Chapter 23 #2
As we step into his parents’ home, a delightful aroma fills the air, making my stomach growl in response.
Something smells absolutely delicious. We walk through a small hallway, and I notice a bathroom on the right.
Just a little further ahead, there is a staircase on the left leading up to another level, and at the end of the hall, there looks to be a bedroom.
Finally, we make a right leading into the kitchen area.
A petite woman, whom I assume is Theo’s mother, stands in the kitchen, tending to several pots on the stove. The delicious aroma of her cooking fills the air.
She quickly notices us. “Oh, here’s the beautiful girl that Theo can’t stop raving about!” she exclaims as she walks toward us. I glance at Theo, his lips pressed together.
He murmurs with a tight smile, “Hey, Mom.”
She gives him a loving hug, followed by a kiss on the cheek.
Before I can react, she pulls me in for a warm hug and gently rubs my back. To my surprise, I accepted her warmth and returned the gesture.
Eventually, she pulls back, her hands resting on the tops of my arms. “It is so nice to meet you, Olive. I’ve heard wonderful things about you. I’m sure Theo has mentioned my name—I’m Ruby, but you can call me Momma Rivers if you’d like!” she says, her smile genuine.
“Yes, I’m happy to be here and meet you all,” I reply.
Ruby is stunning, and I can see where Theo gets some of his good looks. Her hair is almost the same color as his, though maybe a shade lighter. Her curly blonde hair falls just above her shoulders, and she wears a turquoise blouse that complements her lovely greenish-blue eyes.
Ruby leads me into the living room area, with Theo following behind us. Sitting in a recliner is a man who I believe is Theo’s dad.
The resemblance is striking. His short dark brown hair is peppered with gray, and when he stands up, he’s slightly shorter than Theo.
I could have sworn Theo resembled his mother, but now that I see his dad, apart from the dark hair, it feels like I’m staring at an older version of him.
The Rivers clearly have good fucking genes.
“Hey, old man!” Theo calls out as they pull each other into a bear hug. I can see that they share a close father-son bond, and it warms my heart. Theo’s dad turns to me with the same crooked grin that his son has. “You must be the gorgeous Olive we’ve heard so much about?”
I return his smile and nod in agreement. “That’s me.”
“We’re glad to have you over for dinner.
My name is Lucas, and believe it or not, I’m Theo’s dad,” he says, his sarcastic comment making me chuckle.
I now see where Theo gets his sarcasm from.
So far, things are going well, and honestly, the anxiousness I felt prior to walking in has subsided tremendously.
His family has made me feel comfortable being here thus far.
I don’t know why I worked myself up over nothing.
I was mainly worried that his parents wouldn’t accept me.
I have no idea what Theo has told them about my family, and I hope they don’t ask because that could make things really awkward for me.
It’s obvious that this is a well-put-together family filled with love and calmness—the literal opposite of what I have.
“Is Emma in the bonus room?” Theo asks.
Ruby nods in response. “She has been really excited to meet you, Olive!”
Just those simple words bring a smile to my face. Although I was nervous about this visit, I was genuinely looking forward to meeting little Emma.
As we head up the stairs to the bonus room, I pause for a moment to look at the photos lined up along the cream-colored walls.
I spot a picture of Theo wearing a red Christmas sweater.
He appears to be around three or four. His hair was once snow-blond and perfectly combed over on his little head. He was the cutest little towhead.
Next to it, I see a picture of a little girl with straight, silky, auburn hair that reaches just below her ears.
She wears a small blue bow paired with a cream sequin dress.
Her eyes are an emerald green, and tiny freckles dot her cheeks and the bridge of her nose.
She is absolutely adorable. This must have been Emma when she was younger.
Upstairs, we spot her lying on the floor on her stomach, focused on her task, while a movie plays on the TV. Colored pencils and markers were scattered all around her. She doesn’t notice us, which gives Theo the perfect opportunity to scare her.
I stand nearby with a smirk, watching as he sneaks up behind her and grabs her legs. She screams loudly, flailing her legs in every direction. I cover my mouth to stifle the laugh that escapes my throat.
“Theo!” she squeals. She jumps up from the floor, and he scoops her up, squeezing her tightly in his arms.
“There’s my little squirt,” he murmurs. I can tell he really loves that little girl.
Emma peeks over his shoulder at me, and something in her eyes lights up. I give an awkward wave, followed by a wide smile. She has grown a lot since the picture I just looked at; her hair now reaches a little below her shoulders.