Chapter 40
CHAPTER FORTY
Julian
As soon as we arrive at the condo, Leena takes control, unpacking and plating the food we ordered so we wouldn’t be stuck cooking and cleaning up too much after my family. And so we didn’t risk being seen out together.
Jace and I do exactly as she directs, setting the table and arranging the platters. I’m placing the last fork beside a plate when the doorbell rings, the sound hanging heavy in the air. My head shoots up to see the panic take over Leena’s features, and she starts to wring her hands together.
Glancing at Jace, I tip my head to the door.
“I’ll get it,” Jace says, already striding off.
I make my way over to Leena, immediately pulling her into my side.
“They’re going to love you,” I promise as we enter the living room.
She nods vigorously, chewing on her lip.
I cup her neck, turning her into me as I gently tug the abused flesh free with my thumb.
“I mean it.” Then I lean down and place a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth.
The buzz of voices precede everyone into the living room.
My mom leads the way, beaming. She rushes to give me a hug, pulling me down to her.
It’s been three months since we’ve seen each other, and I hold her a little tighter.
Next, my dad envelops me in a strong embrace—we have never been shy about physical affection.
“Leena, these are my parents, Lucas and Talia. Mom, Dad, this is Leena.”
Introducing Leena to my parents feels a little surreal.
I’ve been talking about her for months. My mom’s eyes bounce between us, and she holds her clasped hands to her chin.
Her attempt to contain herself is futile because she has no chill, pouncing forward to scoop my girl in a tight hold. Dad throws me a knowing smirk.
“Oh, it’s so wonderful to finally meet you,” my mom gushes.
“Nice to meet you, too.” Leena looks at me over my mom’s shoulder, cheeks tinted pink and a bashful smile pulling at her lips.
My dad extends his arm, always the calm one, engulfing my girl’s tiny hand in his. “Leena, what a pleasure.”
I wrap my arm around Leena, showing her off for the first time, and it feels just as good as I imagined. I was always hoping we would end up here.
My mom looks like she is going to pass out from sheer joy, so to distract her, I ask where my sister is.
Leaning into my dad, Mom answers, “Quinn should be here soon. She called as she was walking out the door.”
Jace moves forward, no longer hovering on the outside of our circle. “Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs, would you like something to drink?”
Mom points a finger at him, scolding his formality. “Jace, I have known you since you were knee high, stop that Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs business.”
Sheepishly, he replies, “Yes, ma’am.”
Smiling fondly, she slips her arm into Jace’s elbow. “Come on, let’s see what you have.” Then she’s dragging him off in the direction of the kitchen.
Leena sags into my side, and I press a kiss to her temple, wanting to reassure her again that everything was going well. Just as I predicted.
Leena
Julian’s mom gives us one last look before they disappear through the doorway. She reminds me so much of my own mother, I can’t help but laugh—albeit a little shakily— as they leave the room.
Before any of us can say anything, the doorbell rings again. Talia hustles out of the kitchen, calling over her shoulder, “That has to be Quinn. I’ll let her in.”
Involuntarily, my spine stiffens. There has been almost no time to process that first introduction, and my nerves that had started to recede return with a vengeance now that I’m about to meet another family member.
I think it went well with his parents, although his dad hasn’t said much.
But what if Julian’s much-loved sister is the one who doesn’t like me?
Ever attuned to me, Julian brushes his lips light as a feather over my ear and whispers, “You’re about to find out she adores you.”
Looking up at him in bewilderment, he just smiles and cocks his head to the side as if waiting to hear something.
In the loudest whisper that is not really a whisper, I hear, “Oh my god, Quinn. She is the most beautiful little thing I have ever seen. Just wait until you see the way your brother looks at her!”
My cheeks are blazing.
“It’s like she forgets how to whisper when she’s excited.” This is from his father. Lucas’s face shines with affection as he speaks about his wife.
With a slight loosening in my chest, I loop my arm around Julian’s waist. The familiar press of his lips to the top of my head again helps ease some more of the remaining tension vibrating through my body.
A striking woman enters the room with Talia. Her probing gaze sweeps the room quickly. Once, then twice, before landing back on us.
She is so graceful that even rushing towards her brother, she appears to be gliding across the room on long, denim-clad legs.
“Sissy.” Julian’s arm drops from my waist just as Quinn reaches us. He grabs her and swings her around.
“JJ!”
Without Julian’s comforting embrace, I feel exposed and jittery. Not sure what to do with my hands, my fingers begin plucking and twisting the hem of my skirt. Until her familiar-colored gaze lands on me over her brother’s shoulder, wide and twinkling.
Setting her down, he stretches his hand to me. “Pretty girl, this is my sister, Quinn. Sissy, this is Leena, my girlfriend.”
I place my hand in Julian’s, and Quinn’s eyes become serious as she takes me in before they bounce to their mom and back. Her face completely softens, and her eyes turn misty before she squeals, “Pretty girl! JJ, stop, you are too cute!”
Instead of being embarrassed at being called cute by his younger sister, he laughs. A smug smile stretches across his face.
“Oh my gosh, who are you? Preening like a peacock!” She swats his arm. “How come I had to hear everything about your girlfriend from Mom the last couple of months?”
My cheeks once again heat. I’m kicking myself now for not pushing for more information when he told me he’d talked about me to his mom.
“If you hadn’t bailed the weekend you were supposed to visit, I would have told you all about my girl. You may have even run into her with me at the grocery store,” he taunts. Then turns wicked eyes my way as he says, “But maybe it was a good thing I ran into her alone.”
My hair and clothes will surely go up in flames with how hot my face burns. Both in embarrassment and a very inappropriate rush of desire at the memories of that day.
“Oh, well—ummm . . .” The graceful woman begins stammering. She also seems to look around us again as if searching for something before she straightens her shoulders. “I told you some last-minute school stuff came up,” she says, voice tight.
Julian gives her a quizzical look. He opens his mouth to speak but is interrupted by Jace popping his head into the room.
“Okay, okay. Can we eat? The food smells so good, I don’t think I can wait another minute,” Jace wails.
We all turn to take him in where he stands in the doorway to the kitchen, arms holding the door frame above his head.
“Still a bottomless pit, I see. I guess some things never change,” Quinn jokes with a roll of her eyes, voice still a little tight.
Jace’s eyes widen the slightest bit when he looks at Julian’s sister, almost as if startled by her presence. I look over just as Quinn’s lashes fall, hiding her stormy blue-gray eyes and pushing her long, dark hair behind her ear.
Interesting. If I were her, my cheeks would be flaming red from that piercing, uncertain stare.
Sitting down to dinner, my nerves have almost completely melted away. The evening ends up a success, more enjoyable than I could have hoped. I even exchange numbers with Quinn as she leaves with a promise to let her know when we have our next girls’ night out so she can join us.