* * *
We spent our date night, at the construction site with my family because that's what Jason wanted to do. It meant we'd have less alone time, but I knew it was important to him. He still felt like he hadn't earned the Rover. It was after midnight before we finished the siding.
"It's late, you should call your mom," I said.
"Nah, she knows I'm with you, besides, she's probably asleep by now."
"I doubt it, and you know what they say, nothing good happens after midnight."
He pulled me close. "Obviously whoever said that didn't know about you." He kissed me and then looked toward Benjamin. "Sir, do you mind if Izzy rides with me back to my place?"
"Be discrete on your way home, Izzy," Elizabeth responded.
"Thank you ma'am," Jason said. "Same time tomorrow night?" Jason directed the question to Benjamin.
Benjamin glanced toward Elizabeth seemingly for approval. "I think you can skip tomorrow. It's a holiday weekend is it not?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, you kids deserve to go out and enjoy yourselves. I'll let Izzy know when we need you again."
"I really don't mind—"
"Oh come on," I said, tugging Jason toward his Rover.
"Thanks again," Jason called back to Benjamin and Elizabeth as we got to the Rover.
One thing I didn't like about the new Rover was the annoying console between the front seats, but I leaned over it an rested my head against Jason's shoulder. It was a quiet ride home, we didn't need words, just being together was beautiful. Jason pulled to a stop in the driveway and then leaned down and kissed the top of my head.
"Oh no you don't," I said, pulling his lips down to mine.
Jason finally had to come up for air. "What's wrong?" he said.
"You don't miss much, do you?" I shifted in my seat. "What am I going to do about your mom?"
"Why do you have to do anything?"
"It's important to me that she approves of our relationship."
"Why?"
I shot him a death stare.
"Okay, okay, I get it. Seriously though, I don't know what you can do. I've tried to reason with her, but she just thinks I'm thinking with my—well lets just say not my head. It's frustrating, you know, I've always been able to talk to her, but she just has this thing about you."
"Thing, you mean like in dragging you halfway across the country and getting you shot?"
"I'm sure that's part of it, but it's like I said before, she's afraid of you." He thought for a moment. Best thing I can say is talk to her, you know woman to woman, maybe she would understand."
"I don't know. Truth is, I'm afraid of her too."
"Why?"
"She might not realize it, but all she has to do is put her foot down and I would leave you."
"Not a chance, besides, we've been through this, you and me are forever, or at least for as long as you'll have me."
I looked up toward his mother's room. "You better go, you don't want her to get the wrong idea, not after today." I opened my door and climbed out. We met at the back of the Rover. "I love you."
"I love you."
I started toward the creek.
"Picnic at the lake?" Jason called after me.
"Sounds perfect. How about in the afternoon, you can pick me up at the house say around three o'clock."
"So late?"
"Sleep in." I blew him a kiss and darted off through the woods toward home.