11. Avery
Chapter eleven
Avery
My hands are shaking so badly that I can barely keep my grip on the steering wheel of my truck.
I pull up the gravel driveway of Honey Meets Pandesal, the tires crunching loudly.
The main house sits at the front of the property, with a massive wrap-around porch.
It’s a beautiful, classic farmhouse, surrounded by blooming bushes and towering oak trees.
As I peer up at the house, I wonder just how much land Gideon and his family own.
I put the car in park and take a deep breath. Yup… still fucking terrified. I don’t think I’ve met anyone’s parents before. Not like this. Not with someone I’m developing feelings for.
I spent the entire afternoon at the boutique pacing the studio floor, stressing over what to wear and what to bring.
I remember reading an article back in Olivia Cove about etiquette in various Asian cultures, emphasizing that you should never arrive empty-handed when invited into someone's home. I mean, there’s a good chance Angela might be my future mother-in-law.
I freeze. Wait. Did that thought really just come to mind?
Regardless, I wanted to put my best foot forward, so instead of a standard bottle of wine, I spent my lunch break rushing over to Don’t Go Bakin’ My Heart and picking out a cake, before realizing it might not be enough.
I then spent the next twenty minutes putting together two very specific, thoughtful gifts.
For Gideon’s mother, I picked out a luxurious, ultra-soft mulberry silk scarf from Beauty and the Boutique in a deep, elegant emerald-green that I knew would look stunning against tan skin.
For his sister, Lena, I grabbed a pair of trendy, locally sourced geometric brass earrings from our jewelry display.
Both are beautifully wrapped in crisp white paper with gold embossed ribbon.
I grab the gift bags from the passenger seat, check my reflection in the rearview mirror one last time to ensure my silk shirt is sitting right, and step out into the warm heat.
Before I can even reach the top step of the porch, the heavy wooden front door flies open.
Gideon steps out onto the landing. He’s wearing a clean charcoal-gray shirt that makes his broad shoulders look completely massive, but his usual calm, untouchable expression is completely gone.
His jaw is tight, his dark brown eyes are wide with anxiety.
I almost giggle, he looks just as terrified as I am.
The moment I step close enough, the thick, mouth-watering aroma of savory soy sauce, chicken, garlic, and I’m assuming bay leaves hits my nose. My stomach lets out a loud, traitorous grumble.
Gideon lets out a relieved sigh, his eyes scanning my face before helping me with the boxed cake. "Hey," he says, placing a quick kiss on my cheek. "You made it."
"Sure did." I smile, stepping onto the porch. "Something smells absolutely incredible, Gid."
"Ma has been cooking since eight this morning," Gideon mutters, rubbing the back of his neck. "She’s... she's excited. Don't let her overwhelm you, okay? If she gets too loud, just tell me and I'll—"
"Gideon! Move your body out of the doorway, you are blocking the boy!"
A tiny, vibrant force of nature suddenly appears from behind Gideon’s hip. Angela stands at a proud five feet tall, looking blindingly beautiful in a colorful floral blouse, her black bob perfectly in place. Right behind her is Lena, sporting a mischievous grin.
Before I can even open my mouth to introduce myself, Angela rushes forward. She bypasses her son completely, reaching up to throw her arms around my neck in a tight, fiercely warm hug. She smells faintly of sweet jasmine and garlic.
"Oh, look at you!" Angela beams, pulling back to hold me at arm's length, her dark, sharp eyes scanning my face with absolute delight. "Evelyn was right, you’re a ray of sunshine. Such a handsome boy! And look at this beautiful hair. Gideon, why didn't you tell me he looks like a model?"
Evelyn? Isn’t she one of the town gossips. I don’t even know if I’ve met her.
"Ma," Gideon groans.
Lena steps up next, pulling me into a quick, friendly hug of her own. "Welcome to the family, Avery. Ignore my brother, he’s been pacing the living room for two hours thinking you were going to change your mind."
"I would never change my mind," I laugh.
The tight knot of anxiety and fear in my chest instantly dissolves under their warmth.
I hold out the two gift bags. "Mrs. Angela, Lena, thank you so much for having me.
I wanted to bring you both a little something from the boutique to say thank you for the invitation. "
Angela’s eyes go wide, a soft, genuinely touched gasp escaping her lips. "Gifts? Oh, Avery, you shouldn't have! Gideon said you were busy."
"It's just a small token," I say.
They both open their bags right there on the porch. Angela pulls out the emerald-green silk scarf, her fingers instantly smoothing over the luxury fabric. "Oh, my goodness. The quality of this silk... it’s absolutely gorgeous, Avery. Look at this color, Lena!"
Lena pulls out the brass earrings, her face lighting up with excitement.
"Are you freaking kidding? These are stunning!
I'm putting them on right now." She clips them into her ears, shaking her head so they catch the light.
"Thank you, Avery. You officially have better taste than anyone else on this farm. "
Angela beams, grabbing my arm and pulling me inside the house. "Come, come inside. You must be starving. Let's eat!"
When I walk into the dining room, my jaw nearly drops to the floor.
I expected a nice, simple family dinner for four people. Instead, the long wooden dining table is completely buried under a mountain of food that looks like it could easily feed a football team of ten.
There is a huge porcelain bowl filled with chicken and pork adobo, that looks delicious in the dark sauce.
Next to it is a mountain of pancit noodles tossed with colorful vegetables, a platter of crispy, fried lumpia rolls, a steaming container of what I’m told is arroz caldo, and another bowl that’s filled to the brim with fluffy white rice.
"Ma, this is too much food," Gideon complains, looking slightly embarrassed. He pulls out a chair for me before taking his own seat next to me. His massive frame takes up twice the space of anyone else at the table. "You’re going to scare Avery. It's just the four of us."
"Quiet, Gideon. A full table means a full heart," Angela says dismissively, grabbing a large serving spoon. If anyone else had said that, I would have thought it was cheesy. But coming from the tiny, beautiful woman in front of me, it’s fitting.
Angela doesn't even wait for me to reach for a plate.
She immediately takes my plate and scoops three massive spoonfuls of rice onto it, followed by two large pieces of chicken adobo, a mountain of noodles, and four crispy lumpia.
"Here, Avery. Eat, eat. You are too thin. We need to feed you properly."
"Thank you so much," I say, genuinely amazed.
The first bite of the adobo is a revelation. The savory, tangy, garlicky sauce bursts across my tongue, the meat so incredibly tender that it melts instantly. "Oh my god," I breathe, my eyes widening. "Mrs. Angela, this is hands down the best thing I have ever tasted in my entire life."
Angela lets out a proud, joyful laugh, clapping her hands together. "See? He appreciates real cooking! Eat more, Avery. Have another lumpia."
“Ma,” Lena laughs. “He hasn’t even finished the first four you placed on his plate.”
Gideon chuckles, his shoulders finally relaxing. When we make eye contact, he gives me a sexy, confident wink.
The rest of the dinner is a whirl of laughter, warmth, and entertaining conversation.
Angela and Lena spend the hour sharing hilarious, embarrassing stories about Gideon’s childhood, describing how he used to sneak over to a neighboring farm to care for the animals as a teenager and would still whine if he accidentally stepped on a caterpillar.
Gideon sits next to me, hiding his face in his large hands, his deep chuckles vibrating through the floorboards as he tries—and fails—to stop them from teasing him.
Every time my plate gets low, Angela’s small hand shoots across the table with a serving spoon. "Just a little more pancit, Avery. For long life," she insists.
"Ma, he's full," Gideon tries to intervene, noticing my slow, heavy movements.
"He is a growing boy, Gideon! He needs his strength for his fashion drawings," Angela fires back, plunking another piece of pork onto my plate. "Eat, Avery."
By the time an hour passes, I’m physically incapable of swallowing another bite. I set my fork down, leaning back against my chair with a defeated sigh.
"Angela, please," I laugh and groan, holding my hands up in surrender. "It’s so delicious, but if I take one more bite, I’m going to literally burst! I’m so full."
Angela looks at my plate, then up at my face, a satisfied, loving smirk settling over her beautiful features. "Okay, okay. I will let you rest. But you are taking the rest home."
By ten o'clock, the table is cleared, and Angela has successfully packed a small mountain of plastic Tupperware containers into a heavy paper shopping bag.
"There is enough adobo in here for your entire week, Avery," Angela says, handing me the heavy bag as we stand on the front porch.
She reaches up, cupping my jaw with her soft hand.
"Thank you for coming, sweetheart. And thank you for the beautiful scarf.
You come back anytime, okay? You are family now. "
"Thank you, Angela. I really appreciate it," I say softly, tears springing to my eyes. I miss my mother, and I know if she ever had the opportunity to meet Gideon and his family, she would approve. A deep, profound sense of belonging wraps around my heart.
Lena waves from the doorway, her new brass earrings catching the porch light. "See ya, Avery! Don't let Gid keep you up too late!"
Gideon groans, grabbing my hand and leading me down the porch steps before his sister can say anything else. The night air is cool and refreshing. We walk down the gravel path, past my truck, heading toward the dark tree line at the back of the property where his small cedar cottage sits.
We stop near the porch of his cottage. The small building is quiet, surrounded by the low chirp of crickets. Gideon turns to face me, taking the heavy bag of leftovers from my hand and setting it down on a wooden bench.
He steps into my space, his massive frame completely blocking out the distant lights of the main house. He looks down at me, and there’s a heated look on his handsome face.
"You were amazing, Avery," he murmurs softly. "Ma completely fell in love with you. I haven't seen her that happy in years."
"I fell in love with her too," I say honestly. Reaching up, I rest my hands flat against his broad, muscular chest. His heart is beating steady and strong beneath my palms. "Your family is beautiful, Gid. Thank you for letting me be a part of it."
Gideon’s jaw tightens, a sudden, heavy wave of intense desire flaring in his eyes.
He reaches out, his massive hands sliding around my waist, pulling me against his hard body.
He leans down, his breath brushing against my lips.
"Come inside with me," he whispers, his voice a rough, gravelly command.
"Stay the night in my cottage, babe. I don't want you to go. I want you in my bed."
Electric heat rushes straight down my spine. I look up into his dark gaze, my fingers tightening in the fabric of his shirt before sliding lower to playfully cup his ass. "Okay," I whisper. A helpless smile breaks across my face. "Let's go inside, Gid."