Page 68 of Too Far

Chapter 28

Josephine

Tuckingmyhairbehindmy ears, I follow Kylian up the garden-stone path illuminated by solar powered lights. “Are you sure we shouldn’t have brought something? Dessert? Or a bottle of wine?”

Kylian side-eyes me but doesn’t slow. “How would we bring wine without knowing what’s being served for dinner?”

Fair point.

“I just feel weird showing up empty-handed.”

He reaches for my hand and interlaces our fingers.

“Now your hand’s not empty,” he declares.

I laugh, but his literal view of the world soothes the holes in my confidence.

“You’ve already met my parents, baby. They invited you here tonight, so I assume they like you just fine.”

It’s not the most reassuring sentiment, but I get where he’s coming from. He’s right. I’ve already met Mr. and Mrs. Walsh, and I say hi to them at football games when I see them.

Sometimes it’s just a smile and a wave.

Other times we exchange pleasantries, or his mom catches me in a quick hug on the sideline.

But never has it been them welcoming me into their home for dinner.

I tug on my hand, the urge to free it and crack my knuckles taking over, but Kylian just grips it tighter.

“Why are you acting nervous?”

We stop on the stoop, and he immediately goes for the handle.

My stomach drops to my feet at the thought of crossing that threshold. “Wait.”

“Jo.”

I take a deep breath, willing my pulse to remain steady. “I just… I don’t know how to do this. I mean, I’ve never done this before.”

“Donethis?” he questions, tilting his head to one side.

I shift my weight from one hip to the other and inspect the maroon door with the pretty fall wreath affixed to the front. Mrs. Walsh probably changes them with the seasons. I bet she does lots of little things like that to make her house feel like a home.

“I’ve never met my boyfriend’s parents.”

Kylian adjusts his glasses and assesses me. “The last time I checked, you have more than one boyfriend.”

“Exactly!” I throw my hands up. “What am I supposed to say about that to your parents?” A bead of sweat gathers at my nape and rolls down my spine in slow motion.

“Jo.” Kylian’s voice is stern, triggering my body to snap to attention. “I highly doubt my parents are going to ask about monogamy or the emotional and sexual components of our relationship.”

He’s right, but regardless, I feel thoroughly under-prepared for what tonight entails.

“And if they do?” I pull my shoulders back and stand a little straighter, tapping into a defiance I usually reserve for Decker. That alone is evidence of my anxiety level.

Dropping my hand, Kylian skims his knuckles up my back, tracing the path of that bead of sweat in reverse. He threads his fingers into the hair and tugs, then cuffs my neck and brings his lips to my ear.

“If my parents inquire about our relationship—which is extremely unlikely, based on the conversational topics they statistically stick to during meals, and because I already informed them that you are, in fact, my girlfriend—I will tell them the truth.”