Lisa Watson - Love Contract

“So, how was your showing?” Milán asked, not bothering to answer his question.

“Great,” he replied, playing along. “The couple seemed very interested. The house is all brick, has upgrades galore and custom hardwood floors with cherry inlays. They’ll probably make an offer.”

“Have we moved dinner in here?” Heathcliffe inquired, coming through the kitchen door.

Norma Jean motioned everyone to the table. Adrian held out his mother’s chair while his father assisted Milán. Minutes later, Heathcliffe was about to say grace when the doorbell rang.

“You expecting anyone else, sweetheart?” he asked his wife.

“Not that I’m aware of.”

Adrian rose from his seat. “I’ll get it.”

He excused himself and left the room. When he opened the front door, Justin was standing there.

“Cutting it close, aren’t you?” he whispered.

“In-law insanity,” Justin muttered.

When his wife reached the landing, he put an arm around her waist.

Adrian kissed Sabrina on the cheek. “How are you, Brina?”

Sabrina Ridgemont Langley returned Adrian’s quick peck and followed her husband inside.

“Just fine and you?”

“Never better. We’re just starting dinner.”

“What?” Sabrina’s eyes widened with dismay. “Oh, dear. Justin saw your car and wanted to stop and say hi. We should’ve called first.” She backed up, tugging on her husband’s sleeve as she went. “Give our regards to everyone, okay?”

“He’ll do no such thing,” Norma Jean called from behind Adrian.

“You two lovebirds come right in and join us. We’ve got plenty. I’ve made a roast and my signature mashed potatoes.” She winked at Justin.

“Music to my ears, Ms. Jeanie.”

“If you’re sure—” Sabrina began.

“You know I love company, and this is turning into a real dinner party.”

After everyone was settled, Norma Jean made introductions and then asked Adrian to get two more place settings. He was trying to locate cloth napkins when Milán came in.

“Your mother asked me to get another trivet.”

Adrian retrieved the napkins from an upper cabinet. “Sure,” he told her.

He walked across the room, grabbed one from a drawer and handed it to Milán.

“I was more than capable of getting it.”

“I’m sure you’re very capable in whatever you do,” Adrian drawled.

She rolled her eyes before snatching the trivet from him. Milán started to leave and stopped. A brief expression of uncertainty crossed her face. How the night had unfolded was causing her a moment of suspicion. What had started out as her coming to a casual dinner had turned into an event. Was Jeanie really trying to set her up with Adrian? No, it couldn’t be, she told herself dismissively. Her new friend may be a matchmaker, but there was no way she’d ever date a man like her son.

“Are you okay?”

Blinking, Milán realized Adrian was staring at her. She cleared her throat. “Yes, I’m fine,” she assured him. Turning on her heel, she quickly left the room.

* * *

Dinner was lively. Everyone took turns contributing to the conversation.

Milán turned to her hostess. “This is a fabulous meal, Jeanie.”

“She’s outdone herself as usual,” her husband praised.

Sabrina gave Milán a nudge. “Jeanie excels at three things. Cooking, bringing a crowd together and fixing people up.”

Everyone nodded in agreement and the table buzzed anew with comments. Milán observed Adrian being noticeably quiet.

“Oh, don’t mind him,” Justin told her after following her line of sight. “He’s been fixed up more by his mother than he’s sold houses.”

Milán’s gaze returned to her plate.

Adrian rolled his eyes. “Quit exaggerating.”

“I’m just saying.” Justin laughed. “It’s been a lot.”

“An awful lot,” Sabrina chimed in.

“A whole lot.” His dad chuckled getting in on the fun.

Adrian shifted in his seat. “Okay, we get it.”

Milán directed her attention to Justin. “So what you’re saying is none of them were ever a love connection?”

“Oh, there’ve been plenty of love connections,” Heathcliffe alleged. “Just not for Adrian. Isn’t that right, son?”

When she pressed for details, a collective groan went around the table. Milán glanced at Norma Jean with curiosity.

“It’s a long story,” Norma Jean began.

“Mom, do we really need to bore Milán with details?”

She smiled at her son. “We most certainly do.”

Norma Jean recounted how she’d arranged a date with her best friend’s niece, Sabrina, but Adrian stood her up. Justin picked up the story from there.

“So naturally, I couldn’t let him do that,” he said with a laugh.

“Naturally,” Adrian said, drily.

“I went to the restaurant to break the date on his behalf.”

“And before I knew it, he’d assumed Adrian’s identity,” Sabrina added.

“But didn’t you know Justin wasn’t him?” Milán queried.

Sabrina shook her head. “How could I?”

Milán stared at Adrian. “You didn’t contact her before the date? You know, to break the ice?”

Adrian shrugged. “I wasn’t planning on going so there was no point.”

The expression Milán gave him could’ve melted steel. “You should’ve told her the truth and canceled the date like a gentleman.”

The table was silent for a moment before Sabrina said, “It’s amazing everything worked out in the end. Actually, we should thank my ex-boyfriend who happened to show up right then. He was a real jerk.”

Milán’s cool expression settled on Adrian. “Apparently, he wasn’t the only one.”

“Uh, anyway,” Sabrina continued, “he came over and introduced himself.”

Justin turned toward Milán. “I couldn’t tell him my real name before I’d told Sabrina the truth so I told him I was Adrian.”

Milán gasped, waving her hands excitedly. “¡Oh, Dios mío! ¡Que una aventura!”

The table collectively looked from Milán to Adrian and back again. Adrian’s expression was unreadable.

“Perdóname,” Milán apologized. “I said, what an adventure.”

“It certainly was,” Sabrina agreed. “I didn’t know you were Spanish.”

“I’m not. My mother is Mexican, and my father is African-American. My parents insisted we grow up bilingual.”

“That’s fantastic,” Sabrina replied. “Do you have brothers and sisters?”

“Two sisters, Nyah and Elena. I’m the oldest.”

“It’s great you’re fluent,” Sabrina complimented. “I barely passed French. You know Adrian—”

“Knows all about Milán being bilingual,” he interrupted. “I got a sample of the lovely senorita’s Spanish when we met,” he informed the crowd.

Justin and Sabrina shot glances at Adrian, but he didn’t make eye contact.

“So, what happened next?” Milán inquired, missing the exchange.

“They fell in love and are living happily ever after.” His mother sighed happily.

Adrian stood up and began clearing dishes off the table. “See? It turned out great for everyone. Now who’s up for dessert?”

“You all relax,” Norma Jean told the group. “We’ll be right back.”

Adrian followed her into the kitchen. As soon as they cleared the doorway, Norma Jean punched him. “What are you really doing here?” she demanded.

Chapter 6

“Ouch.” Adrian grabbed his arm. “What was that for?”

“You’re lying.”

Adrian rubbed his arm. “I’m getting really tired of hearing that. I told you. I was in the area, and since when has my showing up out of the blue been a surprise?”

Norma Jean placed her hands on her hips. “Oh, please, you were just here two days ago, Adrian. Like you had no idea we’d invited Milán over tonight for dinner. What kind of game are you playing?”