Chapter 31
CHAD
I’m so glad we got rid of the no-sleepover rule. And the no-dates rule. All of the rules really. Rules are completely unnecessary.
Sleeping in John’s bed every night is hands down one of my favorite things in the world.
Hiring his brothers to “destroy” my house in renovations, as John likes to tease me about, was the best thing I could’ve done.
It gives me the perfect excuse to stay here every night so I can be with him.
I just wish the donkeys could be here too, but I’m not pushing him. Plus I still see them every single day.
Yesterday, we had a long day helping prepare for the festival, and it’s so nice to wake up in John’s arms now.
I’ve learned John’s an incredible cuddler now that he’s stopped hiding that skill from me.
He also likes to wake me up by kissing me anywhere and everywhere, and I don’t think I could ever go back to boring mornings of waking up alone.
“Mmm,” I hum as he kisses around my belly button. “Little lower please.” John chuckles and continues to kiss closer and closer to my now rock-hard dick, slowly torturing me as he teases me.
Until my phone rings with the unmistakable ringtone I set for my mom.
I jolt upright in the bed. “Shit.”
“What the fuck is that?” John asks, looking around.
I reach for my phone and whisper to John, “My mom is calling,” as if she’ll somehow hear me while it’s still ringing.
John looks between me and the phone. “Well, are you going to answer it?”
“Is that okay?” I can’t help but ask, very torn because I love my mother dearly, but also John’s mouth was very close to my dick.
“Of course.” He shrugs, and I almost ignore it in favor of a morning blowjob, but why would my mom be calling this early?
“Hello?” I finally accept the call just before the song would have cut off.
“Chaddy sweetie! Your dad’s doctors gave him the okay yesterday to travel, so we called Blake to make sure he still had room for us to go to his farm party today and decided to surprise you with a visit! We know how much you love surprises.”
“Oh my God! That’s amazing! I do love surprises! Wait, does this mean you’re here right now?” My brain catches up to the words she’d said, and I panic momentarily since I’m not home.
“Well, we probably should’ve put in the address you sent us, but I thought it would be easier to just set your location as our destination.
You know how I love that tracker app,” she explains, and my stomach drops as she confirms what that means.
“But this house doesn’t look like the pictures you sent. Where should we meet you?”
Shit. How much should I say? I’ve tried my very best to keep things kind of vague with my parents since John is still very newly admitting the fact that we’re actually dating.
I don’t want to push him into anything he isn’t ready for, and as casual as he was when I met his brothers, I know meeting my parents would not be like that at all. Meeting someone’s parents is always stressful, whether you’re dating or not.
John is staring at me with a raised brow, clearly asking what’s going on.
“Uh, one second, Mom.” I mute the microphone and focus on John to quickly explain.
“So my parents decided to surprise me and come visit for Blake and Liam’s festival today.
They missed the wedding because my dad had surgery, and they’ve been talking about wanting to visit when I told them how great it is here, but I thought I’d have more warning.
I’m so sorry, they have my phone location on Find My Friends, and they’re here. Like, in your driveway.”
Both of John’s eyebrows are fully raised now. “They’re here? At my house?”
“Yes.” I hurry out of bed and start throwing on my clothes from yesterday.
“But don’t worry about it! I know things are still new, and meeting my parents was so not in your plans today.
I’ll just go out there and tell them you’re busy or something, and then, I mean, they’ll be at the festival, and I was looking forward to going to that with you, but it’s fine.
They won’t know who you are if they see you.
” I’m fully rambling now, but my heart is racing because I’d love for John to meet my parents, but not like this. Not before he’s ready.
No wonder John doesn’t like surprises: this shit is stressful when it’s just sprung on you! I don’t want him to think I was tricking him into meeting them, or trying to push him for something he isn’t ready for. I haven’t even met his parents yet and they live in town!
Oh fuck, my mom is still waiting. I unmute the microphone. “Sorry, Mom! I’ll be right out, and I can show you guys my house!” I hang up before she can ask me more about whose house this is.
I turn back to John. “I’ll take them to my place for a bit, and I’ll see you at the festival.” I lean in for a quick kiss and hurry out of his room and down the stairs. I don’t need my parents coming to the door.
I breathe a sigh of relief when I find them still standing in the driveway, looking at John’s house. I run up to my mom, pulling her into a tight hug. “I can’t believe you’re here! I’ve missed you so much!”
“You too, sweetie!”
My dad comes over, and I throw an arm around him for a group hug. “Good to see you, son!” My dad squeezes me back, and I guess until this moment, I’d been ignoring just how much I’ve missed having them around. I really am glad they’re here, even if I would have planned a different meeting place.
After a long moment of enjoying each other’s presence, we step back. My mom looks over my shoulder again, I’m sure wondering about whose house I’m at. But before I can move to get in their car or suggest we go to my house, she says, “Well, hello. And who might you be?”
I swear my heart stops beating as I spin around.
John followed me outside!
What the fuck is he doing? He knows how big of a deal I think it is to meet parents.
We only went on our first real date this week!
We didn’t even have any warning for him to mentally prepare.
I’m sure it’s too soon for him. No part of me expected him to want to even talk to them at the festival today.
But he’s here.
He willingly followed me outside when I told him he didn’t have to, and he’s smiling at my parents. Freely offering the warm grin I’ve only really ever seen him direct at me. “Hello.” He holds a hand out to shake my mom’s in greeting. “I’m John. Chad’s boyfriend.”
Holy shit.
Boyfriend? Boyfriend!
My jaw is hanging wide open, and I swear I forget how to breathe.
For a moment I’m concerned I might pass out with just how fucking shocked I am.
Because John just introduced himself to my parents. As. My. Boyfriend.
Am I dreaming? I knew we’d get here one day. Deep in my soul, I’ve always believed John and I are endgame, but I thought that day was still very far away. I knew we’d made a lot of progress recently, but this is fucking incredible!
Because I have a boyfriend! John just called me his boyfriend! To my parents! This is one of the happiest moments of my life! Yep, this is why I love surprises because holy shit, my heart feels like it could explode with how happy I am.
He shakes my dad’s hand next and comes over to stand beside me, casually lacing our fingers together like we hold hands all the time.
We don’t, but maybe now we will because we’re boyfriends!
This moment is so big. Bigger than us going on a date or even saying vows in front of Elvis. John has never been a man of many words; his actions and what little he does say always carry so much more intention and weight than anyone else I’ve ever met.
And this?
This feels like John deciding he’s all in on the future I have planned for us.
And I don’t know if I’ve ever been happier.