Love Bites

Meeting the in-laws

It feels like we've barely slept, but Beau's phone is ringing. He groans and snuggles into the crook of my arm. I just grin and reach for his cell, the caller id reads Mama and I poke his ribs.

"Beau, it's your Mother. Sweetheart, wake up." He whimpers and frowns, shaking his head. God, he's so adorable when he's half asleep. I take a deep breath and answer the call. "Hello, this is Beau's phone." Ugh, I'm so nervous, I sound like an idiot.

"Mn, still asleep?" A woman's gentle voice asks.

"Yes ma'am. I tried to wake him." Oh my gosh, now she knows we're in bed together!

"Hmm, you haven't been together long. Tickle the bottoms of his feet, but be careful. He'll kick out." She laughs and I grin. "Could you ask him to pick us up at the airport? It's harder to get a taxi than I remember." She sighs.

"Yes ma'am. I'll wake him and send him right away." I say, crawling toward the foot of the bed and tickling his feet. I catch his ankle as he kicks out. "Hm, that is effective." I mumble and hear a snort of laughter on the line before she ends the call.

"Baby! Ugh, it's like you've been talking to my Mama." Beau complains and stretches.

"Now you wake up?" I tease, pinning him beneath me and kissing him. "Mm, actually, I did talk to your Mother. She wants you to pick them at the airport. They're having trouble getting a cab."

"Oh shit, they're here already?! I need to get dressed. Wait, I should shower. No, they're waiting for me." Beau springs out of bed, tossing on clean clothes and continuing to murmur to himself.

"Go get your folks sweetheart." I say, kissing his cheek and heading for the bathroom naked.

"Oh damn, that's so tempting baby." Beau groans and grabs my waist, pulling me against him.

"Behave yourself. Get your folks. I'll take a quick shower and get the boys ready. We can have a meal together when you come home." I say, kissing him on the cheek and sashaying into the bathroom.

I hear the bedroom door open and close a minute later and I take a deep breath. My hands are shaking as I start the shower, stepping beneath the steaming stream of water. I begin to wash in a daze and it hits me. I'm nearly as nervous about meeting Beau's parents, as I was to finally confront William. A couple of middle aged humans shouldn't be that scary, right?

I finish my shower and dress in Beau's favorite jeans and the red sweater he loves. If nothing else, I'll look good for the man I love. I hurry across the hall to see if the boys are up yet and I'm greeted by a grinning and tidy Zach.

"Dad stopped by on his way to the airport." Zach says, stepping aside for me to enter. "Larry should be getting out of the shower any minute." He puts an arm around my shoulders. "Dad thought you might be nervous. I guess meeting the in-laws doesn't get less stressful with age?" He teases and I pinch his hip, sending him into a fit of laughter.

"Especially not when I've never dated before. Wait, in-laws?" I swallow hard, we had talked once about marriage. But hearing those words makes me feel oddly at ease.

"Ah, you don't look as nervous as I thought you'd be." Larry says, exiting the bedroom. "Thankfully, Wayne is only just now starting to install the doorframe. He says he'll get the framework done and hang the the drywall by this evening. We'll have a second door tomorrow and our bathroom back." He smiles and gives me a hug. "He said you asked him to rush that. You were worried about us being uncomfortable. Thanks Dad."

"Oh, don't mention it." I blush a bit and turn back to the door. "I know I'd feel uncomfortable with the idea of someone watching me pee while they work." I laugh and the boys both groan. I guess they hadn't thought of that possibility. "Let's go downstairs. I can make sure everything is ready to open tonight. Might as well make use of this nervous energy."