For willwrite4wine
"We could have taken the plane, you know? No one would've said anything."
Stefani side eyes him behind oversized sunglasses. She rests bare feet on the dash, her big toe moving to the The Pretenders on the satellite station.
"So your family can think I'm some pretentious, weird rich person? No."
"Shit!" He lays on the horn as a truck cuts them off, forcing him to slam on the brakes. "See, this is what I don't miss about road trips."
Gently, he places a hand on her knee. "Which is why we should've flown."
She starts to shake her head and his thumb slides down the cap, one, two, three.
"Hey, first off, they're all used to me being a rich weirdo. Second, you already know my mom and Holly, obviously, and they adore you. The rest of my family will, too."
"You sure you're not just saying that to make me feel less nervous? How about your friends? I don't want them to write me off."
"It's actually really sweet how worried you are about making a good impression."
"I'm serious, B." Twisting against her seat belt, she lowers her glasses to look at him. "We've been together, what, three months, give or take, and you already know every single person who's important to me. And now I finally get to meet all the people you love, who've shaped you to be the incredible man you are. So, yeah, I wanna make a good impression."
"I'm sorry," he apologizes. "I didn't mean to tease you. I know you do and I love it. But I swear to you, there's absolutely nothing to worry about. You've never met my aunts and my cousins and the guys I grew up with, but they know all about you."
"They do?"
"Well, yeah. Because I talk about you non-stop."
Her smile indicates that his comment's settled some of her anxiety and she grabs the bicep of his arm not on the wheel, giving it an affectionate squeeze.
"For what it's worth, I kind of like driving. And we can switch whenever you want."
At that, she grins, while he tries not to wince. They both know she's got a lead foot and more often than not, he's saying his prayers when she drives.
"It's nice to get the time together," Bradley acknowledges. "Between everything going on, feels like we have to fit it in when we can."
He coasts down the freeway, reaching for her hand and they don't do much, other than sing along to every song that comes up, comment on the scenery. It's easy and it's lovely and they can both see the charm in not racing to get somewhere, to slow down and enjoy the journey.
Lunch is at a tiny road side diner that not another soul is in. It's the "best cheeseburger," Stefani's ever had, along with fries so crisp and hot, that they split a large and then get two more orders to go. Cherry Cokes, which neither of them have had in forever, apple pie ala mode.
The waitress doesn't recognize them, or if she does, she doesn't let on. She calls them both "darlin'" and keeps their drinks refilled and by the time they leave, they're about to bust at the seams.
"I miss that."
She buckles back up and he nods in understanding.
"Eating out somewhere like a normal person. No one staring."
"No paps. Nobody with their phone out."
Tenderly, he cups her chin, placing a kiss on the side of her mouth. "That's exactly what this weekend's gonna be like. No one will treat you different, Stef. No one would even think about it."
