Page 67 of In Love with Lewis Prescott
I wince at how quickly I lose my nerve, bracing myself as I hazard a look up at him. He’s probably annoyed. Or hurt. But when I see that familiar amused expression on his face, my muscles instantly relax.
He reaches out a hand, but Mom shakes her head. “Oh no. Only hugs in this house.”
She yanks Lewis into a hug so tight his eyes go wide. He’s probably wowed that a woman as small as my mother is capable of such a powerful death grip.
“It’s so good to meet you, Mrs. Ellorza,” he says through a strained breath.
Seconds later she finally releases him but keeps hold of his arm. “Oh please, you call me Jules.” She grips his massive arm with her tiny hands. “You have done the most incredible job with that house. Harper has been sending us photos and videos every week.”
Her blue eyes sparkle as she stares up at him. When her lips start to tremble, I reach over and pat her hand.
“That house means so much to my husband’s family. I remember going to family gatherings and parties there years ago, when he and I just started dating. It’s so special that you’re restoring it in such a beautiful way.” She turns to me and scoops my hand in hers. “You both are. My brilliant architect daughter renovating her grandparents’ house.”
She blinks away the tears and pulls us both in to hug her.
I stretch up to glimpse over the top of Mom’s head and mouth “sorry” to Lewis. He chuckles and mouths back, “It’s okay.”
He squeezes her back. “It’s an honor to work on a house with so much love and history in it,” he says to her. “And it’s an absolute joy to collaborate with your daughter.”
My heart explodes. He’s such a good sport. Actually, no. He’s more than a good sport. He’s the sweetest guy ever. What am I doing hiding just how special he is to me?
“Actually, Mom, Lewis and I are together,” I blurt.
Lewis bites back a chuckle as he stares at me. Mom’s arms fall away from us, and she steps back, her gaze flitting between us. She covers her mouth with her hands as she gasps. When she pulls her hands away, the biggest grin stretches across her face.
“Oh my word! Oh, how romantic!” She pulls us into another hug. “So you fell for each other while working together?”
Lewis tells her yes.
“It just kind of happened,” I say.
Mom lets out a squeal before clutching her hands to her chest while looking between us. “Well. This is just the most wonderful surprise!”
She grabs both of us and leads us into the kitchen. “Hope you kids are hungry. I made Harper’s favorite, bacon mac and cheese.”
My mouth waters. Lewis pats his stomach with his free hand. “Jules, that’s my absolute favorite too.”
Mom lets go of us and claps her hands once and says, “Yay,” before turning back to Lewis. “You’re welcome to call me Mom now if you’d like.”
“Oh my god.” My face heats. “That’s a bit rushed, don’t you think?”
She waves a hand at me, brushing off what I’ve said. “Not at all. It’s not every day you bring someone home to us, honey. This one’s gotta be special. I have a feeling.”
She pats Lewis’s shoulder before heading back to the oven. I wince as I make eye contact with him. Somehow, he doesn’t look horrified at my mother’s insistence that he call her Mom, even though they just met. In fact, judging by the soft expression on his face, he’s heartened by the offer. He steps over to me and presses a kiss to my forehead.
“Mom, what I can help you with?” he asks as he walks to her. Even from the corner of my eye, I can see her light up.
“Oh, what a sweetheart you are. How about you chop up some of that lettuce on the counter? Gotta have a nice healthy salad to balance out this indulgent entrée.”
“I like how you think,” Lewis says as he glides a knife through two heads of romaine lettuce. “It’s all about balance.”
“That’s what I say too!”
I watch in awe at how Lewis and Mom chat like old friends while they prep food. While I finish setting the dining table, I hear the rumble of the garage door opening.
When Dad walks in with Uncle Pedro, I run over to the door, which is right off the back of the kitchen.
“Sweetie! So good to see you!” Dad pulls me into a hug after stepping inside.
