Page 28 of Size King

“Thanks,” she says with a smile.

“You nervous?” I ask.

“Yes,” she answers.

I’m surprised by this revelation. I’ve never known her to be anything but confident and intrepid.

“Is it weird that I’m nervous?” she asks.

“No, I just can’t imagine anything making you nervous,” I say. “You’ve been so strong and undaunted through all my bullshit.”

“This is different,” she says. “I’m meeting your—basically your parents!”

“Please don’t be nervous,” I tell her. “They’re going to love you, and I know that for a fact.”

“You’re talking like I’m your girlfriend or something,” she remarks.

“Well, I just figured that’s what you were nervous about, you know? What else would you be nervous about?”

“So, how am I being introduced?” asks Kate. “Am I your special friend, or am I just your PR head?”

“Whatever you’re most comfortable with,” I say.

“How are you not nervous?” she asks in a huff. “They’re your grandparents. Aren’t you afraid of what they’ll think of me?”

“No, because I know they’ll love you,” I say again. “I’m excited to introduce you to them. They mean the world to me, and you? Well, you’re already starting to mean a lot to me lately, and so I think it’ll be fun.”

I can’t tell for sure, but Kate appears to soften after that. She seems more laidback, but I can’t tell if it’s an act. My intention has never been to make her uncomfortable or put pressure on her. I’m starting to rethink things, just as I never do with anything else, but like I do with her constantly.

I decide to go through with the risk for the simple reason I’ve given her: I want my grandparents to meet her.

* * *

My driver dropsus off at the house and parks the limo on the side of the street to wait for us, per usual Sunday etiquette. We knock on the door and wait for Nana to answer. To my surprise, both of my grandparents answer the door.

“Hello, you two!” Nana greets us.

“Hi!” we both return, with open arms.

My grandparents give me some slight shade by going to hug Kate first before me. It’s still a nice gesture. They escort her into the house and through to the kitchen, talking her ear off along the way. I’m thrilled to see just how happy they all are to meet each other.

Kate relaxes fast once she realizes that she isn’t going to have to do much of the talking or entertaining. We all have a fun, laugh-filled dinner, but the levity and comedy are entirely provided by my grandparents.

Throughout the meal, they tell Kate several embarrassing stories from my teen years. They talk about my first car—that I subsequently wrecked like a fool—my time in middle school jazz band, and about the dumb girls I used to date in high school. They give her enough details to write a whole novel based on my childish exploits.

Ordinarily, I won’t take the abuse, but I’m a total sucker for Kate. I enjoy seeing her laugh too much, and she is getting quite a kick out of hearing what an idiot I was when I was younger. I can’t get over how cute she is.

I only stand up from the table once to pour myself another glass of wine, but my grandfather joins me on my brief kitchen excursion to try and not so inconspicuously talk to me about Kate.

“This girl is really nice,” Papa says.

“Yeah, she really is,” I agree.

“You thinking of keeping this one?” he asks.

“Keep this one?” I ask. “Way to make me sound like a player, Papa. Come on. You don’t think I’m being a gentleman tonight? Especially with all these humiliating anecdotes you and Nana keep telling the nice girl.”

“She loves them,” Papa says, waving me off. “She likes you a lot. I can tell.”