Page 84 of Falling for You

Also, I was hardly going to leave him to freeze to death.

I glance up at him and feel a pang in my heart. He looked different when I saw him on the platform. I don’t know if it’s because he was freezing and lost or if it was something else, but he just looked … different. Slightly smaller, slightly less bright. I couldn’t leave him, I just couldn’t.

Although I have a feeling I’ll regret this generosity of spirit in approximately ninety seconds.

‘Okay,’ I say, turning to Nate as I pull out my keys. ‘There are some things I should warn you about my parents.’

He looks at me questioningly. ‘Right?’

‘They can be a bit … intense.’

‘Intense?’

‘They’re great,’ I add quickly, worried that I’m painting them out to be nudists or role-play addicts. ‘They’re just a bit … intense.’ I glance at the upstairs window and to my alarm spot Mum, gawping down at us both.

‘You’ve already said that.’

‘I know, but I can’t think of any other way to describe them.’

He smiles and squeezes my arm. ‘I’m sure they’re great.’

I open my mouth to say something else when the door bangs open to reveal my mum and dad. They’re both wide-eyed and flushed, and Mum is out of breath from sprinting down the stairs to check that she isn’t hallucinating.

‘Hi,’ I say tightly, eyeballing them both to try and send them a message telepathically.

Don’t act weird. He’s just a man. You’ve seen men before. Stay cool.

‘This is Nate,’ I say. ‘Nate, these are my parents.’

I’m about to say their names, when to my alarm Mum throws her arms around Nate’s neck and for an awful moment, I think she’s about to burst into tears.

‘Nate!’ she cries. ‘Hello! We’ve heard so much about you!’

I stare at her, horrified. She didn’t even know he existed until about eight seconds ago!

I turn to Dad, hoping he’ll bring some sanity to the table, when to my horror I realise that his eyes are shining.

‘We’re so pleased to meet you, Nate,’ he says gravely, shaking his hand as if, after years of praying, Nate is finally here to make a bride of their desperate, gremlin daughter.

‘Right!’ I say quickly. ‘Everyone inside, it’s freezing. Mum and Dad? In the kitchen,now.’

‘Oh Annie, he islovely.’

‘Mum!’ I cry, snapping my fingers at her as she slips back into her I-need-to-buy-a-new-hat trance. ‘What did I just say? He’s afriendwho is stuck here because of the snow; I said I’d help him find somewhere to stay. He doesn’t know the area, he’s American.’

‘What football team does he support?’ Dad pipes up.

I roll my eyes. Why is that important? ‘Just be normal, please?’ I say. ‘Don’t terrify him by giving him the Spanish Inquisition.’

‘Fun fact about the Spanish Inquisition—’

‘Not now, Dad!’ I run out of the kitchen and find Nate awkwardly perched on the living-room sofa. The fire is roaring with brilliant, yellow flames, sending a lovely woody smell through the house.

‘Sorry about that,’ I say. ‘They were just a bit … excited. Not that they’ve ever heard of you before,’ I add quickly, wanting to shut down any idea that I’ve spent the last week doodlingI heart Nateon the back of my hand.

‘Really?’ Nate says lightly. ‘I told my mom about you.’

‘Really?’ I blink at him, taken aback.