I stayed in the car, giving Claudia a moment to compose herself before we headed into the villa. I'd been trying to calm her nerves, but I wasn't sure how helpful I'd really been. I understood why she was anxious — my mother had a way of being intimidating. She was a powerful woman, commanding attention without even trying. While I knew without a doubt that she'd love Claudia, my yet to be fake girlfriend wasn't quite convinced, especially given how my mom had first found out about us.
Claudia exhaled a deep breath, and I chuckled softly. "You ready, babe?"
"Jude, no. I'm not. I think I'm going to poop my pants," she admitted, her face creased with worry.
I couldn't help but laugh at how adorable she looked. "Oh, so we're at the stage where you're comfortable pooping your pants in front of me? We've come a long way, Panda."
"I'm serious. I'm freaking out," she muttered, her nerves more evident than ever. I took her hand and squeezed it gently.
"My mom was really nice to you on the phone, wasn't she? Trust me, you have nothing to worry about. I promise I won't leave your side." I tried to reassure her.
