a certain order, and never discussing certain topics, such as sexuality. Which is a big part ofwhy I initially decided to keep the romance in my books closed-door. That way I could write the genre that I love without them disapproving of my career choice.

They're also big on monogamy, so they willnotbe pleased if they find out I have five boyfriends.

"Parents love us," says Ethan, looking around at his teammates. "At least, they love me."

"Not my parents," I shoot back.

"But we're your boyfriends," says Lionel, crossing his arms as if he's ready to take a stand against my parents and force them to like him.

"Yeah, well, they don't know about that part." I scrub my hands over my eyes because this conversation shouldn't even be happening. I mentally kick myself for being so behind in getting ready for lunch. "They'll like you fine enough as my roommates even though they definitely disapprove of your career choices, but they don't know about the whole supposed-dating aspect of our living together."

"Just so we're clear," says Lionel, stepping closer until I back up into Quintin, "there's no supposed about it. You're our girlfriend, all the benefits included, end of discussion."

"Not end of discussion where my parents are concerned," I shoot back.

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