Page 23 of The Sweetest Mistake

“Yeah, right.”

A few minutes later, Connor followed her up a brick walkway and onto an expansive porch flanked by impressive brick columns. This place was the exact opposite of his childhood home, which was a rambling ranch built in the 1970s and located on a dirt road with farms on either side of it. Glancing at Julia, he realized she was nervous too, which didn’t make him feel any better.

“Mom? Dad?” Julia called when they stepped inside.

Seconds later, an attractive middle-aged woman came bustling around the corner, wiping her hands on a black and white checked apron.

“Hi, sweetie. I didn’t hear you come in,” she said and immediately drew Julia in for a hug. And then Julia turned toward him and said, “Mom, this is Connor.”

“Debra Lee. It’s very nice to meet you, Connor.”

“It’s nice to meet you too.”

“Come on back to the kitchen. Dinner’s almost ready, and Dr. Lee should be here any minute.”

He was surprised at Debra’s use of her husband’s title, but Julia didn’t react at all. He got the impression that this dinner was going to be much more formal than his own family gatherings. Growing up in a household with three rowdy boys, there’d been no room for formality. His mom considered dinner a success if he and his brothers kept their hands to themselves and none of them burped at the table.

“Can I get you something to drink, Connor? A glass of wine, perhaps?” Debra said.

Julia must have noticed the slight furrowing of his brows, as she jumped in to say, “Do you have any beer, Mom?”

“Beer? Uh…no. Sorry.”

“No problem. I’ll just have a glass of water,” Connor said.

Looking relieved, Debra turned away to get him a glass of water, and Connor shot Julia a look that said, “See? I don’t belong here.”

Just as Debra was handing him the glass, the door leading from the garage into the kitchen opened, and in walked Dr. James Lee. His serious expression morphed into a wide smile when he spotted Julia leaning against the kitchen counter, and after giving his wife a quick peck on the cheek, he walked over to greet his daughter.

“Hi, Dad,” she said as he embraced her in a tight hug.

At least she didn’t call him Dr. Lee, Connor thought.

“How’s my baby?” her father asked.

Baby? That cinched it. Everything Connor had perceived about Julia’s upbringing was coming true. The fancy house, the successful father, the doting mother. It was all there in black and white. There was no way that her parents would think he was good enough for their only daughter. Her dad still called her “baby,” for God’s sake!

Instead of responding to her dad’s question, Julia said, “Dad, I’d like you to meet Connor.”

Dr. Lee had acknowledged Connor with a brief nod when he’d first walked in, but now he let go of Julia and extended his hand.

“Good to meet you, sir…I mean…Dr. Lee,” Connor said as they shook hands. He decided to use the title out of respect for Julia, at least until he got to know the man.

Dr. Lee’s greeting was friendly enough, but the way he looked Connor over made him uncomfortable. Julia’s mom was Caucasian, but her dad was Asian, and he was quite a bit smaller in stature than Connor. Dr. Lee wore a business suit, and Connor was glad that he’d dressed up some, even though he couldn’t wait to change back into his jeans and T-shirt. Does Dr. Lee even own a pair of jeans? When Connor shook her dad’s hand, he couldn’t help but notice how smooth and pale it was in comparison to his larger, calloused one. The two men were as different as night and day—there was no way around it.

“If everyone wants to get seated, I’ll serve dinner,” Debra said, breaking the tension in the room.

“Do you need help, Mom?” Julia asked.

“No, sweetie. You just sit down with your…with Connor.”

And there it was—the first hint that Debra was uncomfortable too. Once they were seated, Julia grabbed his hand under the table and gave it a squeeze. He squeezed back, but he kept his eyes focused straight ahead so as not to be accused of making googly eyes at the doctor’s daughter.

“So, Connor. What do you do for a living?” Dr. Lee asked while Debra brought plates of food to the table.

“Honey, Julia already told us. He’s in landscaping,” Debra said.

She might have been trying to save Connor from having to answer, but something about the way she said it didn’t sit well with him.