Page 156 of Most Valuable Players
“Are you going to meet up with us for dinner after?”
She twists her hands in front of her and nods. “Yeah, Adam asked me to come. I’m a little nervous about meeting your family.”
“Don’t be. They’ll love you. Do you want to come meet them now and get it over with?”
“I don’t know.”
“Come on. Let me introduce you, and by dinner, you’ll be sharing embarrassing Adam stories with my mom.”
A slow smile spreads across her face. “Yeah, okay.”
As I predicted, my parents love Taryn. By the time the game ends and we get to The Hideout, they’re completely enthralled with catching up on Adam and learning more about his girlfriend. I’m able to half-listen and stare across the restaurant to Heath and his table.
Maverick is with him, and they sit across from a woman with light brown hair and small features. I catch her smile as she turns her head to the man sitting beside her. He has a thick head of gray hair and a strong jawline and muscular arms that defy his age. They look happy. Heath looks… well not uncomfortable exactly, but like the outsider. To a bystander, you’d think Maverick was the one related. He looks far more relaxed and like he’s enjoying himself. That’s just Maverick though — he’s always comfortable in his skin.
Rhett’s girlfriend Carrie is here this weekend too. They’re celebrating their five-year anniversary and the two of them sit up at the bar. She’s nothing like I expected. Rhett is so nice and sweet, and Carrie is a little harsh and rough around the edges. When he introduced us, she didn’t even fake a smile. Maybe she has resting bitch face?
I glance back at Heath. He’s got RBF right now too.
“Right, Ginny?” Adam asks, breaking my surveillance of the Payne family.
“Sorry, what?”
My brother smiles like he’s onto me and my cheeks warm. Shit, was that just totally obvious I was staring at Heath?
“I was telling Mom and Dad that you hang out at our apartment pretty often too. That it’s nice and not the pigsty they are imagining.”
“I wouldn’t say often, no.” I shake my head. “I’ve been over a couple of times.”
“What? No way. You’re over at Reagan and Dakota’s all the time.” He looks to my parents. “Our neighbors are cool, and we hang out a lot.”
I’m slow to nod and my pulse is thrumming much too quickly as I realize he isn’t talking about the times I’ve been over at his place and hidden in Heath’s room.
“Right. Yes. We’ve become good friends. I’m actually considering moving in with them next year.”
“Out of the dorms?” My mom frowns.
“Yeah. Just like Adam did his sophomore year.”
“That’s not exactly the same,” my dad points out.
Adam smirks, knowing how it rankles me when our parents give him differential treatment for being a guy. Yes, I get that some things are safer for him because he’s male, but I don’t think this is one of those things. I could probably pull up statistics for crime in dorms versus apartments, but can’t they just trust me?
I don’t argue for now. It’s a year away, and I don’t want to spend this weekend annoyed with my parents.
Heath’s table finishes with dinner first, and they get up and head toward the door. We’re just out of their path to the exit, but Maverick moves to us with a big grin.
“Hello, Scott family.”
“Mom, Dad, you remember Johnny Maverick?” Adam asks, dropping an arm around the back of Taryn’s chair. “And Heath Payne?”
My parents say their hellos. Heath doesn’t introduce his mom, and there’s an awkward beat before she steps forward. “Hello, I’m Lana Payne. Heath’s mom.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” my mother responds with a warm smile. She’s always been good at making people feel at ease.
“Are you guys heading out already?” Adam asks.
“We can pull up more chairs,” my dad offers.
