Page 34 of Beachy Sweetheart
The host seats us and Lisa starts with the questions. Where I’m from? What do I do for a living? How did Trevor and I meet?
Trevor shoots me a wide-eyed look. We’ve never discussed this.
“We met at a club,” Trevor says. Probably hoping Lisa would drop it.
She wrinkles her nose. “A club? I didn’t know you went out dancing. You never?—”
Trevor takes a breath and blows it out. “Not a dance club.”
Henry’s eyes go wide, then he smirks. I’m pretty sure he figured it out.
“What kind of club if not a dance club?” Lisa looks between the two of us.
Trevor squirms, but we’re saved by the server bringing our drinks. Or so I thought.
“What kind of club, Trev?” Lisa takes a sip of her strawberry lemonade.
“Just a club,” he mumbles.
“So,” Henry turns to me. “What made you want to be an attorney?”
I laugh, but answer his question. “The debate team in high school. My teacher said I’d be great at it and she helped me find the resources I needed to get there. Being an attorney is a challenge, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. I started a firm with my best friend and honestly, without him, I don’t think I’d be thriving. I also wouldn’t beheretoday.” I point to the table and explain what happened. From my client to Kevin giving me the ultimatum.
Lisa’s face drops. “I’m so sorry that happened to you.” She reaches for my hand and gives it a pat. It’s such a mom thing to do. “What about your parents? Did they help you through any of this at all?”
I swipe a hand through my hair. Trevor squeezes my hand. I hate talking about this. “I grew up in the system. Bounced from family to family, but I never let it get me down. Fought my way through to get where I am today. Dunno who my parents are. My birth mom gave me up to a firehouse a few days after I was born. But I met Kevin at school. He really kept me grounded and taught me a lot about family. We went to college together and started the firm after a few years of getting our feet under ourselves.”
Trevor threads our fingers together and leans against me. His gentle weight calms my heart.
“You can call us family,” Lisa says.
Henry nods. “We’re a little broken, but there’s still so much love.”
Lisa gives him a gentle small smile and reaches for him.
We move on to easier topics. Lisa is thrilled about the concierge proposal. I don’t know why it surprises me, but it does. She ends up spilling the beans about feeding the raccoons at the old house. Henry confesses he knew all along. He just wanted his wife and son happy. There’s so much love in deed. When we part, I get a hug from Lisa and Henry. They bid us good night and leave together.
“That wasn’t bad, right?” Trevor asks on our way back to the hotel.
“It was lovely.” I press a kiss to his knuckles, loving his sweet blush.
We’re quiet on the walk back to the hotel. My brain is calm compared to other times I’ve met my partner’s parents. Lisa and Henry accepted me immediately. They welcomed me to their family even though the relationship is still so new.
I’m lost in my happy bubble when Trevor says my name with a laugh.
“Hmmm? I was in la la land.”
“It’s okay. I was just wondering if you’d like to go to the carnival when I get off tomorrow.”
“I’d love to, but aren’t you sick of it?” I kiss the tip of his nose.
He shakes his head. “I’ve never just gone to the carnival to enjoy it. Never ridden any of the rides, only learned how to operate them. Only played the games to learn how to sell them. I think it’d be fun to go like a tourist.”
“Sounds like we’re both playing tourist tomorrow.”
He squeals and bounces on his toes. “Thank you, Daddy!”
“Would you like to come up and listen to a story?” I ask.
