Carter.

44.

I stop and pee and brush my teeth before heading back into Gray's room. I set the water down on his nightstand and find the TV remote. There is no way I'm going to be able to sleep now. I'm so frazzled from meeting his mom like this. She could be my future mother-in-law...

I put on Santa Clarita Diet (10/10 would recommend btw) and plop down into Grayson's side of the bed. It smell more like him.

Two episodes play through before I start to fall back into sleep. I'm half asleep when Gray comes back into the room.

"Love? Are you awake?" He whispers.

I mumble a "Yeah."

"Sorry I woke you." He says climbing into bed after taking his shorts off.

I snuggle into him. "I met your mom." My face heating up recalling the interaction.

"I know." He chuckles. "She told me all about it." I bury my face into his chest so he can't see how embarrassed I actually am. "She thinks it was sweet."

"Ugh! It was so embarrassing." I half whine.

"It'll be a good story for our kids." He laughs. Our kids? My heart soars at his words.

"Let's get some rest before school tomorrow." I change the subject so we don't have to have another intense talk tonight.

"I love you."

"I love you too." He kisses my head as I sink further into him.

•••

We both get a late start in the morning since we both hit snooze on his alarm a couple times without knowing the other at snoozed it already. We both are ready for school with about 20 minutes until school starts but we have to swing by my house to get my backpack.

Grayson's mom made a quick breakfast of some homemade breakfast bars. It wasn't nearly as awkward this morning as I thought it would be. She's simply too kind for that.

"Ready?" Grayson chirps as he walks down the stairs with his backpack. I'm slipping my shoes on and nod.

"See you after school mom!" Grayson's says as we walk out the door. She tells us to have a great day before the door closes.

I climb into Gray's car as he tosses his backpack in the backseat.

"We're going to be late." He jokingly rolls his eyes at me. "Because someone had to snooze the alarm too many times." He says as he absentmindedly sets his hand on my upper thigh, which radiates warmth through my body.

"I do recall you hitting snooze a few times yourself." I say pointedly at him.

"Oh so you knew I had hit snooze and you still hit snooze yourself?" He raises his eyebrow at me.

"Shut up." I roll my eyes and look out the window. We're nearly at my house since we don't live very far from each other. "I'll just run in and grab my backpack so you don't have to turn the car off."

"Are you sure? What if your mom is home?" He asks as he pulls up in front of my house.

"It'll be faster if I just go if she is in there. Plus it's freezing outside and the car just started to heat up." I shrug. My mother would lose it if she saw Grayson in our house.

"Okay." He smiles as I climb out of the car and head to my front door. The key already in my hand. My mother's car is the driveway but I just hope that she's sleeping.

I manage to make it upstairs to my room and grab my bag unnoticed. Her bedroom door was closed so I'm guessing she's sleeping. I tiptoe down the stairs and head towards the front door. My hand is on the door knob as I hear her door open.