One More Night

Chapter 8

Tessa

A few weeks later...

I enter in the coffee shop and I see Hardin, so I walk to him.

"Hi!" I lean on and I kiss him.

"Hi!"

"What are you doing this weekend?" I sit next to him.

"I don't have anything planned. Why?"

"Would you like to come with me in Boston?"

"Boston? Why?"

"Well, it's my sister's birthday and I want to make her a surprise. And I don't want to drive alone and... I want my family to meet you."

"Well, then I want to come with you."

"That's great!" I smile. "Then let's go and pack our things, we are leaving soon."

"Do you want me to drop you to your apartment?" He drinks his coffee

"No. I have my car outside."

"Oh, ok." We get up and we walk out of the cafeteria.

"See you in one hour?"

"Yes." He starts to walk to his car.

"You don't forget anything?"

"No?"

"You forget to kiss me."

"Oh, yes. That's right." He comes to me and he kisses me. "See you soon, beautiful."

We go in different directions. I get inside my car and I drive back home. As soon as I arrive, I pack some clothes and I go to take a shower.

My first trip with Hardin... I hope everything will be ok. We are a couple just for a few weeks, except the first two months when we were friends with benefits. But if mom will ask, I will tell her that we are together for three months. It's not a lie in the end, right? One hour later, Hardin is here.

"Hi."

"Hi. Are you ready?"

"Yeah."

"Molly isn't home?"

"Nope. She's with Jake."

"Oh... I understand. Let's go, then."

Hardin takes my bag and we leave the apartment. We go to my car and I start to drive to Boston. In the next four hours me and Hardin both drove and it wasn't a boring ride, because we talked a lot. After four hours, we finally arrive at my mom's house. I thought he will be nervous because he will meet my mother, but he's relaxed as hell. I should be worried?

"You're not nervous?"

"Why? I have a reason to be?" He grabs my hand as we walk to the door. He is sweet.

"You will meet my mother!"

"And what's wrong with it? You don't want me to meet her?"

"No, it's not that. But you're not scared?"

"No."

"Fuck off!" I laugh. "You are so brave, Hardin."

"Thanks. Let's do this."

"Let's do this." I knock at the door and my mom opens the door a few moments later.

Carol: "Tessa?!" She says with a smile on her face.

Tessa: "Surprise!" I hug her and she rubs my back.

Carol: "What are you doing here?"

Tessa: "As tomorrow it's Josie's birthday and I wanted to surprise her."

Carol: "She will be so happy to see you. And... who is he, Tessa?" She looks at Hardin.

Tessa: "Well..." I clear my throat. "He is Hardin. And he is my boyfriend."

Carol: "Oh..." She seems to be surprised.

Hardin: "Hello, Mrs. Young. I'm Hardin. It's nice to meet you."

Carol: "It's nice to meet you too, darling. And you can call me Carol. I'm not that old." She laughs. Ok. She likes him. It's a good start. "Come in, guys!" We enter in the house and we walk to the couch.

Tessa: "Mmm, mom? Are you cooking something?"

Carol: "Yes, I just finished dinner. Lasagna."

Tessa: "My favorite!" I smile.

Carol: "Let's go to eat. I bet you two are hungry after a long ride,"

Tessa: "Yes, we are."

We get up and we walk to the kitchen. We sit down at the table while my mother puts the food pn plates for us.

Tessa: "Where is Josie?"

Carol: "Oliver wanted to took her out on a date. And I think she will spend the night with him."

Tessa: "Oh, that's great."

Carol: "And how do you two met?"

Hardin: "We have some friends in common and we met at a party."

Tessa: "We went on a few dates and we decided that we like each other. And that was it." I smile as Hardin takes my hand in his. Why I am so lucky to have him?

Carol: "I'm so happy because you found someone good for you, baby..."

Tessa: "Thank you, mom."

We eat my mother's delicious lasagna, then we move back to the living room where we talk about what happened in the last months in my life.

Carol: "And what do you do, Hardin?"

Hardin: "I'm in my last year of college. I study English and Economics. And after graduation, I will work for my father. He has a business and I have a workplace there after I get my diploma."

Carol: "That's great." Hardin's phone starts to ring.

Hardin: "Excuse me, my father is calling." He gets up from the couch and he goes in the kitchen.

Carol: "He is cute, Tessa. You did a really good choice."

Tessa: "I know... I really like him, mom."

Carol: "I see it. And he likes you."

Hardin

I get up from the couch and I walk into the kitchen. What the fuck he wants this time?

Phone call

"What do you want, dad?"

"Where are you?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"You should be here, Hardin! At dinner! Pierce family should arrive here soon. I want you here. I give you 30 minutes to move your ass here, son!"

"I can't come. I'm not in New York."

"Excuse me?" He yells at me. "Where are you?!"

"You know what? It's not your business. I'm not 10 to tell you what I'm doing!"

"Hardin, don't play with me. Tell me where are you."

"As I said, it's not your business."

"Yes, it is. You can screw up my business with Pierce's!"

"I don't give a fuck about your business, dad!"

"Your mother sent you here for a reason: to change your behavior. But I don't see a change!"

"You can't see it, but I can. And I'm a better person without your advice."

"I'll ask you one more time: where are you?!"

"In Boston. Are you happy now?"

"What are you doing there?"

"I am visiting my girlfriend's parents."

"We had a deal, Hardin!"

"And you can stick the deal in your ass. Bye, dad!"