Page 73 of When the Time Is Right
“Mom!” she shouted. “Dad!”
“Oh my God, David!” Judy whisper-yelled. “They’re here. They’re here.”
Not even kidding, I heard Judy clap.
That was not the usual fanfare when I arrived, so I assumed it was reserved for Lex’s new boyfriend.
“In here, darling!” Judy sing-songed.
Lex shot me one last pleading stare, but my only reply was to sweep a hand out to let her lead the way.
We found her parents in the sunroom overlooking the backyard. Two chairs and a love seat surrounded the coffee table I’d made for them as an anniversary present when I was nineteen. I’d thought it was incredible back then, but it was far from being even acceptable now. Above and beyond that, it looked cheap and out of place in what could only be described as the Lawsons’ mansion. But Judy had insisted on keeping it, even after I’d offered to make her something new and more elegant. That sitting area with the massive floor-to-ceiling windows was her favorite room in the house, and my chest warmed every time I saw my ugly, rickety table sitting smack-dab in the middle of it.
Judy was perched on the edge of one of the tan armchairs as if she were barely able to stay in her seat. David was beside her, a book in his hand, glasses he’d only recently started wearing poised on the tip of his nose.
He took them off and set the book aside, smiling as he looked up at us. “Well, look who it is, my favorite kids. Don’t tell Cal I said that.”
Judy’s smile fell as she leaned from side to side, desperately trying to see behind us. “Um, aren’t you missing someone?”
Lex looked up at me. “Nope, I think everyone’s here.”
“Oh, honey,” Judy whispered, her entire body deflating. “Did you and the new guy already break up?”
“No. Actually, we’re doing pretty well. You know, despite the fact that I think there is a solid chance he’s a con man trying to steal Grampa’s Chevelle, but he’s good in bed, so I’ll keep him for a while.”
“Jesus,” I muttered, bulging my eyes at her in a silent What the fuck?
She replied with a wicked grin that did not bode well for the rest of this conversation.
She wandered to the loveseat and sank down, and I had no choice but to follow her or face the firing squad alone.
“Plus, he’s bossy and controlling. Kinda rude sometimes too. Don’t worry though. He’s hot, so it will all be worth it one day.”
I gritted my teeth and pressed an elbow into her side.
David suddenly inched to the edge of his chair. “Wait a minute. Alexis, he doesn’t sound like the man you need around.”
“He’s a good guy,” I interjected.
Judy clutched her literal pearls.
David sliced a glare my way. “You met him and haven’t taken care of the chump yet?”
I scowled at the beautiful and astronomically frustrating woman giggling beside me. “Well…”
“Oh, Daddy, relax. He only threatened to throw me into a snake-infested lake once. I’m trying to look on the bright side: He’s loaded.”
“Oh my God!” I boomed. “They were tadpoles and you were thirteen!”
The room fell silent as the proverbial record skipped to a stop.
A victorious grin grew on Lex’s cheeks, and if I hadn’t been worried about making things weird for Judy and David, I would have kissed it right off her gorgeous face.
“Mom, Dad, I’d like you to meet my boyfriend, Hudson Bradley.” She reached down, took my hand, and intertwined our fingers before lifting them to her mouth to kiss my thumb.
I shook my head and brought our joined hands to my lips, muttering, “Couldn’t make it easy on me, could you?”
“You stole my grandfather’s car. It seemed only fair.” She laughed and then we both turned our attention to her parents, who were staring at us with wide eyes and gaping mouths.
Right, okay. So maybe Lauren, Cal, and Maggie had been wrong and not everyone had assumed we would eventually end up together.
“Oh my God!” Judy cried, pressing a hand to her chest. “Wait, you mean you two are dating, right?”
I grinned over at Lex. “That’s what it means.”
“Oh my God,” she repeated, shooting to her feet. “Oh my God, my kids are getting married!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Lex objected. “Slow your roll, Judy. We’re dating. That’s all.”
Judy did not let the technicality ruin her moment. After trotting around the ugly coffee table like a prized pony, she leaned down and threw her arms around both of us, dragging us in for a group hug and chanting, “My kids are dating!”
I laughed and hugged her back, pretty excited about the ease in which this was playing out.
“Okay, okay,” Lex said, peeling her mother’s arms off us. “Stop saying that. It sounds like I’m hooking up with Cal.”
Judy put her hands on her cheeks and stared at us adoringly. “This calls for champagne.”
