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"Mom, you’re not showing my—you’re not showing James pictures of me naked."

James Adler

I’ve been feeling a lot better these past few days. I’m glad Elizabeth thought of me for her Dad’s birthday surprise, because it was as much a treat for me as it was for him. I’m excited to see them again tonight, even if Elizabeth has tried to cancel twice already.

“Pretty house,” I say to Elizabeth as we get out of the car. “I’m excited to see where you grew up.”

She tilt s her head to the side. “So that’s why you were so eager to come tonight? To see my teenage bedroom?”

“And for the food.” I flash her a grin before walking up the steps to the front door.

She mumbles something that sounds a lot like “unbelievable,” then brushes past me, ringing the doorbell. Seconds later, the door swings open.

“Hello, you two!” Pam says, hugging each of us in turn. “It’s so good to see you.”

“Good evening, Pam. Thank you for the invitation. This is for you,” I say, handing her a gift basket from my favorite home fragrance store.

“Wow,” Pam says, peering at the contents of the basket in awe. “This looks amazing. Thank you.”

“James is big on home fragrance,” Beth says matter-of-factly as she steps into the house to hug her dad.

Once they break their embrace, Richard and I shake hands. “Good to see you, son.”

My heart spikes at the nickname again. Not to mention, it’s been a while since I’ve been invited to a family gathering. Even if it’s small and casual, I love feeling like I’m part of the family.

“By the way,” Richard says in a low voice when the women retreat into the living room. “I never thanked you for smashing that jerk, Rogers. I kn ow it cost you a few games, but I’m glad you did it. Never liked that prick.”

I press my lips together, struggling to hold back the huge smile building on my face. “You’re welcome.”

“Well, Beth,” Pam says from the other room. “Do you want to show James around?”

“It’s a small house,” Richard adds, shaking his head as we’re joining them. “I don’t think he’ll get lost, honey.”

She gives him a pointed look. “I know, but maybe he wants to know where the facilities are.”

“Oh, that’s a fair point,” he says firmly. “Chili.”

I nearly laugh, but I contain it the best I can.

Elizabeth catches it, and I can see she’s fighting a chuckle too. “All right.” She loops her arm around mine. “I’ll give you the grand tour. So, this is the main living area with the living and dining room, and the kitchen is back there,” she says, pointing to the left.

“You have a lovely home,” I tell Pam and Richard, and they both beam. I mean it. The atmosphere is cozy and warm with the hardwood floors and furniture, patchwork throw pillows, and picture frames dotting the walls. Everything a family home should be.

“Sorry.” Elizabeth wrings her hands when we reach the entrance hallway. “My parents are a bit goofy. They’re—”

“Are you kidding? I love them. I have since the game.”

She smiles, then continues her tour, showing me the bathrooms and bedrooms. “And this is mine,” she says, opening the last door.

Curiosity piqued, I step inside. It’s very much an adult room—a bit generic, if I’m being honest. There’s a double bed, nothing on the walls, a bookcase, and a desk. “Uh. Not what I was expecting.”

“Oh,” she says, hands on her hips. “You were expecting My Little Pony and Barbie stuff everywhere?”

I turn and grin. “Or posters of your favorite boy bands.”

She chuckles, her cheeks tinting pink. “Sorry to disappoint, but I lived here for a few years after college, so we got rid of all that stuff.

“Darn it.” But I’m only half joking. It would have been interesting to see what kind of men she fantasized about when she was young.

I skim the bookshelf, looking for romance titles she might have enjoyed.

Hey, why not put all this free time to good use, right?

Unfortunately, they’re mostly textbooks and horror, which won’t help my case.

We make our way back to the dining room, grabbing our seats as Richard brings out the pot of chili.

The food is amazing. I already had high expectations, since they’re in the food business, but this surpasses every one of them.

“It’s delicious,” I say, wiping my mouth. “Not too spicy. Just perfect.”

“Thank you, dear,” Pam says w ith a beaming smile.

“You should come back on Thursday,” Richard says, taking a sip of water. “It’s Roast Day. We have a special recipe that’s to die for.”

“Dad,” Elizabeth starts, just as I knew she would. I don’t know why she insists on keeping me away from them.

“I love roast,” I say, spooning another bite of chili. “I’ll be there.”

“Lovely,” Pam says, clasping her hands. Elizabeth just shakes her head, looking defeated.

We finish our chili, and after a glorious apple crumble for dessert, I even get to see some of Elizabeth’s baby pictures.

“Mom, stop,” Elizabeth pleads, pacing behind us. Pam, Richard, and I are sitting on the couch, the photo album spread on my lap. “It’s embarrassing.”

“Oh, don’t be silly,” she says, stroking one of the photos. “You were the cutest baby. Just look at those chubby thighs.”

“Hey, do you remember when . . .” Richard starts reminiscing with Pam, and I turn to Elizabeth.

“Truly adorable,” I tease.

She pins me with a stare, then mouths the word “flirting.”

I shake my head, point at the pic ture, and mouth “baby.”

“Oh, look!” Pam says, startling me. “She was the cutest baby in the bath. Her hair used to curl—”

“ And , that’s enough,” Elizabeth bursts, walking around the couch to grab the album.

“Mom, you’re not showing my—you’re not showing James pictures of me naked.

” She hugs the album against her chest, probably afraid one of her parents will wrestle her for it.

Which, by the look on Pam’s face, isn’t that far-fetched.

“Oh, don’t make such a big deal about it,” Pam says with a sigh. “We can’t see anything embarrassing. Plus, you were six months old. It doesn’t look anything like that anymor—”

“Mom! Stop it.”

Covering up my chuckle with a cough, I finally say, “It’s all right, Pam. Thank you for showing me all those beautiful pictures, but I don’t want to invade Elizabeth’s privacy any further.”

“Thank you,” Elizabeth breathes out, still hugging the album.

We spend the rest of the night with no more baby pictures, just good conversation, and it’s exactly what I needed. A fun evening with people who don’t care about my fame and money. We talk about Rise & Grind, and I love how proud they are of their daughter and her accomplishments.

When it’s time to say goodbye, we leave with a large box of leftovers and long hugs that make me feel like I’m part of the family. I might linger a couple extra seconds on those hugs—after all, they’re my favorite thing—to soak in all the family vibes I can get.

“That was fun,” I say once we’re in the car. “Your parents are great.”

She buckles up. “Thanks. They are. I love them, even if they don’t understand boundaries sometimes.”

“Don’t worry,” I say with a chuckle as I put the car into drive. “I didn’t see anything.”

She wipes a hand over her forehead. “Phew!”

“And I’m excited for Roast Night. What can I bring—”

“Oh, no, you don’t really have to come,” she says, shifting in her seat. “Don’t worry. I’ll think of some excuse.”

“And rob me of a home-cooked meal? I don’t think so.” I throw her a pointed look. “Why are you so intent on keeping me away from your family?”

She arches an eyebrow. “Really? You still have to ask that after tonight?”

I laugh, shaking my head. “I think they’re amazing. They just love you, and they’re proud of you. That must feel nice.”

“It does. But I’m sure you kn ow all about that. Your family must hold you to superstar standards, with all those trophies. And you’re one of the best players in the league.”

I grin. “Checking out my stats now, are you?”

She clears her throat. “No—I mean, I checked the other players’ stats too.”

I sigh, gripping the wheel a little tighter.

I want to tell her the truth, but there's this fear gnawing at me—that once I say it, she’ll see me differently.

I’m the goofy guy, the one who cracks jokes and makes light of serious situations.

Despite my reservations, I decide to go for it.

Elizabeth and I are close now, and opening up to her just feels .

. . right. “Actually, I don’t really have a family anymore.

My dad bailed on my mom before I was born.

My mom followed suit soon after, running after him.

Even before that, she was never big on having a kid and would leave me alone for hours. ”

A shadow falls over Elizabeth’s face. “Oh, James. I’m so sorry.”

I keep my gaze fixed on the road. “Yeah. I wasn’t exactly her top priority. That’s why I went to live with Grandma. She was all I had.” My fingers fidget on the steering wheel. No one except Miles knows this story, and it feels weird sharing it with her, but not a bad weird. It’s kind of relieving.

“I knew your grandma was import ant to you, but not that she was your only caregiver.”

“Yep. She raised me, and she was amazing.” My heart clenches when I think about her, how she always put me first, made sure I had everything I needed.

I remember the way her smile would make me feel better, and the power of her hugs, which were almost like magic.

No matter how many people I hug every day, I’ve never found one that feels like hers.

“I’m glad you had her,” Elizabeth mumbles softly, placing a hand on mine, now resting on the gear stick. Her touch has the same effect as my grandma’s smile. “She did a great job raising you. You’re an incredible human being.”

A warmth spreads through me. “Thank you.” Normally, I’d say something flirty—even if it’s against the rules—or ask her on a date again. But I don’t. I’m happy to settle into this moment a while longer. I think Grandma would be proud.