Fighting Handsome Satan (book 1)

Chapter 16

"Dinner is burgers, potato wedges, and a salad. If it tastes good I made it, if you hate it my wife made it." My dad is getting everything on the table looking pretty proud of himself. Since retiring he has taken on most of the housework and cooking which is weird since before that my mom literally did everything.

"Matt, lower your expectations now, this is not going to be anything like your dad's cooking. My dad learned to cook from the US Army and your dad is a Michelin star chef." As I say that my dad's head snaps up with a look of fear.

"A what!? Jesus Christ, never mind, Matt is not allowed to eat. I don't want him judging my cooking!" My dad looks around frantically at the food on the table and Matt just laughs.

"I am sure it is fine, Mr. Rider. Besides, my mom set our microwave on fire two weeks ago and she insists on doing most of the cooking so you honestly can't be worse than her. Honestly I can tell you now your burger isn't still mooing so it is already much better than her's." My dad places Matt's plate back in front of him but still looks suspicious as he sits in his spot. I honestly can't tell if his story about his mom is true or just a lie to make my dad feel better.

"Dennis, stop being a melodramatic little girl. Now how did you two meet?" My mom asks while sitting down and starting to serve herself, signaling to everyone else to do the same.

I am just about to answer that we met in history when Matt speaks. "Someone wasn't paying attention and backed right into me in the hall before the first day of school even started."

"I totally forgot about that! I bumped into you and you told me to watch where I was going so I decided to call you an asshole in front of everyone!" I honestly can't believe I forgot that! That is what started all this between us.

"How could you forget that moment, I am pretty sure Julia nearly fainted. My friends still talk about it honestly." I think back to that moment and can't help but smile. I had no idea then what that would lead to, but I am thankful Matt decided to be a jerk that morning and I decided to be my usual loud mouth.

"It was the first time you called me Barbie, too. Wow, did I hate that nickname at first." We are both laughing reminiscing about that first encounter. My parents look at each other with big smiles on their faces. They're totally getting the wrong idea here.

"I think the best was at the gym when I asked if you had a good first session with Chris. I thought you were gonna fall down the stairs, you were so in shock."

"Well yeah! You were either totally ignoring me or giving me attitude every time we were in the same room prior to that. I wasn't even sure you knew how to be nice." Matt is laughing so hard he is clutching his stomach; I am laughing too with a few tears running down my face from laughing so hard.

"Hey, I can be nice! Remember when I invited you on Friday to watch my fight Saturday and you asked if that was when I was gonna kill you!" We are both laughing so hard we can't even sit up straight.

"I have seen John Mulaney! I know all about secondary locations!" Matt shakes his head at my reference probably judging how basic I am. But hey, he got the reference, so who is basic now Matthew!?

After we finally settle down, the rest of the dinner goes smoothly. Matt gets along great with my parents, who make sure to tell him some embarrassing stories about me. My dad tells his personal favorite of all time when I got stuck on the roof sneaking out at 14. Long story short, my dad woke up at 2am to a frantic phone call from me. He had to get the ladder and come save me while I clung to the roof crying.

Matt, in an attempt to make me feel better, I think, tells us about the time he went to sneak out and Malcolm tripped him going down the stairs, resulting in a fractured wrist. Apparently his parents found him at the bottom of the steps holding his wrist while little puppy Malcolm was sitting on his chest trying to lick him.