Uncompromising (Age Gap, gxg)

Chapter 35

I fidgeted nervously on the couch, as my leg bounced up and down under the throw blanket that covered my legs and provided entertainment to the little kitties that seemed to think that my anxiety was perfect for their play time. It was the Friday before Thanksgiving, and Zee and Hollie were running late. We all knew why, since Hollie had been keeping us up to date via texts from the road, but it didn't make the waiting any easier. Technically, they still had classes on Monday and Tuesday, but each school has a mix of nice and mean professors, and their professors had already told them they could take their classes online next week, so they were on their way. However, Hollie's Friday professor was a strict one, and kept them right up to the end of class, which is why they got on the road later than they'd hoped. And of course, the later leaving time meant that they got mixed in with the other students leaving for the break, plus a little rush hour traffic to boot.

I had a professor like that in my sophomore year, and I detested her. Hopefully, Hollie wouldn't have too many more classes like that in the future. The bigger issue in the future would be her softball schedule, as I knew that would keep her busy too, even on weekends and breaks, but that would be more enjoyable than a professor who got off on tormenting students.

Regardless, the girls leaving so late meant they would eat on the way and couldn't enjoy the fettuccine alfredo I'd cooked up. I still kept plenty for leftovers, just in case, but it still wasn't the same since I really had wanted to have them sit at the table with us. Did I also want to hear Zee slurping cheesy noodles? No comment. I might have even had a small image of me reaching over and wiping a little cheese sauce off her lips with my thumb, but that might have gone too far with my daughters there. Maybe it was better that they were late after all.

"Mom, they'll be here soon, then you can kiss her," Gracie snickered from across the room. I glared at her, and she and Jashanna just laughed at me. Yeah, I was a wreck.

"I look desperate, huh?"

"Mom, you look like someone waiting for her prom date to come pick her up. It isn't a bad thing, because she'll know how much you missed her," Jashanna assured me. "Believe me, I felt that way for a long time whenever I would come see Gracie, I was going crazy until it was time to come over. I'm sure Zee is probably driving way too fast to come see you too."

"Aww, baby!" Gracie cooed before she leaned over and gave Jashanna a soft kiss on the cheek. "I used to be nervous about you coming over too, so I'm glad we finally admitted things."

"Okay, stop being cute!" I blurted. "It isn't helping! Plus, we're not even official yet so I shouldn't be like this!" Seriously, I loved them to death, but they were so adorable together that sometimes it felt like I might get an ulcer. Yes, that makes no sense, I know, and yet my guts were still twisted up like I was back in high school. Zee couldn't get here fast enough.

And then came the music to my ears, Gracie's phone buzzed, and she looked up at me with a smile. "They'll be here in five minutes!"

"Five minutes?" I felt like my heart was going to pound out of my chest as I stood and dropped the throw blanket onto the couch and hurried to my room. I took a quick trip to the bathroom so that my bladder wouldn't interrupt a nice greeting, then got all cleaned up and looked at myself in the mirror. I was trying to go for a relaxed but sexy look, with a pair of navy blue capri pants and a peach tank top with cute little white sandals to complete the look. My brown hair was loose in case she wanted to run fingers through it, and my makeup was minimalistic with a little lip gloss to make my lips look kissable. You know, on the off chance our faces got smooshed together. I kept the jewelry basic with small diamond hoops with a matching necklace, and then I was done. And yet, there was a look of panic in my eyes as I realized what was about to happen. Any moment, a young woman was going to walk through the door, and she could very well be the love of my life. Or she could flame out and we could walk away. There wasn't much of a middle ground.