Page 42 of Safer Together
The smile that crosses his face is unlike one I have seen before. It’s huge. “Oh Angela, you have made me so happy.” He slips the ring on my finger, and it looks even bigger out of the box and on my hand. It must be at least two carats. It’s exquisite. I reach my hands across to grab his face and I launch myself at him and kiss him with everything I have. He wraps me in his arms and squeezes me, kissing me back with love. We hear a knock on the door and we laugh, I try to pull back but he brings me closer again to plant a gentle kiss on my lips, we continue the kiss until another knock sounds at the door.
“We should answer that” I breathe against his lips.
He nods, “I’ll go get it. Don’t you go anywhere, Mrs. Sands.” He kisses my nose before standing up with grace and walking towards the front door.
I take this opportunity to stand up and run my fingers through my hair and along my dress to smooth it against my body. I’m sure I look idiotic with the ear-splitting smile I have across my face, so I take it down a couple of notches.
I hear Elliot opening the door and welcoming his parents. This is going to be interesting. Last time we met it was very early on in our relationship, and now we are engaged to be married. I walk around to the other side of the kitchen counter, retrieve the turkey from the fridge and place it in the oven to heat and then pull out some cold cut meats, cheese and a chopping board. Making myself busy seems the best course of action.
I am placing salami, ham and cheese on the platter when I hear them enter the room. “Honey, my parents have arrived.”
I look up, smile and give them a wave. “Hello Arthur, Maggie. Merry Christmas.” I quickly wash my hands and make my way around the island counter and settle myself into Elliot’s open arms, ensuring my left hand is tucked behind his back, I’m not going to make the shiny declaration of love from Elliot obvious. I’ll let him tell his family when he is ready.
“Angela, how nice of you to join us on this family occasion,” Maggie speaks. I know she didn’t want me here. Oh well, I’m not going anywhere.
I widen my smile. “It’s great to be here.”
Elliot squeezes me nice and tight against his side. “It sure is, baby” he says before leaning down and kissing my cheek.
Another knock on the door sounds and it gives me an opportunity to get a moment away from this awkwardness. “I’ll grab it.” I turn away from Elliot’s embrace and pad down the hallway to the front door. Once there, I steady myself and open the door.
“Merry Christmas,” I say. The family of four looks at me and smiles before entering the house, walking right past me without even a hello and making their way to the living room, where the rest of the family is located.
This had to be Beth, David, Jack and Nikki. Beth is stunning, a statuesque lady; taller than me by several inches with blonde hair that curled to below her shoulder blades, the same blue eyes as her brother. The similarities are instantly recognized. Where Beth is fair, David is dark. Dark brown hair, pulled back into a ponytail, round glasses covering his hazel eyes, his skin a beautiful mocha color.
Nikki, is nine, and the female version of her father, but with dark chocolate ringlets rolling down her back, and gorgeous brown eyes. Her skin lighter than her father’s, a perfect combination of her father and mother. Jack, who just turned seven a couple of weeks ago, looks like a mini Elliot. Unruly blond hair and curious blue eyes. A stunning family, that could easily appear in one of those family portraits professional photographers use to persuade you to have a sit-down with them.
I close the door behind them as I hear Elliot welcome his sister and family.
“Who’s the chick? Where’s Andrew?” Beth’s voice rings out.
I stop in my tracks; she thinks I’m the maid. “That woman is Angela,” Elliot replies.
“Angela. As in the real estate agent from Nashville? Why is she here?”
I hear someone snickering; I presume it’s Maggie.
I take my first slow steps toward the lounge and plaster a smile on my face, pretending I didn’t hear anything. I enter the room and Beth turns to look at me. I stop in the entrance and Elliot makes his way across to me and takes me in his arms, “Yes, Beth, Angela is the real estate agent from Nashville. She is also my fiancée.”
Well that didn’t take long.
