I've Found You

Chapter 12

****WARNING: this is where the story starts to get mature. if graphic sexuality isn't your thing, i don't suggest reading this.****

After an uneventful and gruesomely boring day spent on my couch watching old re-runs of Gossip Girl, the evening finally rolled around. I was pulled from my television trance by a sharp three knocks on the door, followed by a pause, and then another three knocks. I smiled as I stood up from where I was seated and proceeded answer the door, already knowing the face that would be revealed when I opened it. Just as I had predicted, Jai stood in front of me smiling, his hands tucked away into the pockets of his loosely fitted grey track pants.

“Ready to go, Val?” he asked as he leaned down to give me a light peck on the lips.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I huffed out in response, sighing.

If I was being honest with myself I was quite nervous about meeting his family. I wasn’t sure why, and I was certain I didn’t have any logical reason to be seeing as I had already become acquainted with his brothers, but this knowledge didn’t do anything to supress the butterflies I was beginning to feel in my belly.

Yet again, Jai seemed to be able to pick up on the edgy emotions that were slowly consuming my body. It was uncanny how emotionally in sync we were sometimes; a connection that never failed to baffle me as this was the first time in my life I’d experienced the incredibility of developing a bond with someone who understood and related to me on such a personal level. Grasping my hand tightly, he leveled his gaze to mine and kissed me on the nose.

“Hey, I can tell you’re nervous, babe, and you don’t have to be. My mum is a really easy going person, she’ll love you, I promise.”

His reassuring words did something to loosen the knot of tension my stomach had by now become. I stepped out of my apartment and locked the door behind me. Upon entering the lobby, I was delighted to see that Beau was waiting out front for us in the silver vehicle he was so proud to call his own. I hopped into the back seat at the same time Jai claimed shotgun, and we sped off in the direction of the Brooks residence.

“Valerie, darling!” exclaimed a woman who I assumed to be their mother, Gina, as she enveloped me in a warm and accepting embrace, which I willingly returned. “It’s so nice to finally meet you, you’re all Jai has been talking about in the past few days!”

I watched on in amusement as a bright crimson blush spread to cover Jai’s cheeks. He stared down as his feet in seeming mortification and mumbled, “Mum stop, you’re embarrassing me…”

Laughing wholeheartedly and feeling a lot more relaxed around his mother than I’d expected, I bumped shoulders with him lightly and gave him an encouraging smile. “I think it’s cute, don’t be embarrassed!”

“Come on you lovebirds, dinner is getting cold and I’m afraid Luke will never shut up about how hungry he is if we don’t feed him soon,” Gina informed us as she ushered us by the shoulder towards the dining room. I took a seat beside Jai at the table.

The meal consisted of a casserole in marinara sauce that was absolutely to die for, a side of turnip mashed potatoes, and a ham and pineapple salad that left my taste buds singing. During dinner conversation I found out that the boys and their mother were of Italian descent, to which Gina gave the credit for her exceptional skills in the kitchen. For desert, a steaming mound of caramel coffee cake was placed on the table before me and I won’t lie to you, my mouth started watering.

“It was so nice meeting you, Mrs. Brooks, and thank you again for dinner. It was absolutely wonderful!” I said as Jai and I stood by the door, prepared to leave and trek our way back to my apartment.