My Guardian Angel

Chapter 36

This was either going to be perfectly fine...or a complete nightmare. She couldn't decide as she was driving her and Ben to her parents house. She decided to stay with him for the remainder of the break, so long as he promised to give her space when she needs it. She's very fond of alone time on some days and he completely understood.

For today and tomorrow, however, he was planning on sticking to her like white on rice. Truthfully, he was very nervous about meeting her parents and her family. He's done this many times over the years, he's never had a problem with meeting parents, but this was different.

He's nearly twenty years older than Cassie. If his own daughter brought back a man that was closer to his age than her's, he might rip the man's head off. This was why it was so different, though...

He never imagined having a daughter or a family of his own. He's never put things into perspective like that. Not since he met her. It scared the living daylights out of him, but it also excited him to no end. He loved that he loved her so deeply.

He took her hand as he thought more about it and gave it a squeeze. She glanced a smile over to him, trying to focus on the dreaded traffic they were stuck in.

"We should have left yesterday," she sighed.

Ben let go of her hand so she could put it on the steering wheel and put it on her thigh instead. "It's alright, it's still early. The party doesn't start until six, yes?" He looked to the clock that said it was ten in the morning, then to the GPS that said they had thirty more minutes to go.

"Yeah, I just hate traffic," she muttered. "One of the many reasons I want to leave California."

He glanced over at her and shifted a bit in his seat as more intrusive thoughts entered his head. Leaving California was always his goal since he got the job, he never planned on staying long. Now that she thinks the same...he couldn't help the smile that pulled on his lips.

"What's got you so happy?" She asked with a small smile. "Can't be excitement of meeting the entire Moretti clan."

He squeezed her thigh as he told her, "Of course I'm excited, love. Nervous, but excited. Tell me everyone's names again. I want to get it right."

He had her quiz him for the next ten minutes they sat in traffic, then they both decided to sing terribly to some songs that came on her playlist. "I'm impressed by your music," he said as he picked up her phone and scrolled through her songs. "These are songs back from my day."

She snorted. "Your day, really? I grew up with this stuff! I can hardly stand today's music with a few exceptions." He hummed as he continued to scroll. "Here we are..." She made a right into a rather lengthy driveway and parked behind a BMW.

They got out and unloaded the food and presents first, leaving their bags for later. She dug out some keys from her pocket and opened the front door. "Ready?" She asked Ben as she looked back at him.

"As I will ever be," he smiled.

She gave him an excited and nervous smile as she called, "Hello, we're here!"

It only took a few moments for a fairly short man with grey hair to come out from the kitchen and shout, "Pumpkin! My goodness, look at you!" Sam, Cassie's father, pulled her into a bone crushing hug like he hadn't seen her in years. "Here, let me take this." He took the tub of homemade dessert from her hands, then looked to Ben. The look he gave made a cold chill go down Ben's spine. "And you must be the boyfriend."

Ben cleared his throat, then said, "Yes I'm Benedict, but please call me Ben. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." They firmly shook hands as Sam eyed him curiously.