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I glance pointedly at her raised hand, and she flushes before dropping it back to her lap.
“I get flyaways when I’m telling the truth too,” she informs me. “But, fine, I’m alittlenervous about tonight.”
“You’ve met them before, Monty. And Lili will be there.”
Collins exhales. “She said you and your dad wereyelling at each other. About … the NDA.”
Nice of my sister to mind her own damn business.
I park on my parents’ street and shut the car off. “I was pissed he’d asked you to sign one. But we talked it out. Everything’s good.”
I was very clear with my parents that dinner tonight would only take place if it was completely informal. I didn’t want them grilling Monty about the pregnancy or any discussion of Kensington Consolidated. This is simply for them to get to know her better, but I’m not sure exactly what that will look like, even setting aside the extraordinary circumstances.
I’ve never introduced a girl to my parents before.
“Let’s go,” Collins declares, opening the car door and climbing out. “We’ll be late.”
I smirk as I step out too.
We’re five minutes early. My family will be floored.
Sure enough, there’s a look of obvious surprise on my mom’s face when she opens the door. “Kit! You’re early!”
I nod toward Collins as I tug her inside by our joined hands. “She runs a tight ship.”
I’ve never showed up late to anything that involved Collins, but it has nothing to do with her being bossy. I’m just eager to be around her. That’s a higher priority than anything else that might be happening.
“Mom, you remember Collins,” I say, helping her out of her coat.
“I—yes. Of course.” My mom’s flustered, her gaze focused on Collins’s round stomach.
She peppered me with questions about the pregnancy—after chastising me for the secrecy—but she’s uncharacteristically silent now. I’d imagine she’s experiencing the same surreal sensation I did at the first ultrasound. A moment where knowledge becomes reality.
“You have a beautiful home, Mrs. Kensington,” Collins says politely.
“Thank you. And please, call me Scarlett. Would it be okay—can I give you a hug?”
Collins smiles. “As long as you don’t mind the bump.”
“I don’t mind at all,” my mom replies, giving Collins a quick embrace.
I hang up the coats and then flash Collins a thumbs-up.
She rolls her eyes at me, then refocuses on my mom. “If you want to touch too …” Collins shyly gestures toward her stomach.
Mom nods eagerly, then presses her palm against the bump under Collins’s sweater. “Wow. Are you—have you been feeling okay?”
“I’m tired a lot,” Collins replies. “But no more nausea, thankfully.”
“Well, come sit down. Kit, show her into the living room.”
I feign shock. “You remembered I’m here too?”
Mom sighs before hugging me too. “You’ve always had an unforgettable presence, Christopher.”
Collins snickers, then pretends to cough to cover it.
Convincing, I mouth at her, grabbing Collins’s hand again and towing her toward the living room.