Cracking Her Code

Chapter 28

Nyk's POV

The Jeep rolled to a stop in front of Simone's parents' house, a cozy two-story with a wreath on the door and soft lights glowing from the window. My stomach was doing cartwheels. I stared at the front steps like they were the entrance to a gladiator arena. 

Simone reached over, took my hand, and leaned in close. Her breath was warm against my ear. "You got this, babe."

I smiled, even though I felt like my heart was about to launch itself out of my chest. "I think I'm gonna pass out before we even get to the door."

She squeezed my hand, kissed my cheek, and whispered, "It's okay. You'll be fine. I won't leave your side."

We climbed the stairs together, her hand still in mine. Simone opened the door and called out, "We're here!"

"Hi, sweetheart!" her mom said, pulling her into a hug, and her dad did the same. 

Then Simone turned to me. "This is my girlfriend, Nyk."

Her mom smiled, shaking my hand, "Nice to meet you, Nyk."  Her dad nodded. Then Tasha swooped in with a hug. "Nice to see you again," she said, and I relaxed just a little. 

Simone took our coats and hung them neatly on the rack, then came back to me, taking my hand again, and gave it another reassuring squeeze. I didn't realize how tightly I'd been holding my breath until I let it out. 

Her parents led us into the living room, where the fireplace crackled and the couch cushions looked like they'd been fluffed just for us. 

"What are we drinking?" her dad asked, already halfway to the kitchen.

Simone grinned. "I hope you have beer, because we forgot a case on the kitchen counter. I've already warned Nyk about your wine."

Her dad laughed. "Hey, my wine is an acquired taste."

He returned with two cold beers and handed them over. We sat down, Simone curling into the couch beside me, leg crossed over the other, elbow propped on the backrest, her head resting in her hand. 

"So, Simone has a girlfriend," her dad said, settling into his chair. "How did you two meet?"

I caught Tasha smirking out of the corner of my eye and tried not to panic. "We kept bumping into each other out and about," I said, hoping I sounded casual. 

Simone smiled at me, then glanced back at her parents, and said. "That we did. Then, finally, struck up a conversation, and one thing led to another ...." She glanced back at me, her eyes soft. "And here we are." 

Her mom made a little "aww" sound, and her dad raised his beer like a toast. Tasha sat there grinning at us because she knew the real story. 

                                                                                       ___________

Simone's POV

The afternoon unfolded just like I'd hoped, easy and mellow. My parents didn't pry, just smiled and nodded, and asked the kind of questions that didn't require cover-up stories, minus the how we met question. I could see Nyk starting to slowly relax. 

Our bottles were empty, and I stood up and stretched. "Refills?" I asked, already gathering the empties. 

"Please," my dad said, lifting his glass. 

"Me too," Mom added.

"I'll help," Nyk said, standing and reaching for my dad's wine glass and my mom's. 

We walked into the kitchen together, the quiet hum of the fridge filling the space, with the smell of the turkey in the oven. I placed the empty bottles on the counter, and Nyk did the same. 

I opened the fridge and grabbed two beers, then turned to the wine bottle and began pouring into the glasses. 

"You okay?" I asked, leaning back against the counter. 

She glanced up at me, her eyes were soft. "I'm perfect. The jitters are subsiding. Still a little nervous, they'll ask something like what I do for a living."

I smiled and reached for her hand, pulling her gently toward me. She came willingly, standing between my legs as I leaned back against the counter. I wrapped my arms around her neck and rested my forehead against hers. 

"They won't," I said quietly. "They don't ask unless you're ready to tell. That's just how they are."

Nyk let out a breath, her hands settling on my hips. "That's ... actually really nice."

I leaned in and kissed her. I had been dying to do that the moment we got to the house.  

"Thank you for coming with me, babe," I whispered. 

She smiled. "Thanks for not letting me bolt."

"Never," I said. "You're stuck with me now."

She laughed, and I kissed her again, longer this time, until the sound of Tasha's voice calling from the living room broke the moment. 

"You two making out in there or what?"

Nyk groaned and buried her face in my shoulder. 

I grinned. "Welcome to the family."