Bad Boy by Night

♱ Chapter 41 ♱

𝓐𝓭𝓮𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓭𝓮
𝟺𝟷: 𝙲𝚛𝚊𝚜𝚑 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙱𝚞𝚛𝚗

To say I was nervous was an understatement.

Mom had been busying herself in the kitchen, relishing in being able to cook a completely homemade meal. Cory was working late and then attending a dinner with a bunch of other employees. That put me at ease a little bit. It meant that Cory would be absent so then he wouldn't be either monopolising the conversation with Porter or shooting him glares from the opposite side of the table. Frankly, I didn't know which situation was worse.

Dad had been holed up in his office to prepare for his next trial at court in the upcoming days. It was palpable that he was becoming more and more nervous by the day, but as soon as the trial would be over—and he'd garner some sort of result for his client due to his notoriety and status—he'd celebrate with a bottle of champagne with Mom.

When it was nearing six, I was becoming frenzied, having altered my outfit multiple times. In the end I settled with Calvin Klein patterned tights, a high waist plaid skirt and a simple grey shirt tucked into the skirt. My hair I left natural with waves after blow-drying it and stuck to my usual makeup routine which was more of a natural look.

I received a text the second Porter parked up so I could be the one to answer the door given I was three floors up and my parents would end up beating me to it.

Porter: I'm outside. Are you nervous?

Adelaide: So much. You?

Porter: Shitting myself

His confession elicited a smile and I found it adorable that he was anxious to meet my parents. To me, it cemented that this was an actual relationship and I could call him my boyfriend. When I first met him, I never believed this would be the outcome, but I can't imagine it any other way now. However, that did mean that I suppose we did have NAMELESS to grudgingly thank as without them, I would never have met Porter.

Mom and Dad were in the kitchen as I loitered near the front door, poised to open the door as soon as Porter knocked. When he did, he appeared startled, almost as though he wasn't anticipating me to open the door so soon. He straightened his back before composing himself, though he still seemed guarded and reserved, but I ruled this down to his apprehension.

"Hey," he greeted. "Do you mind if I quickly use your bathroom first?" Porter asked.

I stepped back, rendered wordless. Porter stepped in after me and I shut the door softly behind him.

An overwhelming, clouding expression of discomfort seemed to settle over Porter's hard features. He gestured up at the stairs and it was all I could do to nod. Frankly, I was still rendered dry-mouthed and knee-buckled by how his heart-stopping tailored attire seemed to be, seizing to every definition his body had to offer. He donned black jeans, skinny enough to be deemed skinny but baggy enough to characterise him as the typical rugged bad boy, and a tight-fitting jumper. The black boots only added to how smart he appeared, and my heart tugged at the revelation that he was making a real effort for my parents.

There was also the side note that there didn't seem to even be a slight aroma of smoke, just pure cologne. A girl could get high off that scent just by it assaulting their senses.

"Sure," I inexplicably managed to utter. "We'll be in the dining room when you're finished. It's just through there," I added, lamely pointing down the corridor I would be headed in a matter of moments.

He shot me an easy, swoon-worthy smile before departing up the stairs.

When I emerged into the dining room, Mom was strutting out of the kitchen sans an apron and instead with a palpably nervous smile adorning her lip-gloss coated lips. When she only laid eyes on me, her smile fell, but only marginally. Keeping up with appearances and all.