“Yeah, it was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing. I actually know Mason. That’s, um, sort of how we met.”
Kind of.
“I see,” she says, but it’s very clear she doesn’t see.
“It’s really no big deal. I’m not here a lot of the time. I work down at the station with Mason as a volunteer, and then I do construction work with a friend. She basically has the place to herself.”
“I see,” Mrs. Stratten says.
“I’m off today,” I say unnecessarily, stepping back a little and cursing myself for opening that stupid door.
Danger sits next to my feet, his head cocked to the side and eyes focused on the couple standing in front of us. He hasn’t decided how he feels about them either. Now, I kind of see why Pepper would keep secrets. Her parents are sort of imposing. Their feelings are very evident on their faces.
“How convenient,” Mr. Stratten murmurs.
I don’t say anything. Better wait for Pep before I fuck this up any more. I decide that I definitely won’t rat her out. I don’t want the wrath focused on me. With my luck, they would blame me for corrupting their precious little daughter.
The door finally opens, and Pepper steps out of the bathroom. Her steps falter in the hallway when she sees the three of us in a standoff before she finally recovers and pastes a large smile on her face.
“Mom, Dad.” She gives them both hugs before stepping back and nervously fidgeting with her hands. “I see you’ve met my roommate, Ben.”
Her eyes dart to mine, and she mouths, Sorry.
I just wink back.
“Yes, we have. Interesting that you never mentioned that he is in fact a he,” her mom says.
Pepper flinches at the tone of her mom’s voice.
“Yes, well … it just never came up. I’ve fixed lunch for us,” she says brightly before moving into the kitchen.
I follow behind her before helping to carry the dishes to the table where she motioned for her parents to sit down.
Do I really want to suffer through what is possibly going to be the most awkward meal in my short twenty-seven years of life?
Pepper pats the seat next to her, so I’m left with the choice of getting the hell out of Dodge and hurting her feelings or sitting down and enduring her parents’ glares the entire meal.
Spoiler alert: I pick option two.
“How have classes been going?” her mom asks before we’ve even shoveled the first bite in.
I see Pepper flush, and she glances at me, waiting to see if I will spill the beans like I did at Mason’s.
Baby, my lips are sealed.
“They’re going great. I’m really enjoying them,” Pepper says, pushing food around on her plate.
“What all are you taking again?” her dad asks.
Now, I’m leaning forward, really invested in what she’s going to say. I’m thankful that I’m not in her shoes right now.
“Oh, you know, the typical classes,” she says in a noncommittal tone.
I have to fight back a smirk. I nudge her with my knee, and she shoots me a look, but I can’t decipher it before her mom is chiming back in.
“The Stroffs’ boy is back home now, going into the firm with his father,” she says.
I feel Pepper tense beside me.
“Jeremy?” she asks, her voice coming out a squeak.
“Yes, that’s the one. He’s turned out to be quite the handsome man. Really took after his father.”
Pepper nods and continues eating.
“When do you think you’ll be back home to visit? He wants to take you on a date, I think.” Pepper’s mom keeps nonchalantly shoveling food into her mouth like she didn’t just punch me in the gut.
I know guys are interested in Pepper. They have to be with her looks, but I didn’t think her parents were actively trying to set her up on dates.
Pepper turns a darker shade of red beside me as she brings her drink to her mouth, taking a long gulp, cutting her eyes my way.
“Oh, I don’t know, Mom. I’m really liking it here,” she says before trailing off.
I know if she looks at me too long, she will see my thoughts written all over my face. I should have picked option one. I should have bowed out of this meal from hell.
“Well, I’ll tell him you can’t wait,” Mrs. Stratten says.
Beside her, Mr. Stratten makes a noise in his throat. I can’t really decipher it, but he doesn’t seem as enthused as Pepper’s mom does about the arrangement.
“Couldn’t you let her get through school first, Sophie, before trying to marry her off?” he asks.
Sophie harrumphs. I don’t think I’ve actually ever heard someone harrumph, but Sophie can do it with the best of them.
“Mom, Dad, I really appreciate you trying to plan my life out for me,” Pepper says sarcastically before clearing her throat, recovering. “But I’m a big girl.”
Pepper sits up taller in her chair, and I lower my head and grin.
Big girl, my ass. Can’t even tell her parents she’s struck out on her own.
I nudge Pepper with my knee again, and this time, I get a nudge back. This is almost a comedy routine, but I’m not sure Pepper wants to laugh right now.
“So, when do we go on this tour?” Mr. Stratten raises his eyebrows.
“Tour?” Pepper asks.
“Yes, you told me you would show us around your school,” Sophie says.
I lean back, letting out a large sigh. “Pepper, that was delicious. You should make meals around here more often,” I tell her, trying to take some of the heat off her.
“Thank you, Ben,” she says, flushing again and not looking at me.
Interesting.
18 Pepper
“Pepper? What’s going on? You’re acting strange,” Mom asks, laying her fork down.
I feel so awkward, and I cut my eyes to the side, not looking at anyone. I shouldn’t have told Ben it was okay for him to be here. This is embarrassing as hell.
“Pepper?” My dad’s voice cuts through my avoidance fog, and I look up, seeing both of their confused expressions. “Are you
