by Lara Swann
Cassie reaches over to squeeze my hand, her eyes warm as they meet mine.
“Thank you, Josh. Seriously, I really appreciate this. I feel so much better knowing I’ll have a friend here with me.”
I return the smile.
When it comes to these things, timing is everything.
I’ve got one week to convince her.
And this is the right fucking time.
Chapter Four
Cassie
“I knew I shouldn’t have let you navigate.” I mutter, pulling into the long road that constitutes a driveway for this place.
“Hey, the only mistake I made was listening to your gut that your childhood vacation ranch hadn’t been along that road.” Josh nods in the direction we just came and I shoot him a baleful look.
We’re an hour late and tension has been slowly creeping up through my shoulders over the last couple of hours, my stomach turning in knots at the thought of having to endure my family for a week - and trying to pull off this crazy stunt.
“Look at that,” Josh says as I finally bring the car to a stop, parking neatly opposite my parents’ in the over-sized area allocated. “We’re already arguing like an old married couple.”
He grins at me as I throw my head back against the seat, undoing the belt and running my hands through my hair. After a moment, I give Josh a small smile in return.
To be fair to him, he’s actually spent most of this trip trying to make me laugh and distract me from the anxious tension that visiting my family always gives me. He doesn’t exactly deserve me sniping at him, but he’s being a good enough sport to take it in the way I’m trying to say it - as the light-hearted banter we always have going on.
“Should probably cut some of that out.” I say, my mind turning yet again to how to pull this off. “I think the familiar bickering comes somewhat later than happily in love new couple.”
His mouth quirks up at the corners. “Hey, I’m a good actor…but some of that shit has been ingrained for years…no promises, Cassie.”
For some reason, I feel better about that than if he’d just casually agreed. Whatever it makes my family think, I can’t imagine being around Josh without some of that fun verbal sparring - and right now, I’m appreciating the idea of a few familiar comforts.
“Okay, might as well get this over with.” I finally say, pushing the door open.
Josh follows, and we walk over to the large, sprawling building together. Halfway there, Josh slips his hand through mine and I almost start in surprise, glancing down at it.
We casually touch and push each other all the time, but…we’ve never held hands. That’s a couple thing.
Of course.
A part of my brain reminds me. I just wasn’t expecting the warm buzz I felt at the casual, intimate gesture.
I look up to see Josh watching me, and he raises an eyebrow in question. I just shrug and smile at him, then continue walking.
But I squeeze his hand and feel a little silly as I enjoy him squeezing mine back, just glad to have that small amount of support for having to face my family again.
When we get up to the wide doorway, I ring the bell and wait.
In my family’s traditional style, they’ve hired the whole ranch house so we won’t have any other guests disturbing us. And despite it being able to accommodate many more, I’m sure they’ve already overrun the whole of it…
The door opens a moment later, my Mom stood just inside - a larger woman, with brown hair curling around her face in a way that only highlights her chubby features, and wearing a flowing red dress that swirls around her ankles.
“Cassandra!” She exclaims, and I quickly step inside and pull Josh with me, before she can rush forward to embrace me and keep us talking outside for an inordinate amount of time.
“Hi Mom.” I say, and lean in to give her a quick hug, simultaneously waving at everyone else filtering in from a door off to the side.
“You’ve been ages!” She chides, “I was starting to wonder whether you were going to show up at all.”
“It was only an hour, Mom. There was traffic.” I start, already feeling defensive.
“Well, we couldn’t hold the food anymore. You’ve missed the main meal, Cassie - we kept you some, of course, but you’ll have to have it while everyone else is on coffee and—”
“That’s fine.” I interrupt, glancing at Josh. “It’s fine.”
She looks at me for a moment, then nods brusquely. “Well at least you’re here now, I suppose. And you came with someone - that’s definitely news.”
That’s all it takes to turn her full attention onto Josh, and for her puckered expression to turn into a wide smile. I barely suppress a sigh, and summon a smile of my own, nodding.
“Yes, I wanted to introduce everyone to Josh - my boyfriend.” I feel him squeeze my hand as I try not to stumble over the unfamiliar words. They feel strange and I wonder whether maybe I should have practiced this first. “Josh, this is my Mom, Adelaide…”
She leans in to kiss him on the cheek, and then I slowly introduce him to the people who’ve gathered behind - my Dad Henry, then Mark, Beth, Neil and John - who all say a range of ‘hello’s.
Josh waits for me to finish before turning on the charming smile I’ve seen girls fall for again and again. I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes - my usual response.
You’re supposed to be one of those girls now, remember?
“It’s so good to finally meet you all.” Josh slips his hand out of mine and I have a moment to be disappointed before it gets wrapped around my shoulders, pulling us a little closer together while he looks out at my family. “And I’m very sorry if I get you at all mixed up, I’m terrible with names.”
I blink, glancing over at him, but he’s not looking at me at all. I’ve watched Josh memorize lines within a few hours of receiving them - being terrible with names is the last thing I’d accuse him of.
Then I realize what he’s doing and have to stop myself smiling - ‘I’m sure I can find enough ways to piss them off’ indeed.
I pull myself back to the moment, and scout around everyone stood greeting us before glancing at my Mom again. “Umm…where’s Maria?”
“Ohh, she’s putting the kids to bed - they ate earlier and it got too late for them to stay up any longer. Let’s go on through - Anne is waiting in the dining room, you know in her condition she thought it would be easier…” Mom trails off as she turns around and starts gesturing everyone back in the direction they came in.
Damn. The one part I’d been looking forward to. But it is past seven, and I can understand Marie not wanting to destroy the kids’ routine - especially with the whole family around to suffer the consequences of it. I can wait until tomorrow.
Josh doesn’t move his hand from my shoulder as we follow the group into the dining room, and it gives me the opportunity to sidle closer to him.
“What happened with sticking to the truth?” I murmur under my breath.
He gives me a quick grin, squeezing my shoulder. “I said I wouldn’t pretend to be a completely different person. A few…embellishments are fair game.”
I laugh, surprised to find I feel a little better after the initial onslaught of seeing my large family again.
We take our places at the fully adorned table, and I finally notice the way everyone else has dressed up for the meal tonight - in sharp contrast to the jeans and t-shirt Josh and I are wearing.
Okay, they obviously intended tonight’s dinner to be a little more than our typical casual get-together.
I feel worse about being late, and wish someone had told me so I could’ve worn something more appropriate - like this, we look rather out of place.
Mom reappears with the food and then everyone else starts helping themselves to coffee from the pots already in the middle of the table.
“Thanks Mom.” I say, and Josh echoes the sentiment as we start eating.
Maria enters a moment later, and spots us immediately.
“Cassie!�
�� She walks over and I stand up to give her a quick hug.
“Hey Maria - sorry I didn’t get to say ‘hi’ to the kids tonight—” I start.
She waves me off. “Don’t worry about it. I told them they’d be seeing you tomorrow, and they were far too tired from the journey to complain.”
I give her a quick smile, then gesture down to Josh who’s looking up at us. “This is Josh, my boyfriend.”
Okay, slightly easier to say this time.
They exchange a quick greeting, then Maria leans over to pour herself some coffee and then settles down to let us continue eating.
For a couple of minutes anyway - as soon as the familiar chaos subsides, all the questions start.
“So, Josh!” Mom starts, smiling widely at him again. “It’s simply wonderful you could join us this week - you could imagine my surprise when Cassie said she was bringing someone. Her boyfriend no less—”
“Mom…” I mutter, before realizing I don’t actually need to feel embarrassed.
It doesn’t matter if Josh sees my family for what they are, or if my Mom makes endless awkward comments.
I’ve already told him what they’re like, and he’s here for me. He’s a friend who can sympathize and be on my side here, not someone I’m worried about impressing.
As if he can read my thoughts, his hand finds my leg under the table and he gives it a little squeeze. I glance over and meet his eyes briefly, seeing the warmth and reassurance there. I reach down to squeeze his hand and look away before I start being silly about this. I’m not exactly used to having much support here.
My Mom continues her overly cheery talk, oblivious to our brief exchange. “Of course, Cassandra hasn’t told me anything about you, so you’re going to have to tell me everything.”
Josh glances from me to my Mom and then laughs politely. “What do you want to know?”
Dangerous question to ask my Mom…
“Well…for starters, what do you do? Did you meet at UCLA - at Cassie’s med school?” She smiles widely at him as he holds up his hands to stop the barrage of questions, giving her a quick smile.
He glances at me and I panic momentarily as I realize we haven’t concocted a ‘how we met’ story.
“Yeah, at UCLA - though not the med school there. Doctoring is a little beyond me, I’m afraid. I’m an actor.” He flashes a winning smile, as if expecting that announcement to be met with more than the surprised blinking of my family.
Okay. Yes. How we actually met. That works.
I return my attention to my food, my heart-rate slowing as I resolve to let him deal with it. Josh has more charm than anyone has a right to, and can think on his feet far better than I can.
“Ahh…an actor. That’s…impressive.” She says it as if she can’t quite make up her mind, and I can almost feel her shift in attitude. “Are you in anything I’d know? I do love a good romantic comedy.”
Her tone has retreated from eager to polite but reserved and I belatedly realize how ‘actor’ sounds to them.
“Oh, I doubt it.” Josh laughs easily, dismissing the comment with a casual gesture. “I’ve picked up a few parts here and there, mostly in local productions - still getting experience, you know. Unless you’re a fan of independent cinema - I’m working with a friend on our own movie. That’ll be my big break, I just know it.”
I frown. Everything he just said is true, but…the way he’s said it…
“So it’s not really what you do then, is it?” Neil interrupts, attempting to cover the disdain in the question with light amusement. “Unless you’re making money from it, that is. So…how do you get by - while you’re…‘acting’?”
He says the last with a slight wave of his hand and I find my blood starting to boil on Josh’s behalf, waiting for him to cut their narrow-minded assumptions to pieces.
But Josh just shrugs pleasantly. “Oh, I work in a bar. But that’s just temporary.”
He gives them all a blank smile, looking for all the world like he didn’t even notice Neil’s insulting attitude - or the way half the table is now looking at him skeptically.
I have to stop myself from staring at him in shock.
Josh hates the assumptions that get made about him because he’s an actor who hasn’t had a major movie role yet - the instinctive way people look down on him and assume he’s just some lazy bastard who doesn’t want to get a ‘real job’, or a fool with a dream.
He works harder than anyone I know, and he’s landing more and more roles - his friend happens to be an award-winning director with studios already trying to snap up the independent movie they’re creating.
And he’s more than adept at making those exact arguments - firing back with oh, actually comments that shut the judgmental skeptics up in a heartbeat.
He never lets it go like this, and I feel a slow burn of humiliation on his behalf.
Neil and Beth exchange smug looks and I start fuming, ready to jump in and put an end to the things they’re obviously thinking about him.
Josh’s knee nudges mine under the table before I get a chance. I glance up at him, surprised, to see his eyes sparkling back at me and instead of the infuriated-angry expression I’d expected, there’s genuine humor there.
I process that for a moment, until grudging admiration slowly replaces my frustration, and I admit to myself that he’s playing this well. Well enough that even though I should know what’s going on, I’m having trouble keeping up.
Or maybe, for some reason, my impulse to defend Josh is overriding my basic common sense. Not a great thing when my whole plan is for my family to disapprove of him.
He gives me a half-smile and a slight quirk of his eyebrows, and I can tell he’s enjoying himself - sparkling with hidden laughter at my family and their misguided opinions. It warms me, and the last of my anger disappears as I enjoy our little, private joke at my family’s expense.
Glancing around at the table again, I give an ignorant smile of my own, aware that our exchange could easily be interpreted as typical loved-up behavior and silently encouraging the belief that his “I’m going to be an actor one day” dreams have me even more attracted to him.
“Yeah, isn’t it great?” I say with a small smugness of my own, laughing inside.
I dig into the food enthusiastically again, and steadfastly ignore the uncertain glances around the table and polite agreement.
“So what are the plans for the week?” I ask after a few moments, changing the subject before the silence can get too awkward.
And also to let me know exactly what I’m going to be subjected to, and should be planning for.
“Well Beth’s party is on Sunday, so we thought we’d have a quiet day tomorrow on the ranch - it’s been so long since the whole family has been together.” My Mom gives me a pointed glance and I refrain from rolling my eyes at her. “And there’s so much we need to catch up about.”
She smiles at Josh, who laughs easily. “I’m starting to feel like I should be expecting an interrogation!”
Mark, next to him, shakes his head and mutters under his breath. “Yeah, I hope Cassie warned you about that…”
I grin and slip my arm around Josh’s shoulders, leaning into him and trying to act like I care about introducing him to my family. “Ohh, you’ll be fine.”
“The kids are excited to get in the pool, anyway.” Maria adds, diverting the attention away from Josh for a moment. “It’ll be good for them to have a day running wild around the place.”
“Yeah, like we did when we were kids.” Mark answers enthusiastically. “Remember that time we were fighting with branches, Cassie, and I charged at you, only to fall straight into the river?”
“I remember who got the blame.” This time my laughter is genuine and I shake my head at him, while adding to Josh. “This story comes up every time we come back here.”
“Hey, you sidestepped - it was your fault.” Mark grins at me, and Josh laughs along with him.
I can tell why - the banter
I share with Mark sometimes is very similar to the easy way Josh and I are together. For some reason, I’ve always gotten on better with guys, and Mark has always been the closest to me in terms of ambition and attitude.
“You’ll have one of your own soon, to relive all that with.” Maria says warmly, and Anne’s hands stroke her stomach instinctively.
She looks up with a radiant smile, and Mark’s smiles back at his wife with a slightly awed expression.
“Won’t be long until he’s chasing after Lucas and Ellie.” He says, that tone of wonder in his voice.
“Though I’m not sure I’m prepared by half.” Anne adds, laughing lightly.
That’s all it takes for the conversation to shift entirely to Mark and Anne’s plans for the arrival of the baby in a few months’ time. My attention wanders back to the remnants of my food and I can feel my eyes glazing over.
As much as I’m looking forward to another nephew, I have absolutely nothing to contribute to the color of the walls of the nursery, or arguments over a name, or all the advice they clearly need to make it through the first few weeks as new parents. Which, of course, they’re totally going to remember months from now.
Josh’s arm slips over my shoulder and I glance up to see a knowing glint in his eyes. I laugh quietly and lean into him, enjoying his obvious knowledge of how I zone out in these sorts of conversations.
I’m not sure whether I should be disappointed about it, or just glad that the attention has shifted away from us, but either way it’s nice to have Josh’s understanding presence beside me. His hand is gently stroking my shoulder, and with the warm food inside me and that comforting gesture, I’m feeling far more relaxed than I thought I would be by this point.
“This isn’t so bad, you know.” Josh murmurs into my ear, leaning down to me. Echoing exactly what I was just thinking in that way he often has.
“Maybe not.” I give him a reluctant smile, and shrug. “Maybe having you here will make all the difference.”
His expression softens at that, and my mind drifts to whether it might be true - maybe, if my love life seems sorted to my family, they’ll get off my back and I’ll just be able to enjoy the good parts about being around them.
