Page 84 of You're The One
I let out a soft laugh when he releases me. “I’ve heard so much about you. Honestly, I’m shocked this is the first time we’ve met with these two attached at the hip.” I tip my head toward my brother and Dom.
“I know. I’m glad Dominic has such a strong support system here.” Charlie gives Dom a squeeze on the shoulder.
“Me too.”
When I glance up at Dom, he’s wearing an… affectionate look? I think that’s what it is.
And it’s not the first time I’ve caught it.
On the way back from the winery, when he smoothed my hair and took care of me like I wasn’t the most difficult person on the planet.
When he tucked me into bed that night.
Or all the looks he gave me during our morning walks, when I blamed the softness in his eyes on sleep.
Maybe I’m imagining it. After that kiss, it’s hard to tell what’s real and what I just want to see.
One thing I know for sure, no one in my past has ever looked at me like that. With other guys, things stayed surface-level. Attraction. Compatibility. A mutual understanding that it wouldn’t last.
That’s still all this is, too, I remind myself.
I must be staring too long or too obviously, because Ryan clears his throat and shoots me a look that practically screams,What the fuck?
Luckily, Bodhi—always the interrupter—comes around the corner, announcing that we should take our seats and that the chef is ready to bring out the first course.
“Does that mean we actually get to eat?” Dom quips.
“They don’t let you eat dinner on this show?” Charlie sounds genuinely concerned for his son’s well-being.
Ryan and Hannah chuckle, already knowing the deal as avid watchers. Either that, or it was the first thing Dom complained about when he saw them. Both are equally probable.
“Dude, I’ve let you eat all week. Don’t be dramatic,” Bodhi says.
“Just this week? What about the other four?” Charlie’s worry only grows.
Bodhi shakes his head but smiles. “Chop, chop. Let’s get you seated and fed.”
A silence falls over the table as we all settle in. The kind that happens when you get a group together and no one’s quite sure how they fit.
I avoid it by taking in Dom’s space, or what I can see of it from the dining room. It’s just like he described: clean and a little sterile. The charming architecture that Hannah and Ryan have in theirs is evident, but it’s hidden behind modern furnishings and a whole lot of bright white paint.
I wipe my sweaty palms on the skirt of my dress.
Why am I so nervous? Caring about what others think of me is a new experience, but then again, I’ve never done this meet-the-parents—or parent, in this case—thing.
Dom flashes me a reassuring smile. It works, sort of. Is he worried about this, too?
Ryan and Hannah sit across from us. Their familiar faces should provide me with some security, but instead, I’m wondering what they thought of the other girls. If they’re noticing anything different between Dom and me.
Of course they are. You’re not biting his head off.
The main source of my stress, his dad, is at the head of the table on my left. He’s given me no reason to be nervous. Quite the opposite, he’s just as warm and laid-back as Dom is. I can see where he gets it now.
The chef brings out our first course: a summer salad. I’m grateful. It gives me something to do with my hands besides wringing them under the table.
“This all looks great,” Charlie comments as he digs in. “So, what do you do, Mia?”
Okay, we’re just diving right in then. Starting with the question I hate most.
