Purposefully Coincidental ✓

52. Sir

Leo

I take a deep, calming breath and when that doesn't work shit at calming me, I resort to the breathing techniques my therapist told me to use when it felt like everything was closing in on me.

Inhale for four seconds.

Exhale for eight.

I repeat this a few more times before I muster up the courage and knock on the door. The door of the house where Josephine's parents live.

Yes, me, a sniper who plays with rifles for a living, is scared shitless to meet my girlfriend's parents.

Christmas was a few weeks ago, and we decided it's finally time we met our parents.

The door creaks open and Josephine's face greets me. It instantly has a calming effect on me. One better than those damn breathing exercises.

Josephine ushers me in and closes the door behind me. I take her in as I toe off my shoes.

She's wearing wide pipe jeans with a shirt that has a teddy bear imprint on it. She looks fucking adorable in her outfit.

"My parents are so excited to meet you." She beams at me. "Mama's been preparing food the entire morning."

"They are?"

"Yes." She chuckles. "They're eager to meet the man I've talked about so much."

"Yeah?" I glance inside, but the corridor door is closed. So I grip her waist and pull her to me. "Good things, I presume?"

"Oh, no. Far from good."

"Hmm." I dip down to kiss her, but stop midway. "Can I give you a quick kiss?"

She laughs and nods. "Yes."

The kiss is shorter than I'd like, but I don't want one of her parents to walk in on us while making out.

"Are those for me?" She nods at the flowers in my hand.

"No." I give her a grin. "Those are for your mother."

"Ooh, what a gentleman." She taps the box. "And this?"

"Those are cookies my Nonna made." I answer. "I guess they're for you, too."

"Can't wait to taste them." She inclines her head to the right. "They're sitting outside."

I rest my free hand on her lower back as she guides me into her parents' home. It's a nice and spacious place. Which is normal, considering they have six children in total.

As we pass the living room, I see a few framed photos. My eyes focus on the picture of a little girl with pigtails and a big grin with a missing front tooth. I'd say Josephine is around six in the photo.

"You can see them later." She tells me.

"You bet."

We finally reach the garden, and I take a deep breath in.

Her parents stand up when they see us. We shake hands as Josephine introduces us.

"Have a seat." Her father tells me. He's a big fella with a white mustache. Her mother is the same height as Josephine, but her hair is black and her eyes are blue.

I can see where Josephine gets her looks from.

We sit down with Josephine next to me. My arm instinctually reaches to rest on her thigh, but I retract it in time.

I'm not sure what her parents would think of me touching their daughter in front of them. Even if it's not inappropriate.

"So, tell me," her father speaks up. "What do you do for a living?"