The Detective and Her Bachelor

Chapter 37

"I look idiotic," I muttered down at my clothes hoping they would hear me and change themselves into something more Delle-esk as I stood before my childhood home.

Upon hearing that I was going to be taking Andrew to my house, to meet my sisters, in a cruel twist of my worst nightmare come to life, Michale had insisted on a completely different outfit, because apparently, I hadn't been wearing a 'family introduction outfit.' And although the outfit I had been put into was comfortable, I would never have picked for myself. 

Andrew watched me fuss over my deep blue turtle wrap sweater, adjusting the large sleeves for the thousandth time, with an amused expression. "It doesn't matter how many times you attack your sleeves, they won't magically transport you somewhere else."

I sighed, staring down at my outfit. The jeans and boots matched my personality, but the sweater was... softer than I would normally pick, giving off the illusion of gentleness. The sweater made me realize how important clothing was. How each person wore clothes like armor. Wearing pieces that evoked the image that we wanted the world to see. And right now I felt too soft, to easy to pry apart. It made me hate the beautiful sweater.

I felt too fragile. I wanted to throw a leather jacket over it to have some emotional protection. I didn't quite understand why I felt the need for extra layers of war garb. It was just my family waiting inside. People who loved me. But something inside of me was sending up warning bells. And in my life, I had learned to listen. It left me itching to leave. To turn and run. 

Why am I so freaked out?

"I know... I just... I've never brought a guy home to meet my sisters before." The truth behind my words left me feeling embarrassed, tugging at my sweater sleeve again, hoping it would suddenly transform into something scarier, more durable, a layer of thick skin to hide the secret marshmallow girl inside. "It has me freaking out a little," I admitted.

Andrew's hand gently tugged my fingers away from my sweater sleeve. "Thanks for picking me to bring home," he said softly, folding my fingers into his.

"Not gonna lie... the show kinda made that decision for me," I blurted before I could stop myself.

I glanced up at Andrew from under my lashes, embarrassed by how sweet he had been and how poorly I had received it. But instead of looking hurt, he just laughed, the gold flecks in his eyes flashing bright. "There's that Falls honesty." He gave my hand a squeeze and I allowed myself a moment to take him in. He wore a black button up shirt that looked like it had been made with him in mind, carved across his lean body in a distracting way, and paired with jeans and a leather jacket. 

Why does he get to wear a leather jacket? I grumbled internally. I was torn between wanting to yank his jacket away and wear it myself, and wanting to be the jacket he wore. The sudden desire left me pulling my gaze away, embarrassed.

He gave my hand another squeeze. "Deep breath, Scowler. We'll get through this together."

We walked up the uneven driveway towards my childhood home, stepping over the cracks where weeds had begun there attempt to overthrow the world above. "It's you I'm worried about. Allie doesn't like most people. She has a pretty mean right hook too."

"Are you trying to scare me off?" he asked, stopping on the bottom step of the worn down porch and turning to look at me. He searched my face, the moon casting his face in pale light. "I know you think that this can only go badly. I see it all over your face. But... it doesn't have to be the worst thing in the world. This can end well."

I took him in. This man who was so determined to believe in all the good in the world. He was like my own personal spark of magic. It made me want to believe in it too. To burry my face in the glimmers of hope he offered. And believing in good things could be dangerous. Were dangerous. Especially when all of that magic would fizzle out once he realized how much of me was a lie.