Page 103 of Committed to You

I swallow hard. “Yes, sir. I’ll see you soon.”

He disconnects, and I hand Vivian her phone. “I’m assuming they will be here within the hour. Their room is across the hall.”

“My father is being unkind.”

I sigh. “I’m ripping your parents out of their house at close to midnight. I think he has a right to be angry.”

She looks away.

I turn her into me. “Do not get upset with your father. This is my fault, and he isn’t doing anything wrong. If you were my daughter, I would act the same way.”

Her eyes widen. “Whatever you do, do not say anything aboutif you had a daughterto my mama.”

I look at her, confused. “Okay…”

“All I hear about is how she’s ready for me to pop out babies. Don’t get her started.”

I grin at her. “We would make adorable babies.”

She gapes. “You want babies?”

“Yours, yes,” I say without hesitating.

She stills.

“You don’t want babies someday?”

“I didn’t say that, but whatever you do, don’t say that to my mama.”

23

Vivian

Chase goes downto the front desk to check into the room he reserved for my parents, waits for them to arrive, and escorts them up to our floor. I wanted to go down with him to meet them, but he said it was safer for me to remain in the room just in case Meredith didn’t adhere to the police officers’ warning.

I’m pacing when he texts me they are all on their way up. My stomach starts to flip. My father rarely gets angry, and I know he isn’t going to hold back when he sees Chase. I knew he was going to be more upset when I called him to come to the hotel, but I don’t trust Meredith not to try to harm my parents.

Meredith. How did Chase not see that she was off her rocker?I can understand why she needed boundaries, but that should have been a warning sign to him.

I shudder, thinking about Chase’s past, and I don’t want my parents to know the extent of it. It’s not their business, and they are old-school. My parents got married in their early twenties after dating for several years. Knowing that I am staying in a hotel room with Chase is going to be a tough enough bullet for them to take, and I’m sure I’ll hear about that. I know how I feel about Chase, and I don’t want his past to influence what my parents think about him. Chase said he was going to talk to my father alone, and I told him it wasn’t necessary, but he’s insisting.

I’m lost in thought, trying to figure out what I can do to help smooth things over when the door opens, and my mama comes flying in.

“Vivian.” She pulls me into her for a hug. “You okay?”

“Yes.”

My father is irritated, I can see it on his face, but he hugs me and kisses my cheek. “You’re safe?”

“Yes, Páppa. Everything is fine.”

“Everything is not fine, Vivian.” He glares at Chase.

Chase takes a deep breath. “Mr. and Mrs. Caras, I’m sorry to involve you and Vivian in this. I didn’t know this woman was unstable, and I haven’t seen her in months.”

My father is about to say something when my mama lays her hand on his arm. “Quiet,” she tells him then walks over to Chase and puts her hands on his cheeks.

Chase’s blue eyes lock with hers.

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