Total pages in book: 184
Estimated words: 188108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 941(@200wpm)___ 752(@250wpm)___ 627(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 188108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 941(@200wpm)___ 752(@250wpm)___ 627(@300wpm)
“Shh,” she told him. “People will hear you.”
“Pretty sure that half the neighborhood is already watching us,” Salem said dryly.
“What? Really?” Were her instincts so off that she hadn’t sensed being watched? And why were people watching? Didn’t they realize that was rude?
She whirled around. “Stop staring!”
“Okay, we really shouldn’t start yelling at the neighbors,” Roman told her gently.
“Why?”
“Because Salem’s parents live here and they don’t want to be gossiped about.”
“Oh.”
See? This was proof that she couldn’t do it! She was already messing it all up and she wasn’t even inside the house.
“All the more reason for me to leave. I don’t know what I’m doing! I don’t do families.”
“You don’t do families?” Roman asked with a slight frown. “Do you mean . . . have you never met a boyfriend’s family before?”
“Exactly! That! Right there.”
So what the heck did she do? How did she act?
“I should have done some research first,” she muttered, not expecting them to hear her.
Alexei snorted. “How would you research that?”
“I don’t know. Movies? Books? Looking it up?”
“I’m sure I can find some tips on what to do the first time you meet your boyfriend’s family.” Roman drew out his phone.
“You don’t need that.” Salem stepped forward and took her hand in his. “And you don’t need to worry. My family is going to love you.”
“Of course they will,” she said. “I’m amazing.”
Alexei made a strange coughing sound and she glanced over at him in alarm. “Are you ill? You can’t go visiting Salem’s parents if you’re ill. What if you give them something? Sickness can be deadly for the elderly.”
Salem cleared his throat. “Uh, first of all, it would probably be wise not to call them elderly.”
“Oh, is that not the correct word to use?” she asked. “Age-challenged? Is that better?”
“Maybe don’t mention their age at all,” Roman said. “And they’re not so old that illness is a great concern.” He glared at Alexei for some reason.
“Why are you glaring at Alexei? It’s not his fault that he’s ill. Although you would have thought that he’d have noticed before we left the house.”
“I’m not ill,” Alexei told her.
“Then why did you cough?”
“Uh, frog in my throat.”
“Are you sure? Because you look a bit off.”
“Off?” he repeated.
“Yeah, kind of pinched in the face or something. Have you been going to the toilet? I hear that constipation can be painful.”
“I am not constipated!” Alexei boomed.
Across the street she saw someone open their window.
“Um, I believe you should be quieter,” she said. “Salem’s parents don’t want to be gossiped about.”
Salem sighed and waved at two people staring out the window of the house closest to them. They both ducked, and then the man stood and waved.
“I’m going to hear about this,” Salem muttered.
What did that mean?
“Darling girl, you don’t need to worry.” Roman took her face between his hands. “Salem’s parents and his brothers and their girlfriends will all love you.”
“But what if they don’t,” she whispered. “What if they don’t like me? I mean, it would be weird, but what if they’re all weird?”
“They are weird,” Salem told her. “But they are still going to love you. I promise. I wouldn’t have brought you here if I thought that anyone was going to be mean to you. I told you that I wouldn’t allow it. Understand?”
“But they are your family? Isn’t your loyalty to them first?”
“I love my family. But that doesn’t mean that I would allow anyone to hurt you,” he told her.
“Oh.”
He stepped forward and cupped her face, leaning down to kiss her forehead. Then her nose. Finally her mouth.
“You go, boy!” someone yelled.
Salem sighed, then smiled. “No privacy on this street, I’m afraid.”
“It’s rude. Someone should teach these people some manners. They wouldn’t like it if someone took away their ability to be nosy.”
“Ahh, but they’d have to do the same to my mum. She’ll complain about all the gossip, but she secretly loves it.”
“Oh. She does?”
Salem nodded. “And she’s looking forward to meeting you. So how about we head inside now.”
“She is? Well, I guess she would be. I am amazing, after all.”
“That you are, baby. Wonderful and amazing and unique.”
“Is unique good?”
“I think it is,” he replied.
“Yes, that’s what I think too.” She followed him up the footpath. The door swung open before they reached it.
“What on earth is going on?” Salem’s mum stated as she glared up at them all. “Why are you all pacing up and down the footpath and yelling? Half the neighborhood can hear you!”
“Hmm, and the other half just opened their windows so they didn’t miss out,” Alexei said.
The woman turned her frown on Alexei. “Yes! And now they will all be gossiping with each other about my son and his friends who were . . . well, what were you doing?”
“Having a conversation, Mum.” Salem stepped closer, taking her with him. Placing a hand on his mother’s shoulder, he leaned in and kissed her cheek.