We are the Answer {boyxboy} ✔ (Dogs, Bats & Monkeys series, Book I | Rhys)

Chapter 28

A/N: I had so much trouble posting this chapter! I've been trying since yesterday, but wattpad saved my chapter as a draft instead of posting it. And I kept getting an error message about being unable to save the changes...

But it's here now! Enjoy ^_^

*****

"We are here."

My mate turned to me. He sucked in a breath so deep it seemed as if he wished to devour all the air that was in the vehicle.

"It's going to be fine, Riley," I reassured him as gently as I could, stroking the soft skin of his cheek. "You are going to be fine."

His face relaxed and the tension left his rigid stance. He even managed to grace me with a small smile before he unbuckled his seatbelt. He was out of the car - wine bottle in hand - before I had the chance to run to him and open his door. He strode towards my parents' porch, determined, with me by his side. His resolve waned once we reached the front door.

"Should we ring the bell, or knock, or..."

I chuckled.

"You know I live in this house, right, Riley? We'll just walk in," I told him and this time he allowed me to open the door for him.

"Walk in," he muttered, taking in another deep breath, his right hand gripping the wine bottle tightly.

"Riley." The fingers of my left hand wrapped around his wrist. "You look amazing and they'll love you." I leaned down to kiss his soft lips; lips that curled into a smile when they made contact with mine.

"Are you ready?" I murmured, barely breaking the contact that sent tingles through my body.

He nodded and I straightened up, leading him inside the home I'd grown up in.

"We're here," I announced when we stepped into the hallway. I then turned to my mate. With a 'Give me that,' I took the wine from him and put it on a corner table, before helping him to slip out of his jacket.

"In the kitchen," mom shouted in reply. The wine was back in Riley's grip before I could even blink. The determination had also returned along with the worried, rigid stance. I led the way again and watched his mouth morph into a circle once he stepped in the room. Mugs of all shapes and sizes, round dishes with different, but mostly flowery patterns and gracefully curved pots peeked from behind the glass doors of masterfully crafted wooden cabinets.

Then his eyes landed on the woman who had proudly collected the delicate china over the years.

"There you two are," she greeted, smiling at us while she mashed potatoes in a large bowl.

"Hey, mom." I walked to her and kissed her on the cheek before tucking a renegade strand behind her ear. The rest of her hair sat perfectly tidy in a bun.

"Riley," I moved to the side so they could get a better view of each other, "this is my mom, Jacquetta Flemings."

"Hello, Mrs. Flemings."

Mom placed the bowl on the counter and they shook hands. I could tell by the way she looked at him that she would rather they had hugged, but she understood that was too soon for him.
"Jackie. No need for formalities," she told him. "Is that for me?"

"Oh... Yes." He handed her the bottle. "Rhys said you like it."

Her body still facing Riley, she twisted her head to me with a smirk.

"So you told Riley what I like, but you didn't think to ask him what he wanted for dinner?" She half-reprimanded, half-teased before turning back to my mate. "He did say you share a taste for tart cherry juice, so we stocked on that."