The Book of Willow- Princess of the West

6.

The ride hadn't been as excruciating as Chance predicted. Maia sat quietly in the backseat with Miles talking her ear off. Every now and then, he'd glance in the rear-view mirror and find her eyes watching him. And each time without fail, an electric surge shot down his spine. Part of him couldn't wait to get away from her. But another part he had trouble understanding wanted to stay, wanted to be near her.

"Yo, we're here." He announced to no one in particular as the Range Rover pulled into the driveway.

The house stood on a slight rise just on the edge of the town. Surrounded by trees, it overlooked a forested area with a pond and a small clearing at its center.

The house was nothing remarkable by any means - aged about thirty or forty years given the design, squattish, squarish, made of brick. Four windows decorated the front, of a size and proportion which more or less exactly failed to please. The one thing that drew the eye was the bright red front door directly at its center.

Maia was the first to hop out. Chance's attention was so focused on her that he didn't notice another vehicle rolled up the driveway and parked directly in front of them. A jet black Charger with a chic looking couple stepping out.

The man was tall and thickly muscled. He had a head full of ear length dark curls. He was the first from the vehicle. A slender woman with startling auburn hair stepped elegantly from the passenger side. Her pretty face lit up as she saw Maia.

Maia ran towards them and in a show of affection Chance found completely out of character. She embraced them jointly, clasping her arms around their necks.

"Hey Maia, honey." Chance heard the woman say. "Where is your car? And who is this?" She sounded intrigued as she poked her head around Maia, ensuring she got an eye full of the boys in the truck.

"Mother..." Maia grumbled.

Somehow, Chance missed the fact that Miles already left him behind in the truck. He precociously made his way toward Maia and her parents. With a debonair smile and a friendly hand extended, Miles boldly introduced himself.

"Hey there, Mr. and Mrs. Erinti. I'm Miles Lowell, Maia's friend." He took each person's hand in a firm handshake that would make any politician proud. He turned around to point at the car, "That's my brother in there, Chance. Come on out Chance!" He hollered.

Feeling a little like an asshole for staying in the truck, Chance turned off the engine and slid from the driver's seat. He hadn't intended on staying any longer than it took to drop the troll off under her bridge and make like hell for safety but here he was about to meet her folks.

"How do you do, Ma'am, Sir," He shook each hand and studied each face. He couldn't help but look at Maia again, realizing there was no resemblance between either of her parents and her.

"It's nice to meet you guys," Her father said, "I'm Brom Cromwell and this is my wife Amber Erinti."

Chance fixed his gaze on Brom. He would have been intimidated by him, except he wore a smile so disarming that it radiated a warmth that soothed.

"It's nice to meet any friends of Maia's," Her mother chimed. Maia folded her arms and sighed, withdrawing further against her mother's side.

"Maia, Princess, you never answered your mother, what happened to your car?" Brom pressed.

"That piece of shit--"

"Whoa! Hey! Language, Maia! You're in front of the rents! Show a little respect," Miles exclaimed, giving Maia an admonishing glare.

"I like him already," Amber said with an impish grin.

"Fine!" Maia consented, "Since you guys are going to gang up on me. I'm not saying anything." She turned angry eyes on Miles. "Miles! I thought you were Team Maia?"

Miles offered her parents a contrite apologetic look, "I'm so sorry folks. You gotta excuse her. Her blood sugar must be low. I think what Maia is trying to say is that she had car trouble and her good friends, Miles, and Chance were kind enough to give her a ride home."

"I like him too." Brom added, "You can keep him, Maia."

"Ugh" Maia growled before turning to make for the house.

"Would you boys like to stay for dinner," Amber asked. The afternoon sun danced in her green eyes and the wind blew red hair across her freckled covered cheek. She was a goddess and clearly of no direct relation to the virago rampaging through her home.

"We'd love to," Chance heard himself say. This again confounded him as he wanted nothing more than to put as much distance as was possible between him and Maia Erinti.