“Have you talked to him about this? You seem to tell him pretty much everything,” Addi asked.
“No, I haven’t. I’ve been worried how he would react. When I say something about how we look together he always says not to worry about what other people think. He’s right, but when those other people are close friends of his it’s a little harder not to care.”
I hated that I didn’t trust Xander to have decent people for friends. I wanted to not think twice about meeting them, just go and enjoy myself. But I had a bad feeling about it. Meeting his family I didn’t think would be an issue. Parents usually just want to see their kids happy.
Friends are different. Friends want to see you with the right person, but someone that they themselves would want. Friends want you to have a relationship with someone they dream about stealing from you. A person that might look across the room at your friend one day and realize they’re in love with your friend.
I highly doubted Xander would have any friends dreaming about stealing me from him.
“You need to talk to him. Tell him what you’re worried about. You guys talk all the time anyway. Take a break from phone sex and have a serious conversation,” Claire teased.
Sam and Addi’s shocked faces made me blush. “Not everyone knew about that,” I hissed toward Claire. The three of them burst out laughing as my face burned bright red.
“I wish I had a guy who wanted to have phone sex, or any kind of sex,” Sam said. “It’s been so long I think I’ve forgotten how.”
“Yeah, I feel like I’m buying new batteries constantly. Having someone else around to help out has got to make things much better,” Addi added.
Soon I was laughing with my friends, grateful I had such great ones. I was still anxious about meeting Xander’s friends, but at least the tension backed off a little.
Fifteen
The rest of the week Melody was even more of a bitch than usual. Diana must have told her that we were the last two candidates up for the job so she took her harassment to a whole new level.
Wednesday she told the office I had lice when she saw me scratch my head. I almost laughed when someone asked me if it was true, then I went over and gave Melody a big hug and rubbed my head up against hers so she would be marked as well.
She fessed up.
Thursday she told Diana about Xander. I had to go into Diana’s office late in the day for a meeting. She had listened to our initial calls and told me it was inappropriate to talk to a customer about a date.
“Mandy, I’m disappointed. I didn’t expect this sort of thing from you. Honestly, I would have believed it more from Melody than you, but I heard it. I heard your calls. I think any calls from Mr. Carlson should be handled by another representative. Please tell him so when you talk to him next.”
I agreed I would. It was frustrating, but at least I didn’t lose my job, or my chance at the promotion.
Friday was different though. Melody got desperate. The problem was I didn’t know it was coming. Which meant I didn’t have time to prepare for it. Or do any damage control before the weekend. Melody was smart. She waited until I logged out of my computer and was getting ready to leave for the weekend. As I was walking out, she was walking into Diana’s office. I should have stuck around, but I never imagined the level she would stoop to.
~*~
I finally agreed to go to dinner with Xander’s family and the cookout with his friends. Since it was going to be back to back days, he invited me to stay over at his place. We’d spent the night together often, but it was the first time we’d arranged it ahead of time. For some reason it felt different.
Inside Xander pulled me into a kiss then held my hand up for me to spin for him. “You look great honey. I haven’t seen this dress before. Is it new?”
It thrilled me that he noticed the effort I went to for dinner with his family. The dress wasn’t new but it was one of those dresses I saved for nicer occasions. With the weather getting warmer, finally, I was able to wear it. The dress was a brilliant emerald green with shimmering pearl buttons all the way down the front. There was a collar, like a dress shirt, and short sleeves that gave it a little bit of a professional look, especially when paired with my pearlized peep toe pumps. Like all my dresses, it was fitted over my chest then flared out to give my belly space. Of course I had to make sure it didn’t make me look pregnant when I was going to meet Xander’s family.
“It’s not new, but thank you. I just wanted to look nice to meet your family.”
“You always look nice, honey. Are you ready to go?”
I nodded and followed him into the garage to his Jeep. He waited for me to get in then closed my door. I watched as he walked to his side and slid in next to me. He turned the key then immediately rested his hand on my thigh, brushing his fingers under the hem of my dress to touch my bare skin. I rested my hand over his and twined our fingers together.
“Who’s going to be there for dinner?” I asked as I checked him out. His shorts reached his knees but pulled tight over his thickly muscled thighs when he sat. My gaze hovered over the bulge between his legs, my body heating as I thought about the things he did the night before.
His soft blue baseball t-shirt fit tight across his chest and strained over his biceps. I knew the blue color would make his eyes, shaded behind sunglasses, look bluer instead of the usual green. As my eyes drifted up to his face I saw the curve of his lips telling me he knew I was checking him out. He squeezed my fingers and smiled at me.
“Dinner should be pretty quiet, just my parents and Jessica. She’s been dating a guy for a little while but I don’t think she’s bringing him to dinner. Mom usually invites the neighbors over for dinner, but I think it’s just going to be the five of us tonight. She wants to get to know you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Great, so I’ll get the third degree about if I’m good enough for her son. Maybe I shouldn’t go to this.”
Xander laughed. “You wouldn’t dare. She’s going to love you. So is my dad. And Jessica too. You’re getting worked up over nothing, I promise.”
I squeezed his hand and turned to stare out the window while he drove the twenty minutes to Orchard Park. I worried about his parents changing their normal plans. If they weren’t going to grill me about dating him then why would they not have their neighbors over? I tried to tell myself I was overreacting, but I couldn’t convince myself it was going to be okay.
Xander pulled up to a sprawling ranch home on one of the busier streets at the edge of Orchard Park. The home was gorgeous with honey stained wood and natural stone on the front. A three car garaged anchored the home on the side and a pebbled sidewalk led to two front doors. A well maintained yard stretched out behind the home and a basketball hoop stood at the edge of the driveway. I smiled at the massive rock near the road and took in the whole place as I stepped out of the Jeep. The house was huge, but looked like it would have been a fun place to grow up, at least judging by the open spaces outside.
Xander led me through the open garage into the house. We entered in a hallway, to the right a half bathroom, basement, and one of the front doors. To the left I heard and smelled the kitchen. We passed a laundry room before the hallway opened into a gigantic kitchen. The ceiling peaked with the roof and two skylights let in sunlight along with the bank of windows overlooking the backyard. An island stretched out through the center of the room, surrounded by cabinets along one wall and a table for six in front of the windows to the back.
“Hi Mom,” Xander called as we stepped in. She turned from the double oven and smiled brightly at him. He dropped my hand and walked around the island to his mom. She was a medium weight woman with a ready smile for her son. Her short grey hair hung straight in a stylish angled bob. She had on sandals, no doubt to protect her feet from the hard tile floors, and khaki capris with a red short sleeved shirt. An American flag apron hung over her neck and was tied around her squishy waist.
They held each other in a tight embrace and she said, “I
missed you. It’s nice to have you home.”
“Thanks, and I’m sorry, Mom.” He stepped back from her and held his hand out for me. “This is Mandy Ryan, my girlfriend. Mandy, my mom, Peggy.”
I stepped forward and stretched my hand out to her. She grasped it warmly, wrapping her other hand around mine so it was tucked between both of her hands. “It’s so nice to meet you, Mandy. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Carlson. I’ve heard a lot about you, too. Xander adores you. And your home is gorgeous.”
“Thank you, and please call me Peggy. My husband had it built when the kids were little. He struggled with arthritis and his doctors told him to swim so he built a house with a pool. It seemed huge at first, but now it’s just home. Even with both kids gone we have a hard time imagining selling it.”
“No one said you have to sell it, Mom. Jessica and I love it, too,” Xander told her.
“Did I hear my name?” a blonde said as she breezed into the room. She was beautiful with flowing blonde hair, Xander’s hazel eyes, and a pink sundress. She looked like someone everyone would want to be friends with with her easy smile and her easygoing attitude.
But the best part about her was that she was normal weight, not a waif like I’d pictured. It shouldn’t have mattered, but knowing Xander was raised by a woman who wasn’t a single digit size and had a sister not much smaller than their mom made me believe his attraction to me that much more.
“Hey sis!” Xander called as he rushed to her. He swept her into his arms and spun her around. She giggled and hugged him tight.
“I’ve missed you, big bro. It’s good to see you.”
“Yeah, Mom was telling me the same thing. Jess, this is Mandy. Mandy, my sister, Jessica.”
Jessica squealed and jumped over to me, wrapping me in an aggressive hug when she reached me. I hugged her back, her infectiousness making me smile as we hugged. When she pulled back she said, “I’m so excited to meet you. Xander’s only talked about you for weeks now and it’s awesome to finally meet you. You have to tell me all about yourself. Xander’s already told me how you met, and how he had to convince you to go out with him, but I want to hear about you.”
She wrapped her arm in mine and pulled me to the living room. A stone fireplace stretched to the vaulted ceiling and more skylights flooded the room with sunshine. Floor to ceiling windows overlooked a huge wooden deck and the backyard. We sat side by side on a tan flowered couch and Jessica said, “Spill. I want to know everything about you.”
I glanced back to Xander who was still in the kitchen with his mom. He winked at me and I winked back then turned my focus to Jessica. I had to remind myself that she was four years younger than me at 23 and only a year out of college. She was sweet and bouncy, full of confidence.
I admired the hell out of her.
“Okay, well I grew up in Winterville. My parents are still there and my brother lives in Buffalo. I work at Western New York Health in customer service, but I’m up for a promotion. It sounds worse than it is. I actually like my job. I have three best friends that are awesome and a solid grey mutt cat named Zada.”
“Aw, I always begged Mom and Dad to get me a cat but they never would. I need to come over sometime and meet your cat. Do you have a roommate?”
I shook my head, “Nope. I live alone. My friends and I do movie nights once a month and they stay overnight, but it’s just me. I have a three bedroom townhouse.”
“”That’s awesome. I have two roommates to be able to afford my apartment. I just started working at the Orchard Park Gazette in the advertising department. It’s the local newspaper in town. I’m like you, I love my job even though it doesn’t sound that exciting.”
A tall man walked through the room, barely glancing at us. When he did he stopped and turned to face us. “Jessica, I didn’t know you were having a friend over tonight for dinner. Who’s this?”
“This is Mandy, Xander’s girlfriend. We’re just getting to know each other while Xander helps Mom in the kitchen.”
He extended his hand to me and smiled warmly. “Ah, Mandy, I apologize. I’m Todd. I didn’t realize you two were here already. It’s nice to meet you. Can I get you ladies something to drink?”
“I’m okay, Dad,” Jessica told him.
“Me too, thanks, Mr. Carlson.”
“Please, Mandy, feel free to call me Todd. I’ll go check on dinner. I imagine it’s almost ready.”
Todd headed into the kitchen and Jessica and I kept talking. I asked her about her new boyfriend. “Peter and I have only gone out a few times. He’s really sweet though and I like him a lot. We’re not to the point where we’re meeting each other’s families though.”
“How did you meet him?” I asked, always interested in other people’s love stories.
“One of my roommates knew him. They were friends in college and he came over for a party we had a few weeks ago. He’s got a marketing degree and works for a company in Buffalo, but I can never remember what it’s called. It’s got one of those long names like law firms have.”
I laughed, knowing exactly what she meant.
Xander came in and sat down on the couch next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and kissing my temple. “You’re not telling stories about me are you?” he asked Jessica.
“No, I’m just getting to know Mandy. I’ll save the embarrassing stories for next time.”
I clapped my hands together and rubbed them like an evil scientist. Jessica laughed and Xander gave me a dirty look before he burst out laughing also. “You know all my secrets. I have nothing to hide from you.”
“I know, but sometimes others have a different perspective on a story that makes it more interesting.”
“Yeah, well, as long as you don’t hold me accountable for my stupid youth it’ll be okay,” Xander said. I smiled up at him and he brought his lips down to mine. His hand brushed over my throat but he kept his lips together in front of his sister.
“Dinner’s ready,” Peggy called from the kitchen.
Jessica jumped up and Xander and I followed her. He stopped me before we got into the kitchen and said, “My mom said you’re beautiful. I told her I know. She likes you.”
I smiled. “I like them, too. Your sister is full of energy but really nice.”
He laughed, “Yeah, Mom always says Jessica was born bouncing.”
I laughed and nodded. He pulled me into his arms, his hand fisting in my hair as he pressed his lips to mine. His tongue butted against my lips and I opened them to allow him to sweep his tongue through my mouth. He pulled back just as I was heating up. He smiled down at me. “I can’t go very long without tasting you.”
I offered a wry smile and let him lead me into the kitchen to sit with his family.
Todd said the blessing then everyone passed dishes around. I filled my plate with roasted chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, carrots, and broccoli. A bottle of white wine was passed around along with a water pitcher. The whole thing had a very casual family feel to it. It amazed me how comfortable I felt there.
“Mandy, why don’t you tell us how you and Xander met,” Peggy said.
I glanced at Xander, wondering what he’d told his parents about us. Jessica said she knew how we met, but I wasn’t sure how much of the story they knew. He smirked at me then ducked his eyes to his plate, leaving me on my own.
“He sort of stalked me actually. He called my work and I happened to answer the phone. I gave him my extension because it’s policy but he called back a few days later and asked me out. I actually refused him at first, but he wore me down.”
“Yeah, and you hated me when we actually met.”
Todd snorted his laughter and Peggy smiled kindly. “What did you do that made her hate you?”
“He didn’t do anything,” I jumped back in. “I had it in my head that because he’s attractive that he wouldn’t like me and was a jerk to him. He called me a few days after we met and asked me for my phone number so we could get
to know each other better before we went out again.”
“Smart man,” Todd said.
Xander winked at his dad. “She was herself on the phone. I knew the only way she’d go out with me again was if she got to know me a little bit.”
“It worked. When we went out again it was amazing. I was totally smitten that fast. I felt like I’d known him forever already. Like he was an old lover that I was meeting back up with.”
Peggy and Todd traded a knowing look and smiled at us. Jessica jumped in, “That’s amazing. I hope I have a story like that one day.”
Peggy patted Jessica’s hand and smiled at her. They reminded me of my mom and I. We were always close when I was younger. It had been a while since I’d seen my parents for dinner. I talked to my mom every couple of days, but they hadn’t met Xander yet. I knew I needed to remedy that soon.
As we ate, everyone talked about work and family. I told Peggy about my parents and brother and Todd asked about my job. I listened as they talked about Todd’s impending retirement, in just a few months if everything went as planned.
When we finished our delicious dinner Xander asked if I wanted to see the rest of the house. He led me through a room at the front of the house, on the other side of the fireplace from the living room. It was a huge great room with a formal dining table near the kitchen and a smaller family room at the opposite end. Built-in shelves made it feel like a great place for a library.
A large tile foyer connect the great room and living room with the main front door and the pool. Yep, a pool inside the house.
Inside the pool room was warm, Xander said it was because the room had to be a higher temperature than the water. The pool wasn’t huge, but it was still inside the house. A small hot tub sat within the walls of the pool. Large windows and a series of skylights let in plenty of natural light.
“My favorite thing in here was being able to swim when it’s snowing. It’s pretty cool to be warm in the pool and see snow falling on the skylights. Swimming at night was always cool, too. Sometimes my friends and I got crazy and would run out in the snow then jump in the pool. It was so stupid, but so much fun at the time.”
Chubby & Charming (Big & Beautiful Book 1) Page 12
