Page 382 of The Parkers' Handsome Holiday
"No, but I'd like to start." He leaned forward and pulled her closer. "I have a few things I want this Christmas."
"Tell me one of them." She smiled and brushed her nose by his, getting lost in his warm brown eyes.
"For you to love my family as much as I know they're going to love you."
She smiled. "Ditto."
CHAPTER 5
JAKE
Jake moved up behind Kari after getting their bags from the trunk. Something was nagging at him as they walked up the overgrown brush towards Ms. Martin's house. The house was old and far too rundown for someone to enjoy living in it.
"Kari." He reached up and gripped her shoulder, stopping her.
"Yeah?" She glanced back, a smile on her beautiful face. "What's wrong?" She turned to face him.
"What does your mom do for a living?" He moved his attention down from the house to rest on his girl. The list of projects on fixing the place up were already running through his mind.
"She's a nurse, but my dad left her with a lot of debt. The place is in bad shape on the outside, but the inside is nice. I promise."
"We need to do something about this. I know New York is expensive, but we need to get her a new place or maybe just come up here for the week after New Year’s and do a major overhaul." He ran his hand down the side of her face. "I'll get everyone to help out. This isn't okay."
Her eyes filled with tears and she nodded, but didn't say anything. He wasn't sure if he'd upset her in a good way or bad way. Never could tell with women.
She walked to the door and lifted her hand to knock as it opened.
"Baby! There you are." An older version of Kari opened the door and pulled Kari into her arms as she laughed. "I'm so glad you're here. I know you guys are headed to Texas. I want to tell you that you didn't have to do this, but-"
"We wouldn't be anywhere else." Kari moved back and glanced down toward him. "Mom, this is Jake, my boyfriend."
"Hi, Ms. Martin." Jake extended his hand and moved up on the stairs.
She shook it and tugged him around Kari into the house before wrapping him in a tight hug. He laughed and returned the warmth, hugging the older woman tightly against his chest.
"It's so good to meet you." She glanced up, her eyes a little teary. "My little girl deserves a man like you from what she's told me. Thank you for helping her find love again."
"No need to thank me. She helped me defrost from the horrible relationships in my past too." He smiled as Kari moved around them and pulled her mom away from Jake.
"Come tell me everything. How are you? How is work? What have you been doing? Did you join that dating site I sent over to you?" Kari's voice was a little higher than usual. She was worried about her mom.
Jake picked up the bags and walked toward the back of the house. "I'm going to put these in one of the rooms. Which one is yours, Kari? I can take Marc's."
"We're adults. We're sleeping together," Kari called down the hall. "The pink one on the right."
"Okay," Jake mumbled, not sure his mom would be too excited about Kari and him sleeping in the same room. They were incredibly traditional. Funny enough, from the conversations that Jake had with both Marc and Kari, their mom seemed very conservative too. Maybe not?
He dropped the bags in the room and glanced around, taking in the pinkness of the room. A laugh bubbled up inside of him and he walked toward her dresser, picking up a picture of her and Marc. He was in a basketball jersey, looking all of ten, and Kari was in a cheerleader outfit, most likely in high school.
"Nice," he mumbled and put the picture down.
"You checking me out?" Kari leaned against the doorframe, the smile on her pretty lips beyond inviting.
"I'm always checking you out, baby." He moved toward her and pulled her into his arms. "You sure your mom is okay with us sharing a room together? I don't mind sleeping in-"
"You're not sleeping in Marc's room," Kari's mom called from down the hallway. "God only knows what he's been up to in there. The boy is completely depraved."
Jake stiffened as Kari laughed. "She's got a point."
