Chapter 13
Chapter
Thirteen
Theo parked in front of his parents’ house and glanced at Serena. He could tell she felt nervous about meeting his parents. “You ready?” he asked, giving her an encouraging smile.
“I’m looking forward to it,” she said, though her voice was slightly shaky.
They climbed out of the car and followed the walkway around the house. Theo caught the scent of grilling meat wafting through the air. They circled around to the back deck and found Shane Keenan at the grill. Lily was arranging bowls on a wooden picnic table. At the other end of the deck stood a chiminea and a stack of firewood. The yard was rimmed with flowerbeds near the fence, and the tall pines beyond cast cool shade.
“Theo!” Lily called out, setting down a dish. She walked over and gave him a hug. “You must be Serena. It’s so nice to meet you.” Lily reached out and took Serena’s hand, giving it a warm shake. “I’ve been dying to meet you since Stella told us she spotted you two at the diner. Theo, how dare you keep her from us for a single day?”
“Mom,” Theo said under his breath.
Shane turned from the grill, spatula in hand. Smoke curled from a variety of meats. “It’s good to see you, son,” he said. “And your lovely new mate.”
“Dad...” He shot Theo a sideways grin. “Serena and I are just getting to know each other. No pressure.”
Stella appeared in the sliding door from the kitchen, carrying a bag of hamburger buns. “There you are,” she said to Theo. Then she shot Serena a bright smile.
“It’s good to see you, Stella,” Serena said, smiling at his sister.
“Are my parents demanding to know if you’ve picked out baby names yet?”
Serena snorted, and Theo groaned.
“Dinner’s ready!” Shane announced, turning to them with a platter full of burgers, sausages, steak, and chicken.
The picnic table was loaded with side dishes: potato salad, corn on the cob, fruit slices, and a pitcher of iced tea. Everyone gathered at the table. Theo watched Serena sitting across from him, beside his sister. She turned to him and smiled.
Lily handed a platter of steaming corn on the cob across the table, then turned to Theo with a curious smile. “How’s the wilderness school, dear? And your new cooking position? Shane and I are dying to know how it’s all going.”
Theo paused for a moment, arranging the food on his plate. He felt Serena glance his way, as if sensing the guarded tension in his posture. “It’s been good,” he said simply, trying to sound upbeat. “The academy has a lot of moving parts, but the kitchen menu is pretty simple.”
Shane leaned in, elbows on the table. “That must be a change from those Portland restaurants, huh?”
Theo nodded. “Very different pace,” he admitted.
“Are you managing all right?” Lily asked gently.
He forced a small smile, stabbing the potato salad with his fork. “Yeah, it’s manageable,” he said. He pushed back the thought of nearly losing control again during today’s hectic lunch rush. A swirl of dread tightened in his chest, but he kept his face neutral, not wanting to worry his mother.
Stella leaned forward, resting her elbows on the wooden picnic table. The glow of the nearby chiminea lit the smile on her face. The evening air carried the scent of pine and smoke. “So, Serena,” she said. “Where did you work before coming here?”
“I work as a paramedic in different cities,” Serena said, her tone calm. “I go where contracts take me. It’s always changing.”
Stella’s eyes glimmered with interest. “So you’re used to packing up and hitting the road?”
Serena nodded, running a thumb over a knot in the table’s wood grain. “I enjoy the independence of it. I spend a few months in one location, then move on to the next. It lets me see a lot of places. But I realized I wanted something more specialized. Fate Mountain Wilderness Academy’s paramedic-integration program seemed like the right challenge.”
Lily took a thoughtful sip of iced tea, then nodded. “I’m so happy you found your way here.”
Stella eyed Theo with a mischievous grin. “Hey, big brother,” she said in a conspiratorial tone. “Do you remember that day when you were seventeen and I was ten, and I sneaked into your room to borrow your hoodie?”
Theo let out a groan, rolling his eyes. “Why are you bringing this up now?”
Stella pounced on his reaction, turning to Serena with a delighted laugh. “I had the genius idea to hide in Theo’s closet, waiting for him to come back from football practice. He had just taken off his gear, sweaty and sore, and I jumped out wearing his favorite black hoodie.”
“Why would you do that?” Serena asked, amused despite herself.
“Because I knew he was obsessed with that hoodie,” Stella replied. “And I wanted to see him freak out.” She gestured toward Theo with her fork. “And freak out he did. I think you practically clawed the ceiling, right?”
Theo sighed. “That might have happened,” he admitted, picking at a piece of cornbread on his plate. “I’d just walked a few miles home from practice, my arms felt like lead. Then you popped up in my sweatshirt. Creeped me out.”
Stella smirked. “He turned so pale I thought he’d pass out. Then he chased me around the living room until Dad yelled at us to cut it out.”
Lily, listening from the other side of the table, chuckled softly. “You two gave me quite the show that day. I remember Shane nearly dropped the kettle trying to figure out why you were both shrieking.”
Theo’s cheeks reddened, and he shot Serena a fondly exasperated glance. “I’ve never lived that down. Stella reminds me every chance she gets.”
Stella tapped her napkin to her lips and shrugged. “It’s my solemn duty as the younger sibling. Gotta keep you humble.”
Lily cleared her throat, offering a gentle smile as she tried to include Serena more deeply in the conversation. “So, Serena,” Lily ventured, “do your folks live far away? We’d love to get to know them if things keep going well between you and Theo.”
Serena’s shoulders went rigid, her grip tightening on her fork. She paused, carefully choosing her words. “They’re… not in the picture right now,” she finally said, voice subdued.
The soft clink of silverware on plates was the only noise for a moment. Lily’s eyes flickered with concern. “Oh, I’m sorry, dear,” she said gently. “I didn’t mean to pry. I just thought?—”
“It’s okay,” Serena interrupted with a tight smile. “Really. We’re just… not close. Let’s put it that way.”
The hush that followed felt heavier than the evening air. Shane, sensing the tension, cleared his throat. “We understand,” he said quietly, cutting into a piece of steak. “Families can be complicated.”
As dusk settled, the sun’s final rays cast a mellow glow across the yard. They finished their main course, leaning back in their chairs and enjoying the warmth of the fire. Lily cleared away a few plates, and moments later, Shane returned from the kitchen carrying a tray of homemade lemon bars with sorbet and fresh berries.
“Oh my gosh,” Serena breathed, eyes widening at the sight. “Did you make these?”
Shane set the tray at the center of the table, his grin broad. “I sure did. My specialty—tangy and sweet, perfect for a warm night. Dig in, everyone!”
They passed around the dessert. Once everyone was savoring the sweet treats, Lily glanced at Shane before turning back to Theo and Serena. “So,” she began, her tone cheerful, “we’ve got a bit of a surprise for you two—sort of a fated mate match gift, if you will.”
Theo raised an eyebrow, swallowing a bite of lemon bar. “What? That’s not a thing.”
“Well, it is now,” Lily said with a laugh, waving her hand. “I just made it up, but it sounds nice, doesn’t it?”
Before Theo could respond, Shane produced an envelope from beneath the tray, sliding it toward Theo and Serena. “We wanted to give you both something special,” he said. “It’s a gift certificate to Fate Mountain Lodge—dinner for two, a candlelight massage, and a night in the presidential suite. All on us.”
Theo stared at the envelope as though it might bite. “That’s... wow, it’s too much, Dad. We can’t accept that.” He opened the envelope anyway, glimpsing the elegant gold lettering and glossy brochures inside. “Seriously, this is way over the top.”
Shane chuckled, setting down his fork. “Believe me, Levi gave it to me for a fraction of the price. He insisted, actually.”
Theo glanced at Serena, a wave of nervousness flashing in his eyes. The mention of a two-bedroom suite on the brochure made his stomach flip. Did it imply they’d share a suite? Would she even want to go?
Serena shifted, pressing her lips together as she turned the glossy booklet in her hands. The pictures showed a lavish suite with two separate bedrooms, a private balcony, and a panoramic view of the mountains. Her cheeks colored faintly as she realized the implication. “Thank you,” she said, looking up at both Lily and Shane. “This is really generous. I—wow.”
Theo cleared his throat, setting the envelope down. “We appreciate it,” he managed, his gaze flicking between his parents and Serena. “I’m just not sure... it’s a lot.”
“Oh, hush,” Lily said, waving off his concern. “You two deserve a little pampering. No pressure on how you use it, or when. But maybe it’ll be a chance for you to relax and... talk.”
Shane’s eyes gleamed with gentle encouragement. “At least go enjoy the dinner. The lodge’s restaurant is top-notch. Think of it as an extended date night.”
A flustered warmth spread through Theo’s chest. He was put on the spot, yes, but he also couldn’t deny a hint of excitement at the thought of sharing such a luxurious experience with Serena.
“Thank you both,” Serena said again, tapping the brochure with her fingertip. She shot Theo a quick, uncertain smile. “I guess we’ll have to figure out when to use it.”
After dessert, they said their goodbyes. Lily asked Serena to visit again soon, and Stella teased Theo by whispering “Don’t forget the baby names!” The pair escaped with flushed cheeks and faint laughs. Once they climbed into his car, the brochures still in Serena’s lap, Theo stared at the steering wheel, dumbfounded. He could have purchased an extravagant night out for Serena. Money wasn’t the issue, it was the assumption his parents had made with their gift.
“Well,” he said, voice tinged with nerves. “That was... something. That gift certificate…”
Serena looked down at the glossy gift brochures, exhaling slowly. “It’s a beautiful gift,” she said, a hint of a smile creeping onto her face. “I guess we’ll have to figure it out.”