Page 74 of The Doctors Will See You Now

“You are so laughing.”

“Okay, fine,” I admitted. “I’m laughing a little, but the look on your face wasn’t helping anything.”

“What look?”

“This look,” I answered and mimicked the anxious creases of his eyes and firm set of his lips. “Like, you’re either constipated or two seconds away from putting the car in Drive and slamming on the gas.”

His face eased into amusement, and a small chuckle left his lips. “It’s the latter.”

“I’m just meeting your parents, Will. How bad can it be?”

“Bad? More like dangerous.”

A surprised laugh escaped my lungs. “They’re not serial killers.”

“No, but what they don’t hit in death count, they make up for in meddling about my sex life and inappropriate comments about their sex life.”

“Your mom’s a sex therapist. I won’t be shocked by her being a little more open-minded than most.”

“I wish it were just open-minded,” he muttered.

“C’mon, William,” I encouraged and opened my door. “Let’s go meet your parents. Lord knows, it can’t be worse than meeting mine. I mean, my dad asked you if you had condoms, and that was right before our first date.”

He just smirked in response, and I didn’t give him any more time to dally in the car. I hopped out of the passenger side and grabbed my purse off the floor. Will followed my lead, getting out of the driver’s seat and rounding the car to meet me.

With his hand placed to the small of my back, we walked toward the front door of his sister’s home. “Remember,” he started once we reached the porch. “I warned you.”

“Oh, shut up,” I teased and grinned up at him. “Everything will be just fine.”

He rang the doorbell, and within seconds, the door swung open and a giant of a man appeared with a toddler on his hip. “William!” he greeted. “It’s so nice of you to stop by.”

“You realize this isn’t your house, right?”

“Yeah, well, Savannah put me in charge of greeting guests. She said I’ve got the sexiest smile she’s ever seen,” the giant responded with a smirk and wink. “And who might this be?” he asked and held out his non-toddler corralling hand toward me.

“Thatch, this is Melody,” Will introduced us. “Melody, this is Thatch, my brother-in-law’s best friend. And the little guy in his arms is his son, Ace.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” I shook Thatch’s hand. “And it’s really nice to meet you, you little cutie,” I said to Ace and tickled his belly.

He giggled in response and then held both of his tiny hands out in my direction. “Hole me, pease.”

Both Will and Thatch chuckled.

“You come on too strong, little man,” Thatch whispered to Ace. “You have to ease into it with the ladies. Dinner first before cuddling.”

“Un-ca Will!” a tiny voice exclaimed as she ran toward us. Her pigtails bounced in the air as she made a beeline straight into Will’s arms.

“How’s my favorite girl?” Will asked and settled the little girl—who I knew from pictures was his niece, Julia—onto his hip.

She kissed his cheek, and Will grinned.

“Who dis?” she asked once her eyes met mine.

“Julia, this is my girlfriend, Melody,” he answered and smiled in my direction. “Melody, this is my niece, Julia.”

“Hi, Julia,” I greeted and gently tugged on the silk material of her pale pink dress. “Your dress is so pretty.”

“Tanks,” she said with a grin and then looked toward Ace, who was still in Thatch’s arms. “Ace-eee!” she exclaimed and squirmed out of Will’s arms. He set her to her feet, and Thatch followed suit, setting Ace onto his tiny Nike’s.