Page 77 of Hockey Halloween
Shit!
Kelli
“You look nervous,” he said, voice careful.
We were in Larry’s Porsche, and I was holding on to a container of cupcakes I’d spent most of the day baking, and now we were on the way to his family home. “I am! I’m meeting your parents.”
“You’ve already met them.”
I shook my head. He didn’t get it. “That was as the neighbor’s kid. Not as, as…”
He shot me a grin. “As my girlfriend?”
My heart tried to rumba in my chest. I still couldn’t believe I was Larry Han’s girlfriend. “Yes, as your girlfriend.” I could say that now. Totally normal. Just me, dating my crush, who’d become one of the Blaze. Sure, happened all the time.
“Don’t worry. They know you. They like you.”
They liked me as a kid who had worn Mrs. Han’s skating costumes a long time ago. But that didn’t mean they wanted me to be with their only son. I’d heard Mrs. Han complain to my mom about some of the women Larry had dated. I mean, Dylan was my brother, and he was an asshole, so maybe they thought we were alike… “Wait till it’s your turn.”
He shrugged. “Your mom told mine she was thrilled we were dating.”
I wanted to punch him, but I couldn’t release my grip on the baking container. Larry was a good driver, but fast. We made it to his parents without any danger to the cupcakes. His mom was in the kitchen, his dad at the table looking at his laptop.
“Mom, Dad. We’re here.” Larry breezed in as if he still lived there, as if us coming over was an everyday thing.
Okay, I might have to kill my boyfriend.
His dad stood up. “Kelli! Glad you could make it!”
“Thank you for inviting me. Um, I brought some cupcakes?”
His dad’s eyes lit up, but his mom quickly intercepted. “These will wait. Now, you two, shoo.” She waved off her husband and son, leaving me on my own.
I started to sweat. This was it.
“May I?” She reached for the container and I let her take it. She peeked inside. “You made these?”
I nodded, but damn it. They must look like crap.
“That is very sweet of you. Thank you, Kelli.”
“I wanted to contribute.”
She smiled, setting down the cupcakes and turning to look at me. Even though she was petite, making me feel a bit like anawkward, overgrown schoolgirl, she was definitely in charge. “You’re nervous?”
I nodded.
“My son has had people who have hurt him. But you will not, will you?”
I shook my head. “Never.”
“Good.” She turned away, as if that was all.
“Do you care that I’m not Japanese? Or Korean?”
“All I ask is that you love him.” She stopped. “But tell him when he does something wrong. Don’t let him always have his way.”
I’d been tempted to hit him in the car just now, so I felt safe in agreeing.
