24. Cassidy
Chapter twenty-four
Cassidy
I smile across at Tom as he approaches us. He scoops me in for a hug as if it’s been forever since we last saw each other, even though we’d been wrapped in each other just a few hours ago. His hug brings me comfort, helping me feel at ease. He’s such a teddy bear and I’m becoming very attached to his hugs.
“Hey, Mac. How are you doing?” He pulls back to look me dead in the eye. I smile back at him, but my nerves must be showing.
“I’m good. This is just a little unexpected.” I tilt my head slightly in Jack’s direction and Tom’s eyes flash knowingly. Out of all of us, Jack always seems like the most flighty one in this still-new relationship and now he’s about to introduce me to his parents as the third person in his previously casual relationship with Tom. Wowsers. How did we even get here?
“This is a good sign,” Tom tells me calmly. He draws back and hugs Jack next. “You sure about this, Jack?” Tom asks, as Jack reaches over for me and gathers all three of us in a hug.
“Guys, I’m in this. I’m the happiest I’ve been in a long time. I don’t want to hide that from my parents. Is it okay if I tell them?”
“They’re your parents, Jack—it’s up to you. I’m happy to be introduced however you see fit,” I tell him. He gives me a kiss on the lips and then Tom.
“Let’s get some drinks in and get settled,” he says.
Tom gives a nod.
“I’ll go with Tom to order and give you a chance to greet your parents first. How does that sound?”
“Sounds good. Get me a beer, will you? Tom can surprise me with which one.”
I follow Tom and perch on a stool while he makes his way behind the bar. I glance back and find Jack sprawled in one of the seats, scrolling on his phone. He looks completely at ease and not at all nervous.
“He’s something else, isn’t he?” Tom says with a raised eyebrow.
“I just can’t work out how we went from him being all anti-relationship to him telling his parents he’s in a throuple and introducing me to them,” I say, feeling confused.
“I think that when he’s in, he’s all in,” Tom says with a smile. “What can I get you to drink, Cassidy?”
“Can I get a mojito, please?”
“Of course.” He gets busy making my drink and it takes me back to that time, months ago, when I first saw him here. I stare at his tatted forearms and hands as he grinds the mint and crushes ice. Once he’s made it, he adds a straw and places it in front of me before pulling a pint for Jack.
I’m so engrossed in watching him work that I startle when the door opens and a couple walk in. A blonde woman with curly hair comes in first. She’s wearing funky glasses and a beautiful chunky necklace in all colours of the rainbow. Behind her is a taller man with silvery hair. My mouth falls open as I realise that this is an older version of Jack and he’s gorgeous in a distinguished way. A true silver fox. The lady waves across at the bar at Tom.
The couple approach Jack, who is up out of the chair, pulling his mother in for a hug. His dad gives them both a squeeze before clapping Jack on the shoulder. Jack gestures for them to sit and must ask what they want to drink because he nods before heading our way.
“I’ll bring them over in a bit,” Tom tells Jack with a smile after he orders a glass of Rose for his mum and a pint of lemonade for his dad.
Jack makes his way back to the table and sits down. I can’t hear what’s being said, but it doesn’t look negative. His dad watches on with a calm look on his face as Jack and his mum chat back and forth. She seems to ask lots of questions and Jack patiently answers each one. More than once I see Jack gesture this way and his mum looks over, smiles and waves. I give an awkward little wave back. I look at his dad who’s watching the interaction. He raises his head in a nod when I make eye contact and gives me a wink. I’m blushing. Tom chuckles as he watches it all happen.
“You’ve met his parents before?” I ask as Tom prepares the drinks one by one and adds them to a tray.
“Yeah, it wasn’t a planned meeting. They showed up at Jack’s flat one morning after I’d spent the night. Could have been really awkward but they’re awesome people, so it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.” He grins at me. “I get the feeling Jack’s mum has been encouraging our relationship ever since.”
Interesting . With happily married and supportive parents, I can’t quite understand why Jack has veered more towards singledom than being in a relationship. But I guess that’s his prerogative.
“What’s his deal? Why has he been so anti-relationship up until recently?”
Tom shrugs, “I don’t know much, just that he was engaged and it didn’t work out. I think it frightened him. And he stayed single after that.”
“Wow. Do you think it’s okay to ask him about it?”
“Sure, but maybe later, once he’s introduced you to his folks.” He lets himself out from the bar and grabs the tray, gesturing for me to follow. “Come on, time to take these drinks over and get introduced.” I grab my cocktail and follow him.
“Hey, Sandra,” Tom drawls as he places her wine in front of her and reaches down to peck her on the cheek. She pushes her chair back and rises to give him a hug.
“Tom, how are you? Is my son looking after you?” she asks, holding him by the cheeks and looking into his eyes.
“Of course he is.” Tom gives her a wink. Once she releases him, he moves round to place Tom’s dad's drink down.
“Here you go, sir.”
“It’s Russell. You can call me Russell,” he insists as he shakes Tom’s hand.
I’m watching all these interactions with butterflies in my tummy. Jack’s parents already know Tom and seem really friendly with him. But what will they make of me? A third member of their relationship.
“Cassidy?” I turn and see that Sandra, Jack’s mum, is standing right in front of me, looking at me warmly.
“Yes, hello.” I give the same awkward wave I did earlier and can feel my whole body cringe. Why am I so frigging awkward?
“I’m Sandra, Jack’s Mum. It’s lovely to meet you, honey. How do you feel about hugs?”
“I’m good with hugs.”
Jack laughs as she gives me a gentle squeeze.
“Mum’s very touchy-feely. She can’t help herself.”
“That must be where you get it from,” I snark back before clapping a hand over my mouth. Perhaps this isn’t the time and place for our usual banter.
Russell, Jack’s dad, gives a deep laugh and everyone joins in. It helps calm me and we all sit, even Tom.
“So you guys are all together?” Sandra asks me, her pitch raising with interest. “How long have you been dating?”
I watch her face carefully, looking for any signs of unease or judgement, but I can’t see any. Either this woman is an amazing actress or Jack was right and she just takes these things in her stride.
“About three or four months,” I reply hesitantly, looking to Jack for confirmation, and he nods.
“But you’ve known each other longer than that. I remember Jack talking about you when you first moved in. He said you’d had a bad break up and looked like you needed a friend. He knows what that's like.”
“Mum, don’t pry.”
“I’m not. I’m just happy to see you happy, Jack. I might not understand the dynamics of this relationship, but I trust you to know what you want. And I’m so glad you’ve found it after that disastrous engagement.” As she says it, she lays a hand on his knee and gives him a sad smile.
“We don’t need to get into that just now, Mum,” he mutters.
Tom and Russell chat about the bar to change the subject, and I begin to feel more at ease. Sandra is asking Jack about work as I sip on the last of my drink and watch them all converse.
“We know another throuple actually,” Jack’s mum states when there’s a lull in the conversation. Jack looks curious and his dad, baffled.
“Do we?” Russell asks.
“Yes, honey. Our neighbours—Libby and Nathan. They’re in a throuple.”
“Who with?” asks Russell.
“Matt. You know, the guy that has been staying with them.”
“I think he’s just the lodger, love,” Russell says with a chuckle.
“That’s how it started, but now they are all together. I think threesomes have always been a thing, but they’ve been under the radar for a long time. Didn’t I always say we should get a third, honey?” She smiles over at her husband.
Jack starts choking on his drink and Tom slaps him on the back with a massive smirk on his face.
“You kids think you can have all the fun?” Sandra teases.
“Although to be fair—I think it was because you wanted a handyman around the house rather than for sex reasons,” Russell says on a chuckle.
“True.” Sandra smirks. “But that could be fun, too.” She winks at her husband and we all fall about laughing.
Jack takes a moment to catch up, but then gives in and laughs along with us. It’s clear to see that his mother is just as cheeky as he is.
Business in the bar picks up, and Tom excuses himself. We order food and enjoy the big sharing plates when they come out of the kitchen. Tom wanders over to steal some chips from my plate. It feels comfortable and I realise that, even though I was incredibly nervous about meeting Jack’s parents, it was the right thing to do. Mel was right too. I don’t need some arbitrary approval from my ex. I get to decide when it’s time to move on. And I’m ready to go all in.