As it turns out, the man Andy fell in love with is more of a mystery than she first thought. When they give their relationship another chance, it's not long before Lex's secrets begin to unravel, threatening their happily ever after.
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The trip to Portland was so much more comfortable in Lex's car than in mine. The luxurious Mercedes fended its way through the roads with ease, contrary to my old car, which rattled like it was about to fall apart at any time.
When Lex had picked me up at my place, I had spotted a few wrapped packages in the trunk of his car, next to his small suitcase. Because it was the tradition, him giving me presents wasn't a big surprise, but I was dying to know what he'd gotten. As for myself, I would have to find a moment to give him a couple of his presents in private, because some were definitely not family-friendly.
The gifts hadn't been the only surprise, as I'd found him perfectly shaved. He'd gotten rid of his signature stubble, and seeing him like this had been a shock. He looked different than usual but just as dashing. I wasn't sure if he'd done it in an effort to look younger or if it was to look as neat as possible. Regardless, I was enjoying seeing him in this new light, even though I preferred him with the short beard. Kissing him was a new experience too.
Using the three hours drive, I told Lex a few things about my folks, mentally preparing him for the next few days. Between the excitement because of Christmas and the one from meeting my boyfriend, I was sure my parents would act like overcharged batteries.
I also used this opportunity to make Lex listen to a few songs, trying to find out what kind of music he liked the most. Turned out he enjoyed when there was a clear rhythm, like a regular beat, and didn't like singers screaming. Women's voices were also something that came up as his preferences. Pop wasn't working out for him that much, but he enjoyed softer types of rocks. To my surprise, White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane was his favorite one of all the songs we'd tried. I started a playlist for him on my Spotify, and a side one that I titled 'SLEX', which was self-explanatory. This one would stay private.
It presented a great distraction from what was to come and made the journey pass in a blink. However, when we entered the familiar landscape of my birth city, reality caught up. Lex was about to meet my parents. My boss, with whom I'd started an affair that had grown into so much more, would spend Christmas with my whole family. Holy shit, that was huge.
He guessed that I was panicking –probably because I stopped talking– so he tried to reassure me, promising things would be fine, resting his hand on my thigh, only letting go to switch gears.
The GPS guided him all the way to my parent's driveway, and I stared at the lit-up house. The day was long gone by the time we arrived, and the blinking fairy lights were all you could see. Every year, my father made it his duty to set up the Christmas decorations, turning the house into a festive lighthouse. The neighboring houses had the same amount of decorations, so as ridiculous as it might look, it actually blended well.
"Your parents are really into Christmas," Lex pointed out, looking at the multicolored facade.
"Yep. It's a strong family tradition. Them wanting you to participate is a big deal."
