Save Me (20 page)

She looks at me for a second and I'm almost sure she's gonna say no.

"You want me to meet your mom?"

"Is that okay?"

Carly looks down at her hands for a second. I'm realizing it's a nervous habit of hers. "Yeah, I'm just a little surprised."

"First the 'I love you' and then the 'meet the family'. Too much, huh?" I run my fingers through my hair nervously, hoping I didn't play all the cards in my hand too fast.

"No, it's not too much, I'm just processing it, that's all. I love you back so if it's too fast, we're both to blame," she grins.

I sit up and turn to her. "It's just a dinner. No pressure." I smooth her hair back behind her ear.

She smiles and nods, "Sure, no pressure. I've never done the whole 'meet the family' thing, Jack."

"She's gonna love you, because I love you." I kiss her forehead and then her lips. "Trust me. My mom knows how I am and the fact that you've managed to rope me in tells her how special you are."

Carly looks doubtful, but offers me a smile anyway. "As long as you stay right with me. To keep me from saying or doing anything wrong."

"Mom isn't part of some girlfriend judging tribunal, Carly. She's my mom. She'll probably be so happy that I've found someone, she wouldn't care if you had tattoos on your face and a spike through your nose."

"That's an attractive image," she says, wrinkling her forehead. "Wait, did you call me your girlfriend?" She blinks at me.

"I did. It's not the first time I have," I say with a grin.

"Well, it's the first time you have to me," she says. "I like it."

She snuggles next to me and I wrap my arms around her shoulders. I lean in and the smell of her hair fills my head.

"Do you think you could get this weekend off at the bar?" I ask.

"I doubt it with the holiday," she says. "Why?"

"I just wanted to do something for you, something special that would require your undivided attention for the entire weekend."

"You always have my undivided attention," she says. "I can ask my boss and see if it's doable. That is, if you give me a hint."

"Nope, no hints. You just have to go with the flow," I say.

"I find that difficult to do," she protests. "You have to give me something to go on."

I stare at the ceiling for a second. "Just tell him you have to be on top of me all weekend."

"Yeah, that's gonna work like a charm," she giggles. "I can see if he has someone to cover my shifts, if not, I'll have to be on top of you
after
work."

"As long as you're on top of me, I'll be satisfied," I say, pulling her closer to me. Carly turns out the light and even though I usually have a hard time falling sleep anywhere other than my own bed, we drift off at the same time, completely content.

I pull up outside Carly's apartment and let the engine idle. She's struggling with her suitcase and attempting to lock her door. I climb out of the Escalade and jog across the crunchy dead grass to help her with it.

"Hey, doll, let me get that," I say as I grab the suitcase from her. She throws the deadbolt and then follows me down the stairs. I put the suitcase in the back next to mine and then open her door. She kisses me swiftly and climbs in.

I get in and stop before I put the Escalade in reverse. "That wasn't a very good hello kiss," I say. I lean across the console and meet her lips. She kisses me sweetly, then passionately.

"I'm sorry," she says. "I just wanted to get away from my neighbor's window." She points at the apartment directly across from hers.

"Why? What's the matter with them?"

"Nothing. Well, my neighbor's boyfriend stays there with her sometimes and he creeps me out. Always looking out the window at me." She shudders and a look of disgust distorts her face.

"Want me to talk to him? Tell him you're off limits?" I ask, more than happy to do so.

"Nah, I've already told him I'm off limits. He's just a weirdo," she says. She sifts through her purse and pulls out an iPod. "Anyway, I brought some music for the drive after we leave your mom's."

I pull the vehicle in reverse and then hit the brakes. "Oh shit," I say. "Are you gonna play crap all the way there?"

She grins at me, "Not
crap
, but I'm not gonna stop until you listen to at least
something
I like and like it, too."

"What'll you give me after this torture?" I ask, reaching across and taking her hand. I put it on my dick and she squeezes a little.

"Whatever you want," she says playfully.

We pull out onto the highway and drive the forty minutes to my mom's house. I refuse to let Carly play a single song until we're on our way out of town on the big trip. She pesters me a few times for more information other than how long it'll take to get to where we're going, but I don't give in.

“
How’s Claire?” I ask.

“
She’s doing a lot better. They told her at the ER to go see her doctor in three days, but
today
makes three days, so she’s got an appointment on Monday. She says she feels better, but I know she’s still really sad. She and Mark are going to his parent’s today, so hopefully, it’ll be a nice day for them.”

Carly runs her fingers through her hair and digs in her purse for a Tic-tac. She holds the plastic box out to me and I take two of them.

Once we take the exit that leads to my mom's house, Carly starts to nervously smooth the dress she's wearing. She checks her reflection and fusses over her hair. I kiss her knuckles and encourage her to calm down.

"Doll, you don't have to be so nervous. She's gonna love you."

"I just don't want her to think I'm dressed inappropriately," she says, chewing at her lip. She's wearing a very modest gray sweater dress and dark tights. Her body still calls to me in spite of being covered almost from knee to neck. I know it'll be hard to keep my hands off her today, even in my mom's house. Thank god those three days are up. They've felt like three of the longest days, even with Carly's beautiful mouth at my disposal.

We pull around to the side of the house and park next to the garage. My dad's restored '69 Boss Mustang is still parked inside even though the title is now in my name.

Carly messes with her hair one more time before turning to me.

"God, I feel like I'm gonna throw up," she mutters.

I can't help but smile at her. "Calm down, doll. It'll be fine. Come on." I get out and go around to open her door. She looks at me uncertainly and whimpers a little. I take her hand and lead her up the walkway toward the front door.

Mom is waiting there for us and she offers Carly the warmest smile. I've seen it before and it's always been genuine, but she's practically beaming at her.

"Hello!" she says, opening the screen door. Carly smiles, "Hello, Mrs. Webster."

"Hey, Mom," I say, planting a kiss on her cheek as Carly walks past her and inside. She reaches out and hugs Carly and I can tell by Carly's expression, she's as surprised as I am. Carly looks at me and then pats my mom on the back awkwardly. I smile at her and pull Mom away to hug her myself.

"I'm so happy to meet you," she tells Carly. Carly smiles again, visibly tense and nervous. I slip my hand around hers.

"I'm happy to meet you, too," she says.

"Robert, why didn't you tell me she was this pretty?" Mom says, turning to me. She's barely 5'5 and I tower over her. She slaps me in the chest and Carly blushes.

"You wouldn't have believed me, would you?"

"Of course I would've. Look at that face, you two are perfect for each other!" She grabs both our hands and leads us through the living room into the dining room. Carly gives me a more relaxed smile as we follow my mom.

I wink at her as Mom drops both our hands at the same time. She's laid out so much food on the dining room table that Carly and I are both speechless.

"Mom, did you think I was bringing everybody at the mill to dinner? Geez."

"Elsie and I have been up since five o'clock this morning," she says proudly.

"Where is Elsie?" I ask.

"Where do you think she is? I sent her home. She's got a new grandbaby this year."

Elsie Ford has been my mom's housekeeper/best friend for almost forty-five years.

"Tom and Jenny had a baby?" I ask as I pull Carly's seat out for her. She lets her fingers brush mine as I pull out the chair next to her and sit down.

"A beautiful baby girl," Mom says. She sits at her usual spot at the end of the table closest to the kitchen before eyeing the spot opposite her where my dad always sat.

"I just
love
babies," Mom says to Carly. I give her a look to discourage her from taking the conversation anywhere near there.

"Me, too," Carly says with a small smile. I squeeze her hand underneath the table and she returns it.

"The turkey looks amazing, Mom," I say in an attempt to change the subject.

"
Everything
looks amazing, Mrs. Webster," Carly says, smiling her gorgeous smile at my mom.

"Oh, please, call me Joann," Mom tells her with a wave of her hand. "So, Robert hasn't really told me anything about you, Carly." Mom says. "Robert, go ahead and carve up the turkey, dear."

The big fork and carving knife lie facing my father's seat like they always have, so I take them and start to carve away at the turkey.

"What are you in school for?" Mom asks as she watches me with the knife.

"I'm an accounting major," Carly says. "I graduate next month."

"Oh, so you’re not a spring graduate?"

"No, I'm finishing early. Or rather late, I guess would be more accurate. I took a couple of years off right after my sophomore year. My grandma raised my sister and myself and she was diagnosed with terminal cancer."

I stop what I'm doing and look at Carly. She's never told me how her grandma died.

"Oh," Mom gasps, putting her hand to her chest. "You poor thing."

Carly smiles at Mom. "She lived a month past the two years they gave her, but she was ready to go. I lived with her during those twenty-five months and taking care of her was my main priority. Once she passed, I re-enrolled and now I'm finishing a semester early."

"How sad," Mom says. "Well, at least you've caught yourself up and now you're finishing. Better late than never, right?" She smiles warmly at Carly and I see Carly return it. There's a lot of smiling with these two.

"Who's ready for some turkey?" I ask as I finish carving away one side of the breast.

We eat dinner and talk, me about the mill and Carly about school and her job at the bar. She glazes over exactly what she does, calling herself a server. It's not dishonest, but I know her nerves are still frazzled and desperate to make a good impression. She doesn't have to worry about that, though. I can already see Mom envisioning grandkids with my dimples and Carly's eyes.