~ Chapter 37 ~
Eva had faced midterms.
Finals.
Group presentations.
Crowded basketball arenas.
Heavy make-out sessions with Reed Taylor that had nearly rearranged her soul.
None of it compared to the absolute terror she felt sitting in the passenger seat of Reed's car as they pulled onto the highway headed toward her parents' house.
She picked at the sleeve of her sweater.
Then the hem.
Then the ring on her finger that wasn't a ring, just a thin silver band she wore sometimes because it made her feel calmer.
Reed noticed.
Of course he did.
He reached over and gently took her hand, lacing their fingers together.
"You okay?" he asked.
Eva nodded.
Then shook her head.
Then sighed.
"I'm excited," she said. "I'm just... nervous."
Reed squeezed her hand.
"About me?"
Eva nodded.
"My family is... a lot," she said softly. "They're loving, but they're loud, and they ask questions, and Bella is going to interrogate you like she's FBI, and Chris is going to stare at you like he's deciding if you're worthy of oxygen."
Reed huffed a small laugh.
"Good. Keeps me on my toes."
Eva looked at him.
"You're not scared?"
Reed glanced at her.
"I'm meeting the people who raised you," he said simply. "Why would I be scared of that?"
Her chest tightened.
God.
She really loved him.
"I love you."
Reed's face soften, he rubbed her knuckles and tucked a piece of her long brown hair behind her ear "I love you," he said very sweetly.
They pulled into her parents' driveway just as the porch light flicked on.
Eva's stomach did a somersault.
Reed parked, cut the engine, and turned to her.
"You don't have to rush," he said. "We can sit for a second."
Eva exhaled slowly.
Then nodded.
"Okay."
She leaned over and kissed him.
Not frantic.
Not needy.
Soft.
Grounding.
When she pulled back, she whispered, "Thank you for doing this."
Reed brushed his thumb along her cheek.
"Always."
They stepped out of the car.
The front door flew open.
"EVA!"
Her mom was already halfway down the porch.
Eva barely had time to drop her bag before she was enveloped in a warm, crushing hug.
"My baby," her mom said. "You look thin. Are you eating?"
Eva laughed into her shoulder.
"Yes, Mom."
Her dad appeared behind her mom, smiling in that quiet, steady way he always did.
"Hey, kiddo."
Eva hugged him next.
Then she turned.
"And... this is Reed."
Reed stepped forward.
"Mr. and Mrs. Winter," he said politely. "It's really nice to meet you. Thank you for having me."
Her mom's eyes immediately softened.
"Oh, honey," she said. "Anyone who makes Eva smile like that is welcome here."
Eva felt her face heat.
Her dad extended his hand.
Reed shook it firmly.
"Call me Tom."
Reed nodded. "Yes, sir."
Inside, the house smelled like cinnamon, garlic, and something baking.
Home.
Bella came flying down the stairs.
She stopped dead.
Looked Reed up and down.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
"So," Bella said. "You're Reed."
Reed smiled politely.
"Yes, ma'am."
Bella blinked.
"Okay, points for manners."
Chris appeared behind Bella, arms crossed, tall and broad and very much giving protective older brother energy.
"So you're the guy," Chris said.
Reed met his gaze.
"Yes, sir."
Eva winced.
Chris studied him for a long moment.
"You hurt her, I bury you."
Eva groaned.
"CHRIS."
Reed nodded calmly.
"Fair."
Chris's mouth twitched.
Bella gasped.
"Oh my god, he passed the vibe check."
Dinner was loud.
Eva sat between Reed and her mom.
Her dad asked Reed about school.
Reed talked about mechanical engineering.
About liking to build things.
About not being sure he wanted to go pro.
Chris listened carefully.
"So you're not chasing fame."
Reed shook his head.
"I'm chasing a life I actually want."
Chris nodded slowly.
Bella leaned toward Eva.
"He's hot and emotionally intelligent. I hate you."
Eva laughed.
Her mom asked how they met.
Eva told the library story.
Everyone laughed.
Reed squeezed her knee under the table.
At one point, Eva got up to help her mom with dishes.
Reed stood too.
Eva looked at him.
"You don't have to."
"I want to."
Her mom watched from the sink with a knowing smile.
Later that night, Eva found herself sitting on her childhood bed, Reed beside her, fingers loosely intertwined.
Downstairs, she could hear her family laughing.
"You okay?" Reed asked quietly.
Eva nodded.
"You fit," she said.
Reed tilted his head.
"With them?"
"With me," Eva corrected.
Reed squeezed her hand.
"I'm not going anywhere."
Eva rested her head on his shoulder.
And for the first time, she wasn't afraid of the future.
Because he was in it.
---
They didn't stay in her room long.
Not because Reed wanted to leave.
Not because Eva did either.
But because downstairs, the sound level steadily rose into what could only mean one thing.
Family time.
Chris yelled from the bottom of the stairs.
"GAME NIGHT. EVERYONE GET DOWN HERE."
Eva groaned.
"Of course."
Reed glanced at her. "That bad?"
Eva smiled softly.
"That loud."
They went downstairs together.
Her mom had already pulled out the big coffee table.
Her dad was arranging a stack of board games like he took this very seriously.
Bella was rummaging through a cabinet.
Chris was stealing chips out of a bowl before it even hit the table.
Eva immediately got pulled into a hug from behind.
"You always sit next to me," her mom said.
Eva laughed.
"I'm literally an adult."
"You're still my baby."
Reed felt something warm twist in his chest at that.
Eva glanced at him, slightly embarrassed.
"She does this to me constantly."
Reed smiled. "I think it's sweet."
Her mom beamed.
"Oh I like him."
Chris pointed at Reed. "You play cards?"
Reed nodded. "Yeah."
Chris smirked. "Good. We're about to emotionally traumatize you with Uno."
Eva sat on the floor between Reed and Bella.
Without thinking.
Without asking.
Reed sat cross-legged beside her.
Their knees touched.
Stayed touching.
No one commented.
Bella leaned over.
"So, Reed. What do you like about my sister?"
Eva choked on her drink.
"BELLA."
Reed didn't look flustered.
He didn't rush.
He didn't joke it away.
He looked at Eva.
Then back at Bella.
"She's kind," he said. "She pays attention. She makes people feel safe. And she cares even when it costs her something."
The room went quiet.
Eva's throat burned.
Bella blinked.
Chris blinked.
Her mom put a hand to her chest.
Her dad smiled into his drink.
Bella pointed at Reed.
"Okay, don't make me cry. I literally just did my eyeliner."
Eva stared at the cards in her hands very hard.
Chris leaned toward Reed.
"You treat her right?"
Reed didn't hesitate.
"With everything I've got."
Chris nodded once.
"Good."
The game started.
It was loud.
Chaotic.
Someone accused someone else of cheating.
Her dad absolutely cheated.
Her mom denied it.
Bella screamed every time she lost.
Eva got overly competitive in the quietest way possible.
Reed noticed.
"You've been hoarding wild cards," he whispered.
Eva whispered back.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
He smiled.
Soft.
Private.
At one point, Eva lost spectacularly.
Bella cheered.
Chris bowed dramatically.
Eva pouted.
Reed leaned toward her.
"You did good."
Eva blinked.
"I lost."
Reed shrugged.
"You tried. That counts."
Eva laughed.
Her mom noticed the way Reed passed Eva the last chip from his plate without asking.
The way he tucked her feet under his thigh when she started getting cold.
The way he let her lean into his side like it was second nature.
Her dad noticed Reed never spoke over Eva.
Never rushed her.
Never looked distracted when she talked.
Bella noticed Reed watching Eva when she wasn't looking.
Chris noticed Reed's arm always stayed close enough to reach her.
Eva noticed everything.
And it scared her a little.
Because she felt it.
Deep.
Real.
Heavy in the best way.
Later, when everyone started cleaning up, Eva stood at the sink beside her mom.
Her mom nudged her gently.
"You happy?"
Eva nodded.
"Yes."
Her mom smiled.
"Good. Because he looks at you like you're his whole world."
Eva swallowed.
That night, back in her childhood room, Eva crawled onto the bed beside Reed.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
"For what?"
"For loving me in front of them."
Reed brushed his thumb along her cheek.
"There's no other way I know how."
Eva curled into his chest.
She didn't have to sayI love you.
But she felt it.
Everywhere.
And she knew.
And he knew.
It would be forever.