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“Hey, that was fast, you two. Are you already backing out of our date?” I froze at my word choice and wanted to yank them back into my mouth.
“Never, Ms. Winter. This is going to be the best night ever.” Zoey was so loud you’d have thought she was right next to the speaker versus being in the back seat.
“My mom said she could make it. She’ll meet us at your apartment parking lot, if you don’t mind.”
“That’s fine with me.” Our downstairs parking lot was also shared with the businesses on the first floor of the building. During the day, we had limited spaces, but at night we could park anywhere.
All too soon, we pulled into the lot. My gaze searched for the car I guessed might be Beckett’s mom. My stomach flipped, and acid slid up my throat. What had I been thinking when I suggested she join us?
Beckett had parked a few spaces away from me. I smoothed my hand down the front of my outfit repeatedly. The click of a car door shutting made me whirl around as though I feared for my life. My muscles locked up, and swallowing was now a challenge.
Beckett’s mom, Diana, a pretty older woman with shoulder-length brown hair streaked with gray, walked closer to me. Her lithe body moved so gracefully that I wondered if she’d ever been a dancer. “Wren. It’s so nice to see you again.”
“Hi, yes, you too.” I gave a wave that seemed suspiciously manic.Stop being so awkward, I admonished myself. I hated this part. Meeting a guy’s parents was something I dreaded. It didn’t matter that we were in the same space together a few weeks ago. At this moment I felt like I was meeting her for the first time. What if she hated me? What if she told Beckett I wasn’t good enough?
What if she loves you?My inner critic shut down at the unexpected burst of positivity.
She quickly approached me and drew me into the warmest hug. Love and acceptance radiated from her, and outside of Grayson’s mom, I’d never felt so comforted. “I know we met at Sunday dinner, but in case you didn’t catch my name, I’m Diana.”
“I remember you. Beckett and I…” I didn’t know why I felt the need to explain our situation to her when I’d decided we weren’t defining ourselves yet.
“He mentioned you two were friends.” Her speculative look made me realize she saw more than I wanted her to, but was respectful enough not to mention it. She linked her arm through mine and tugged me toward Beckett’s car. “I heard you were Zoey’s teacher. She speaks highly of you.”
We’d gotten to the car and saw Zoey anxiously waving for us to hurry. “I’m pretty fond of her too. She’s a special little girl.”
Diana opened the back door.
“Oh no, please take the front seat,” I insisted.
Diana waved her hand and sat down. “I’m fine here. How else can Zo and I cause trouble if we’re sitting apart?”
“Mimi.” Zoey laughed.
I sat in the front, giving Beckett a nervous smile as I clipped my seatbelt.
He reached over and lightly ran his hand over the back of mine before moving the gearshift. He was subtle and the movement was quick, but it helped remind my body that breathing was essential. His mother was a lovely woman and I had nothing to worry about.
“Tell me, Wren, how did you decide to become a teacher?” Diana asked.
My breath caught, and my muscles tightened, but something inside me needed to tell her the truth. And for Beckett to know the part of me that I rarely shared with others. I rubbed my hands nervously up and down my thighs. “I’d been a model throughout my childhood.”
Beckett raised an eyebrow at my confession.
“You modeled? How cool,” Zoey responded in awe.
I needed to temper my answer. Zoey didn’t need to know about the events that led up to me walking away from it all. “I did.” I took a deep breath. Even speaking about the experience in the vaguest sense had my body rigid and my voice raspy. “Some days it was pretty cool, and others, not so much. I had a few photoshoots that made me decide that wasn’t the job for me.” I took a breath. Even downplaying what happened still brought me back to that day. Made me feel small and uncomfortable in my skin.
No one said a word as I took a minute.
Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Beckett quickly glance at me. When his hand inched across the console towards mine I knew he was feeling the nervous undertone of my words.
I shook my head. If he touched me, I might drop the protective shield I’d erected to try and speak about my experience with as much objectivity as I could muster. And if I did that, I was sure to cry. I had no idea how I’d explain the sudden emotion to Zoey, Beckett,andhis mom.
“I had a really sweet guidance counselor, and even though I’d graduated high school, she let me come in and talk with her. She thought I’d make an excellent teacher. So I gave it a shot, and by the time I did my student teaching, I’d fallen in love with it.”
“Well, I’m glad you decided to become a teacher. Our Zoey is so lucky to have you this year,” Diana said. The warmth in her tone helped to partially soothe my frayed nerves.
“I’m lucky to have her too.” I wanted to say she was my favorite, and I’d be there for her always, but that would have been completely stepping over the line of professionalism.