Invisible String

Chapter 21 -Dinner date

A week later, I finally muster the courage to call my parents and invite them over for dinner.

After talking it over with Logan—who was totally on board—I decided to ask my parents to come to the apartment. It wasn't just going to be me; Logan would be there too, and he was even going to handle the cooking since, let's be honest, that's not my strong suit.

I wasn't worried about my family meeting Logan. He's my friend, and they don't know we're sleeping together—they never will. Sure, it might seem like a typical "meet the boyfriend" dinner, but that's not what this is. No rules were being broken. Logan is my best guy friend right now, so him meeting my parents is like Veronica meeting them... okay, maybe not exactly the same, but close enough. To avoid any awkwardness, Ethan's coming too. He's one of Logan's best friends, and I really like him.

Alright, I might have an ulterior motive for inviting Ethan. Veronica's coming too, and I think they'd hit it off. When I told Logan about my matchmaking plans, he said I was "batshit crazy," but he doesn't know Veronica like I do. Ethan's calm demeanor would balance out her wild side perfectly.

Vanessa and Jack were also coming to dinner, so we spent the entire Sunday preparing. Well, Logan did the cooking while I focused on tidying up the apartment.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" I asked Logan for the millionth time as he chopped vegetables with the precision of a chef.

He looked up, smiling. "Genesis, relax. I'm more than okay with this. Besides, I enjoy cooking. It'll be fun."

I couldn't help but smile back, feeling a little less anxious. Logan always had a way of making things seem less daunting. I went back to arranging the living room and making sure everything was perfect. I wanted tonight to go smoothly, for my parents and for myself.

By late afternoon, the apartment smelled amazing. Logan had outdone himself with a menu that included homemade pasta, garlic bread, and a variety of appetizers.

Right now I was in my room, deciding what to wear. I hadn't felt nervous until this moment. How should I act? Should I pretend nothing had happened? Should I address the elephant in the room as soon as they got here?

I pulled out a few outfits, trying to decide between casual and dressy. I finally settled on a simple dress that was both comfortable and presentable. As I slipped it on, I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and dread. This dinner was a big step, and I wanted everything to go perfectly.

I took a deep breath and glanced at myself in the mirror. "You can do this," I muttered to my reflection. "Just be yourself."

I headed to the living room, where Logan was putting the finishing touches on the meal. He looked up and smiled. "Looking amazing for tonight."

"Thanks," I said, trying to steady my nerves. "I'm just a little... you know, anxious."

He walked over and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. "Everything will be fine. Your parents are going to love the food, and we'll all have a good time. Just take it one step at a time."

"Right..." I tried to remember the exercises that Dr. Stevens gave me in case I started to feel anxious.

Count down from fifty to zero.

Say the alphabet backward.

Take three deep breaths.

I closed my eyes and started with the countdown. Fifty... forty-nine... forty-eight... The numbers helped to calm my racing thoughts.

Then I moved to the alphabet. Z... Y... X... It was trickier, but it forced me to focus, pulling my mind away from the anxiety.

Finally, I took three deep breaths, feeling my heartbeat slow with each inhale and exhale.