Chapter 13 Axel
THIRTEEN
AXEL
We pulled up to a small but charming home. It looked a lot like Jack and Ruthie’s house, which they had called Craftsman style. I wasn’t sure exactly what qualified for that, but this had a very similar design and appeared to be well kept.
We parked the car in her parents’ driveway, and I got out and walked around to Stella’s side. My plan was to follow her into the house, but she suddenly stopped and turned to face me.
She said nothing at first, and then she leaned in and wrapped her arms around me and hugged me. “I’m sorry for whatever happened with your family. You don’t have to tell me. I just…wanted to give you a hug.”
I wasn’t trying to hide what had happened. In fact, I had been searching for the right words to explain to her while we were driving here, but then Stella started giving directions, so I focused on that. However, I realized I likely gave her the impression that I didn’t want to talk about it.
I hugged her back and felt a wave of calm move through me that I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Enjoying the feel of her against me, I ran my right hand up and down her back.
“It’s not a fast story, so I didn’t want to start telling you when I knew we would be at your parents’ house in a few minutes,” I tried to explain. “Plus, I didn’t want to ruin the mood of your happy party day.”
“You’re not going to ruin my day by telling me something about you, Axel. I want to know everything about you, both good and bad.”
Damn, this woman was sweet and kind and gorgeous—a deadly combination for me.
“The short version is my parents wanted my sister and me to stay to take over my father’s company, and we didn’t want to.
They used manipulation and guilt to try to persuade us, but it only caused us to both move to other countries.
The relationship has been strained ever since, as they have made it very clear they will not reconcile until we change our minds.
If you still want to know more later, I will tell you. ”
“Okay,” she mumbled into my chest. “I’m sorry, Axel.”
“Nothing for you to be sorry for, Stella.”
We stayed like that for a few moments before she finally leaned back. I thought she was going to release me, but her arms stayed wrapped around me while she tilted her head back to look at me.
“Umm…so, I’m not sure how my parents will react, but I’m just going to say I’m sorry if they are weird or awkward.” She seemed nervous all of a sudden and I wasn’t entirely sure why.
“Do they not know I am coming with you?” I asked.
“No, I told my mom, but…I’ve never really…brought a guy home before. At least not one who didn’t work at the bakery. Milo and Travis came over when I first opened the bakery because my mom had a small little party, but…”
“But I’m different,” I finished for her, and it pleased me on some archaic level that she’d never brought a guy home before.
Even though technically I was only here because I didn’t trust Doucet and what had happened at the bakery. It was a small point in my favor, and I would take it.
“Yes, you’re different. Even if I didn’t tell them we had already gone on a date, my parents know how to read me, so I’m sure they would be able to see that you mean something to me.” She smiled up at me, and I loved that she gave me that. Not just the smile, but how she felt.
People often kept their feelings close so they didn’t get hurt if those feelings weren’t reciprocated.
The older I got, the more I realized that was dumb.
If you liked someone, you needed to tell them.
If they didn’t feel the same, that was fine, but at least you knew and didn’t waste your time guessing.
“You mean something to me too, Stella.” I leaned down and took her mouth, unable to resist.
I slid my hand up to the back of her head, sifting my fingers through her soft hair, and then slanted her head to get a better angle to deepen the kiss.
God, she tasted so damn sweet. As much as I wanted to keep kissing her, the last thing I needed was a rock-hard dick when I went to meet her parents.
Very reluctantly, I pulled back and looked into her eyes, which were now glazed over, and her cheeks were flushed.
Damn, I really wish I could just stay here and kiss her to keep that look on her face. Later, I told myself. Later.
“You ready?” I asked her, and she gave me a gentle nod.
I took her hand in mine and walked up toward the house. Before we even made it to the steps leading up to the front porch, the door swung open. A woman who appeared to be in her late sixties or early seventies stood there, a smile stretched across her face as she looked at us.
“Hi Stella and Stella’s friend who is holding her hand,” the woman greeted.
Stella chuckled next to me as we walked up to the door. “Hi, Mom. This is Axel. Axel, this is my mom, Moira.”
I let go of Stella’s hand to reach mine out to her mother. “It’s nice to meet you.”
At my comment, her mom blushed as she took my hand and shook it. “Very nice to meet you, too, Axel.” Her emphasis on the first word was not lost on me, as she was clearly very excited at the prospect of us being together.
That made me feel good. I had never really done the whole “meet the family of someone you are dating for the first time” before.
Of the few women I dated back in Sweden who I would have considered serious, I already knew their families beforehand.
Once I moved to the U.S., I had only ever dated casually, and it never got serious enough to meet someone’s family.
Stella’s mom pulled her in for a hug and then stepped back to invite us inside. “Please come in. Your father is in the living room watching his hockey game.”
Good to know her father and I would at least have one thing in common to talk about—hockey.
“Arthur, Stella and her friend are here,” her mother announced as we walked into the living room.
“Mom.” Stella rolled her eyes at her mom but smiled.
“What?” Her mother feigned ignorance at being chided by her daughter. “I don’t hold hands with my male friends. It was just an observation that I wanted to share with your father.”
Her dad, who had been sitting in a large leather chair staring at the TV, was now looking me up and down in full assessment mode.
Knowing I was meeting her parents today, I had definitely taken the time to look a little nicer than I normally would have for a casual Sunday off work. I had on black jeans and a blue dress shirt.
I felt underdressed, seeing her dad wearing gray dress pants, a light-purple dress shirt, and a purple polka-dot bow tie.
However, the best-looking person in the room was Stella. Meeting with the crews at Scandinavian Sweets hadn’t taken as long as we thought, so that gave us a little extra time to run back to my place to change.
Stella had changed into an emerald-colored sweater dress that brought out the green in her hazel eyes. It had a modest neckline and went to her knees, but there was no hiding the body underneath that dress, and she looked like a fantasy come to life.
This was made even harder now that she was bent over hugging her dad, her gorgeous ass on full display.
Do not get hard in front of her parents. Do not get hard in front of her parents.
“You still have that bow tie, I see,” Stella said as she hugged him.
“It carries special meaning,” her dad replied. “I’m never getting rid of it.”
“When we adopted Stella,” her mom said, leaning over to speak to me, “her CASA—child appointed special advocate—told us she loved Disney princess movies, and her favorite dress was purple polka dots that she wore all the time. So for adoption day, Arthur insisted on buying that purple polka-dot bow tie, and he’d worn it every Family Day since. ”
My mouthed formed into a grin at how much these two cared for their daughter. There may not be blood between them, but their love and affection were abundantly clear.
Her father got up from his chair slowly and with Stella’s assistance, and I realized how frail her father’s condition was as he made his way over to me.
“Arthur, this is Axel, Stella’s friend.” Her mom drew that last word out with a smile on her face.
“The one who holds her hand. Got it,” Arthur said, throwing a calculated grin over to Stella, who rolled her eyes in response.
“Axel, sir. Nice to meet you.” I stretched out my hand when he reached me. I made sure to add sir, because Ruthie had mentioned it was something you said to a man you were trying to make a good impression on.
He took my hand, albeit weakly, and shook it. “Do you hold hands with all your female friends?”
“Dad!” Stella gave a strangled groan.
We hadn’t defined whatever this was yet between us, but I knew exactly where I wanted it to go. So I took a chance, put it out there, and waited for her reaction.
“No, sir. Only the beautiful ones I’m lucky enough to be dating…like your daughter, sir.”
Stella gave a small smile as her cheeks turned pink, while her father’s face filled with an approving grin.
“Oh, aren’t you just so sweet,” her mother crooned. “Axel, what can I get you to drink? I have tea, soft drinks, wine, water, or I can make some coffee, if you’d prefer?
“Water is fine, thank you.”
Stella’s mom got us all drinks as we sat down in the living room together. I sat with Stella on the couch, her father in his original chair and her mom next to him, sitting on the armrest.
“So, how long have you two been dating?” her mom asked as soon as she sat down.
“Mom,” Stella chided, but I reached over and grabbed her hand and squeezed it, letting her know it was fine and I wasn’t bothered by the questions.
“We’ve known each other for a few weeks but have only gone out a few times,” I told her, including the time we went curling and all the times she came to visit me at the bar, even though she likely didn’t count those as dates.
I felt Stella relax beside me right before her mother tried to speak again, but Arthur cut her off.