Chapter 8.2

After his conversation with his sweetheart, Jeff looked at his grandmother and mother who sat next to him.

"My parents aren't home for the week?" Mrs. Strider looked at her son with an unbelievable look plastered on her face. This son of hers told a lie about her right to her face. If she wasn't home, where was she supposed to be?

"Mom, for the security of your future daughter-in-law, you also have to make some sacrifices. She's in charge of designing my new place, so we obviously cannot have dinner there. It's been a while you went on vacation with dad, take this as a favor from me," he winked at him mom who was obviously quite angry.

"Of course, I could do that for the sake of my daughter-n-law, but it would not be bad if I knew about your alternatives beforehand, would it?"

There was smell of gunfire in the air.

"Alright both of you. The main thing is Jeff isn't single anymore and our family will have a new addition," Sia placated both sides.

"Okay. I'll listen to mom. For your good deed, your dad and I will take a much-needed break. In exchange, you better treat my daughter-in-law right."

After making sure there would be no one home for his first official date, he started going through lunch and dinner menus. He didn't want to disappoint her taste buds.

As the days passed by, there were two hearts eagerly anticipating the arrival of the weekend.

Finally, it was Saturday and a black Porsche stopped at a vehicle repair shop. As he was about to ring his girlfriend, someone tapped on the window of his car.

It was a girl in a blue jumpsuit that had a face very similar to his girlfriend's.

Jeff got out of his car to politely say hi to his future sister-in-law.

Unfortunately, it didn't go as planned.

"You must be Jeff," Lina said as she did a 360 scan of her sister's new boyfriend.

"Yes, I am Jeff Strider. Nice to meet you."

"Yes, you are. Where will you be taking my sister?" she hit the wrench in her right hand on her left palm in a threatening manner.

"A place with really good food and a nice movie," he smiled convincingly.

Lina sneered, "so to your house where there would be no adult supervision."

Jeff didn't know whether or not to laugh. What did this girl mean by adult supervision? They were both adults, okay?

"Of course, there will be adults in the room. Your sister and I," he flashed her a polite smile.

Thinking she was going to refute him again, he was prepared to go on the offensive. To his dismay, Lina called out to her sister.

"Big sis, this guy has unclean intentions. Keep the pepper spray I gave you closer. Hose him down with it if he tries anything funny."

Lina looked at him with a cunny smile.

'You thought I was going to let my precious sis into the wolf den unprepared. NOT A CHANCE!'

She hmphed at him before winking at her sister and returning to the workshop.

Tina could only laugh at her sister's antics.

"Hi," she smiled as she stepped closer to Jeff.

"You wouldn't really hose me down, right?"

"Haha, well we'll just have to see how well behaved you are."

He gave her a nice smile before getting the door for her and driving off to their home date.

As she stepped into his home, she looked around curiously. It was very simple. She liked that. She also wanted to make sure that there wasn't going to be anyone at home for a sneak attack.

Sensing a change, he held her hand and gave it a gently squeeze, "it's okay. No sneak attacks. Not from me or my family. Be comfortable."

She scrunched her nose at him, "easy for you to say."

He laughed heartily as he pulled her into the house. The house was a two-story. The ground floor being occupied by his parents and grandma, while the upper floor was designed for him and his work. The shared spaces included the kitchen, swimming pool and the gymnasium, which was a separate building in the backyard.

"It's very beautiful here," she said as she looked around.

"Your style is very similar to my mom's. I knew you'd like it here. Also, she likes strawberries but not as much as you do," he replied as he took her bag and coat from her to hang them.

She looked at him with doubt.

"Are you just saying that so I could meet your mom? She isn't here right now, is she?"

"No, she's not and I am very sure you'd be meeting her soon anyway," he shrugged at her before pulling her to sit down next to him.

They sat really close that Tina could feel his breath on her neck. As she tried her best to shirk away from it, she turned her head in his direction, coming face-to-face with him.

With the opportunity presenting itself, Jeff went in for a sneak attack, leaving a warm sensation on her lips as he leaned in for a kiss.

For the first time, they both froze. Together.