I found a smile tugging at my lips. Who would have thought I’d find Prince Charming? And who would have guessed he’d be the sexy player Roman?
Not me.
My mom caught my eye as she headed toward us, breaking away from a conversation with Flynn and Isla to join this awkward exchange. Sir? My mom mouthed, making me swallow a nervous giggle.
I wasn’t sure anyone had ever called my dad ‘sir’ before, and I could have sworn I saw it go to his head. His shoulders went back and his chest puffed out, and he looked at Roman with a new interest. “I, uh….” My dad cleared his throat. “I’m sorry for what I said earlier.”
Roman said something nice about how it was understandable, but my dad didn’t give him a chance to finish.
“We don’t judge people we don’t know in this family, and from what Willow tells us, you’re well worth getting to know.” He stuck a hand out. “Welcome.”
I saw Roman’s throat work as he swallowed, but he still wore a smile as he shook my dad’s hand and then turned to my mother. She was easy to win over. If there was one thing Roman excelled at, it was charming people, and my mother fell under his spell in a matter of seconds.
I could have sworn I felt the entire room let out a breath of relief at once when he had both of my parents laughing over some story about working in the kitchen. The rest of the Princess Troupe had come over for their usual post-work get together, and aside from the addition of my parents and Roman, it was a night like any other.
But it was also totally different. Everything felt different. And not just because I had a boyfriend, although that was a pretty huge change in my life.
I took a deep breath and tugged on Roman’s hand, leading him away from my parents as they turned their attention to Callie, who was embarrassing Maverick by bragging to them about his win on the football field earlier in the night.
I shot Maverick a sympathetic wince, but he shrugged, a little smile curving up his lips as he gazed at his girlfriend in clear adoration.
There was a time, oh...maybe a week ago or so, when the sight of that sappy sweetness would have made me equally happy on their behalf, but also confused. I hadn’t really understood how much falling for someone could change my perspective.
But it wasn’t just the falling. It was the understanding that came with it. The feeling like I was part of something bigger, the knowledge that there was at least one person in my life who had my back and was on my side.
It was nice.
Oh heck, it was way better than nice.
“You holding up, okay?” Roman asked as he squeezed my hand. We grabbed a couple sodas from the kitchen counter.
“I should be asking you that,” I said. “You’re the one who just met the parents.”
He laughed. “I did, didn’t I?” He gave his head a little shake. “Who would have thought, huh?”
I knew what he meant. He was so not the guy you brought home to meet the parents. At least, he wasn’t that guy at first glance. Thank goodness both of us thought to look deeper.
“When do I get to meet your mom?” I asked.
He winced. “I’ve still got some work to do there,” he said. “My uncle said some things to me tonight that made me realize I haven’t been doing myself any favors by playing into the role I’d been cast. You know?”
I nodded. “Yeah, but it’s not too late.” I leaned into him, and he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. The weight of it, the heat of him...it was new and nice. So nice.
He felt like home, and that meant more to me than I could express.
For now, at least. I was getting better at this whole talking about emotions, though. Taking the leap and leaving my self-made tower wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. But with Roman by my side, I could do it. After all, if there was one thing I did well, it was learn.
So I’d keep trying. I’d keep learning.
And luckily for me, I now had not only a boyfriend, but family and friends to support me. Flynn smiled at me when we reached him, Isla, and Savannah in the living room. “Your parents seem to be coming around.”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “They just want me to be happy,” I said. “They always have. We’ve just done a really bad job of talking in the past, that’s all. And that’s partially my fault.”
Roman leaned over and I felt his lips against my hair—which was hanging loose, by the way. I still wasn’t certain how I wanted to wear it in the future, but for now it felt good to let my hair down, metaphorically and literally.
Roman’s arm around my shoulders tightened and that was my clue, I guess. I realized that Flynn, Isla, and even Savannah were waiting patiently. Like they expected more.
I cleared my throat, glancing up at Roman. His smile was so sweet and so encouraging. It was also a reminder of all the good that could come by opening up and letting things out.
There were bad things out there in the world, yes. But living in fear of the bad was a prison I was intent on breaking out of.
So I swallowed. I took a breath. And I started in on the story of how I’d been sick as a kid. Really sick. And how that fear of sickness and death had made me fear living.
I could practically feel the walls coming down brick by brick with each word I spoke and every second that they listened.
“I’m proud of you,” Roman whispered in my ear when I was done.
I smiled up at him. “I’m getting there. It’s a work in progress.”
“I’m pretty sure we all are,” he said.
“Ugh,” Savannah said with mock disgust. “If you guys are going to be all whispers and giggles like Flynn and Isla and Callie and Maverick, I’m out of here.”
I laughed because she was still smiling, clearly happy for us. If she was unhappy about the fact that she was the last single princess standing, it didn’t show.
“Savannah has a point,” Isla said as she started to drag Flynn away, whispering loudly about how Roman and I needed alone time as if her meaning had been unclear.
Once we were alone, Roman turned to me with a grin. “Well, we’re official. Parent approved and everything. There’s no turning back now, you know that, right?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Are you trying to scare me off?”
His laugh was low and so warm it made me shiver. “Never. I know you don’t scare easily.” He glanced over his shoulder to make sure my parents weren’t watching before he pulled me into his arms. “I know for a fact you’re the bravest girl I’ve ever met.”
“Brave, huh?” I had this image of curling my hair and dying it red like the Disney princess Merida.
“What’s that smile about?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Just thinking that maybe it’s time for me to take on a new princess character in the troupe.”
“Oh yeah?” His grin turned sly and undeniably sexy. “Well, just so long as I’m the lucky guy you run off into the sunset with, I’m all for it.”
I pursed my lips as I thought that over. “I’m not sure riding off into the sunset is in keeping with the metaphor.”
He nodded like he was seriously considering this. “Thankfully, I have you for a tutor so I’ll be well versed on metaphors in time for the SATs.”
I laughed at the teasing glint in his eyes. “We do have a lot of tutoring ahead of us,” I agreed.
“And don’t think you’re off the hook for more lessons on your end, either.”
“Oh yeah?” My heart fluttered wildly in my chest at the mischievous glint in his eyes. “What did you have in mind?”
He tugged me further into the kitchen, heading toward the back door leading to the deck. “Well, first on the agenda is teaching you how to sneak out of a party.”
“Why would I do that?” I teased.
His arms wrapped around me from behind as he herded me toward the door. His voice was little more than a growl when he whispered in my ear. “Because I’m about to teach you that stolen kisses are the best sort of kisses.”
“Really?” My voice was breathless when
we stumbled out onto the deck and into my own personal oasis. My home. Which seemed to be growing bigger and more crowded with each passing second.
“Really,” he said. And then he was kissing me, and I forgot all about lessons and tutoring and even the wonderful Hygge I’d created out on this deck. When his lips claimed mine, there was just him, and me...and us.
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About the Author
MAGGIE DALLEN IS a big city girl living in Montana. She writes romantic comedies in a range of genres including young adult, historical, contemporary, and fantasy. An unapologetic addict of all things romance, she loves to connect with fellow avid readers. Subscribe to her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/bFEVsL
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