past it,” she advised, rubbing my back affectionately.
“He hates me,” I whined. Other people were now coming up to the bar, so I leaned in closer so we could talk privately.
She smiled. “Just give him time to know you. You’ll win him over. You’re Nate Peters for goodness’ sake. Name me one person who you couldn’t charm,” she replied, smiling at me confidently.
“George York, apparently,” I grumbled. Glancing back at the table, I saw my mom producing gift after gift for DJ. There looked to be everything on the table, everything was Toy Story or Disney, it looked like she’d been on a shopping spree and kept Toys R Us in profit for this year. DJ was practically bouncing with excitement as he looked at them all.
Ashton walked over then. “Is it pep talk time?” he asked Anna. She nodded sadly. “I’ll take over,” he told her, winking at her.
She patted my back. “I’m leaving you in expert hands, Ashton is a professional at charming the parents,” she teased, slapping his ass as she walked off.
Ashton gripped my shoulder, squeezing supportively. “I don’t have any advice for you. Just be yourself, and if he hates you then that’s his loss,” he instructed, shrugging.
“Wow, you’re helpful! At least your wife was trying to make me feel better about myself,” I grumbled, waving for the barman to come over.
He laughed. “Okay, so I’ll tell you what I know about him and you might be able to use something.”
I nodded eagerly.
“He’s very family orientated. When Josh left Rosie, he became really overprotective of her, so you need to convince him you’re not going to hurt her.” He looked at me sternly, obviously checking I was listening. “He’s a huge Cubs fan, so don’t say anything bad about them. He works as a plumber, so maybe you could use that somehow, I mean, your dad’s a builder so…” he trailed off and frowned. “Not sure how you’d use that to help, but anyway, whatever. That’s about all I got really.”
“I got more than that from Rosie. You’re useless. Some best friend you are!” I complained. I nodded back to the table where they were all laughing and setting up board games with DJ. “Go big me up to him, tell him I’m a nice guy and stuff,” I instructed.
Ashton laughed and nodded. “Order me a beer, will ya?” He didn’t wait for an answer, just headed off to the table to, hopefully, help me out with the possible future father-in-law problem that I had. I sighed and resumed scowling at the countertop, willing the weekend to be over with already.
A couple of hours later and the celebrations were slowly dwindling down. Rosie and I were off talking to Anna and Ashton.
Seth walked up and shook his head, sipping on his beer. “Why in the hell is everyone laughing at me today?” he asked, frowning and glancing at some lady from Anna’s family, who pointed at his back and giggled.
I shrugged, trying to look innocent as Ashton smirked at him. “No idea, buddy,” I lied, knowing it was because of the sticker that he still had on his back.
Suddenly, he elbowed me in the arm a lot harder than necessary to gain my attention. I frowned and rubbed my stinging arm, looking at him like he was crazy. “Hotties, four o’clock,” he stated, nodding off to my right.
I laughed and shook my head. “Hottie, twelve o’clock,” I replied, nodding at Rosie, who was standing in front of me, cuddling with Cameron.
He sighed dramatically. “Fine! Jeez, you’re no fun any more, you two are both bitched off and I’m the only one that’s still using the right head to think with!” he scoffed, nodding at me and Ashton.
“Bitched off?” Ashton repeated, shaking his head. “Seth, seriously, what’s wrong with you? You not been laid for a while or something?” he asked incredulously.
Seth’s mouth dropped open in shock as if he’d just been insulted. “Of course I have. Don’t question my manhood! I’m just saying that you two are no fun to go out with anymore, where’s a wing man when I need one?”
I grinned and nodded at Rick who was standing at the bar. He was Anna’s secret service far guard, but he was like one of our group now too because he’d been with her for the last five years.
“There he is,” I said, laughing as Rick dropped his beer while talking to a pretty girl. He really had no idea how to talk to a girl and got so flustered that it was just plain awkward to watch.
“At least he makes me look good,” he admitted, shrugging. He turned towards Rick. “Rick, wanna go scout some?” he called, nodding towards the group of three girls that were standing off to one side.
Rick nodded and headed over. The girl he was talking to had walked off when he dropped his beer anyway.
“Seriously, Seth, don’t you ever give up? You must have hit on every girl in the room under the age of thirty,” Rosie laughed, shaking her head.
He smirked at her. “There’s one thing you should know about me,” he stated.
Rosie grinned. “You’re a hugger?” she interjected before he could continue. I burst out laughing, knowing that was one of Lotso Hugging Bear’s lines from Toy Story 3. I’d seen that movie enough to know it word for word.
He looked at her like she was crazy as she started laughing too. “I’m a what?”
She shook her head quickly. “Nothing. Ignore me, I’ve had too many orange juices, I think I should move onto something stronger.”
My gaze flitted to the table where DJ was sitting with my parents and Rosie’s. He was busy playing with one of the games that my mom had bought for him – they were all playing actually, even George. My mom was fussing over DJ, cooing at everything that he did while she chatted happily with Tracy. My dad seemed to be getting on well with George; they were talking about football by the look of it. I frowned. Seeing George smile at other people was just plain annoying. He wasn’t prepared to give me a chance, yet he would happily sit there and converse with my dad like they were old friends.
“Want to dance?” I asked Rosie, nodding towards the dance floor where a few couples were dancing. She smiled and passed Cameron to Anna, before following me over there. I pulled her into my arms, and we started slow dancing to the beat. I sighed deeply and looked at the table of our family. “I’m really sorry that he doesn’t like me.”
Rosie shook her head, her eyes soft and caring. “If he doesn’t like you then that’s his problem,” she replied, shrugging.
I smiled weakly, knowing that statement wasn’t true. If he didn’t like me, then it was all of our problems. Everything would be awkward if I couldn’t win him around. Dejectedly, I pressed my forehead to hers, just breathing in her smell. It was like everyone else disappeared when I was with her, like nothing else mattered apart from this moment.
A little tug on my pants leg and small hands prying our bodies apart made me pull back and smile down at DJ. “Grandad tolded me I had to get between yous two before you started kissing,” he chirped, nodding his head back towards the family table.
I laughed at the kid’s honesty. “Oh, really? Better do what Grandad says then, Kid,” I mused, bending and scooping him off the floor, sitting him on my hip as I pulled Rosie back to me too. DJ wrapped one arm around each of our necks as we started dancing again, the three of us. Rosie smiled at me, her expression looked a little proud as if I had done something right, but I wasn’t sure what it was.
“Grandad really sent you over here?” she asked DJ. He nodded in response. “Grandad George?” He nodded again, and Rosie sighed, a little frown appearing on her forehead as her arm tightened around my waist.
“I think Grandad doesn’t want you to get girl cooties, Nate,” DJ offered, nodding along with himself, as if that made perfect sense in his head.
I laughed. I was pretty sure there was another reason that asshole sent DJ over here, and it had nothing to do with looking out for my health. I had the distinct impression that the guy was pushing me to see if he could piss me off. I just needed to hold on to my dignity and remember that they lived a two-hour train ride away; I wouldn’t have to see them very oft
en. I offered Rosie four times a year visitation rights with my parents; hopefully she’d give me the same offer. I could cope with him pushing my buttons four times a year.
We danced until the end of the song and then Rosie checked her watch. “We should probably go soon, it’s DJ’s bedtime. My parents and I can get a cab back if you want to stay and hang out with the boys,” she offered.
I smiled gratefully but shook my head. “It’s okay, I’m ready to leave too,” I agreed. She smiled and led me back to the table where our parents were still sitting. As soon as we reached them, my mom was holding out her arms for DJ. He grinned and went to her willingly, which made a huge smile stretch across her face.
“Let’s finish the game then, sweetpea,” she suggested, nodding back to the game of Buzz Lightyear Operation that was laid out on the table.
“I’m gonna fixed up the laser this time!” he decided. She sat down, settling him onto her lap as he pulled the game towards him, starting to play.
“Nice dance?” George asked me, smirking wickedly.
“Yep,” I replied, popping the p, not letting him get to me. Just four times a year, buddy, that’s all I’m seeing you!
“We’re thinking we should head off now,” Rosie chimed in.
My mom whimpered and her arms tightened around DJ, as if she refused to let him go. “Nanna Dawn, you made me setted off the lasers!” DJ whined, pouting.
I grinned and patted him on the head as she loosened her arms. “Sorry, sweetpea, have another go,” she offered. She loved the whole ‘Nanna’ title thing – that much was obvious by her proud expression as she kissed the side of his head.
Rosie grinned and slipped her hand into mine. “Shall we put all of DJ’s gifts in the car?” she suggested, nodding towards the door of the function room.
“Yeah, okay.” I grabbed the bags of toys, leaving the one that they were playing with and then we headed out of the door, hand in hand. As soon as we were on our own, I pulled her to me and kissed her. When Rosie shivered in my arms, I pulled back, slipping off my jacket and hanging it around her shoulders.
She smiled at me gratefully and pulled it tighter around herself. “You are so freaking romantic sometimes, Nate.”
I kissed her forehead lightly. “Can’t have my girl getting sick,” I answered, tracing my nose up the side of hers. “You wait here; I’ll put these in the car.”
I turned and jogged towards the car, trying not to feel the cold wind as I ran. After storing them in the trunk, I ran back to her side. She was just standing there waiting for me, looking incredible in my suit jacket that almost drowned her.
“You look so hot in my clothes. You know, maybe you should be the boss in the little role-play game,” I growled, wrapping my arms around her tightly, making her giggle.
She narrowed her eyes and gripped my tie, pulling me closer to her. “Maybe I should. I’m a very strict boss you know, one step out of line and you’ll get punished,” she purred seductively.
I grinned and kissed her passionately, holding her tighter as I almost knocked her off her feet from the force of the kiss.
A loud, dramatic throat clearing made me pull back and look over my shoulder. I was just about to tell the person to take a hike and leave us in peace, when I spotted it was her dad. He’d followed us out of the hotel.
“I thought you two were putting the stuff in the car. Or was that just an excuse so you could get your hands on my daughter?” he asked me.
Flinching, I let go of her immediately feeling like a kid that had their hand caught in the cookie jar. “We were just talking,” I lied.
“Looks like it,” he scoffed, shaking his head. He looked towards Rosie. “So this is just a physical thing then?”
“Physical thing?” she repeated, obviously looking for clarification.
He crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes tightening. “Sure, what else could you see in him?”
Rosie frowned. “A lot of things actually,” she answered, her tone harsh, matching his.
I felt like a rabbit caught in a fox hole, just waiting to be ripped to shreds. This was it. This was the showdown that I knew would come.
“He’s not your usual type,” George commented.
Rosie nodded in agreement. “You’re right, he’s not my usual type at all. In fact, he’s the complete opposite of my usual type. My usual type is a cheating jerk,” she countered, frowning angrily.
George’s eyes narrowed. “If you’re going for looks then you should have learned last time not to go for a guy like that. This guy, he’s not good enough for you, just like that other dick wasn’t.”
Rosie’s shoulders stiffened as she looked at him in shock. “What the hell?”
I shook my head and put my hand on the small of her back, not wanting to be the cause of friction in her family. He was entitled to his opinion. “It’s okay, Rose.”
She snorted in disbelief, her jaw tight with anger. “It most certainly isn’t okay actually,” she replied tersely. She turned back to her dad. The only other time I had seen her angry was when she was arguing with Josh about the money for DJ’s show. “You don’t know him at all. How can you make a judgement like that?”
Her dad raised one eyebrow challengingly. “He’s a cocky, self-centred punk, that’s just after a quick thrill with a pretty girl.”
Rosie’s eyes tightened, and I cringed at the evaluation. That was me three months ago, but not now; I’d changed, Rosie had changed me.
“You think I’m with him because of the way he looks? Trust me, looks have nothing to do with why I’m crazy about Nate, or why your grandson’s crazy about him. You want to know why both DJ and I are crazy about him?” she cried angrily.
He nodded, his posture matching hers, not backing down. “Enlighten me.”
“I’m crazy about him because when he tells me that he’ll meet me at eight o’clock, I know he’ll get there at five minutes to, just to make sure he’s not late. I’m crazy about him because of how thoughtful he is. For example, the other day he called me and I was in the middle of grocery shopping, by the time I stepped outside the store, he was there waiting for me with his car so I didn’t have to carry the stuff home. I didn’t ask him to do that, he just did it to surprise me because he wanted to. I’m crazy about him because no matter how much of a shitty day he’s had, or how tired he is from working, he’ll still sit there for hours on end playing with my son. My son, not his, mine. Yet he’ll still do that because he’s adorable. I’m crazy about him because he makes me feel special that an incredible, kind and generous person wants to spend time with me and my son.”
She took a deep breath, her hands tightening into fists.
“You don’t get to make a judgement on him after a couple of hours. You saying that he’s not good enough for me just proves that you don’t know him at all. If you knew him properly, you would look him right in the eye and you would hope that he never realises how much better he can do than me. If you knew him, you’d be smiling at him proudly, recognising what a beautiful person he is inside, and outside. No, Dad, you don’t know Nate at all!”
I stood there with my mouth open in shock, staring at her because she’d just argued with her dad for me, she’d just told him that she was crazy about me and was fighting my corner. Part of me wanted to point at him and shout, ‘Ha! In your face, old man!’ The other part of me wanted to grab her and hold her so tightly that she wouldn’t be able to breathe. I loved those words coming out of her mouth, because I was totally crazy about her too.
A smile pulled at the corners of George’s mouth as he shrugged. “Just checking.”
“Just checking what?” she huffed.
He laughed. “I was just checking if you were serious about him. It appears your mom was right.”
What the hell? Was he testing her?
Her mouth dropped open in shock. “You mean you were just trying to get to me say all that stuff about Nate, just to see if this was serious or not? Why didn’t you just ask me
if it was serious, instead of making me blurt all of that out in front of him, probably making myself look like a freaking moron?” she cried angrily.
He cupped her face in his hands and bent his head, kissing her forehead. “Because that would be too easy, pumpkin. Besides, Nate doesn’t think you’re a moron.” He turned to me and smiled. “Do you?”
I gulped and shook my head, still unsure as to what was going on here. A not-so-subtle blush coloured Rosie’s cheeks as she cringed.
George smiled. “Five years ago, when I said a load of bad stuff about the other guy, did you stand up for that little punk?” he asked, looking at her curiously.
Rosie frowned. “No, but Jo-” Her dad held up his hand, cutting her off before she could finish saying his name. She sighed dramatically. “Fine. The guy who’s name we don’t mention,” she corrected, rolling her eyes. “He was everything you said he was, I knew that at the time. That’s why I didn’t defend him.”
I smiled, feeling extremely proud of myself that she stood up for me, but not Josh. A couple of months ago, she believed I was just like him, but not now.
“Pumpkin, you’re a great judge of character, well, apart from that one person anyway, so if you like this guy, then that’s good enough for me. I was just checking what you really thought of him. And also, pushing him to see how far I could before he snapped. As it turns out, his patience level is pretty high. He’s suited to you, because you’re frustrating as hell,” he said, winking at his daughter.
“I’m not frustrating!” she protested.
I nodded. “You are, Stripes,” I interjected.