129 - The chapter with Liam's parents

Christian

" I'm serious, there's no other talk on campus " Harry commented as we put our lab coats away in the closet after another afternoon in the lab.

" That's clearly an exaggeration, people knew we were having sex. We've only just declared exclusivity,” I blurted out.

It was the first Monday after the party and everyone seemed to be eager to confirm the rumors they had heard about our participation in Simons' birthday.

" They might have suspected you were having sex, but you weren't the dating type, have you forgotten?' " Taylor muttered, following us.

" 'Yeah, that's true, I've never had a girlfriend before, but she's an exception,” I shrugged, “and it's not like we committed any crime by keeping it between us until now.”

" A warning about the two of them would have been nice, so I wouldn't have…”

" Gotten your hopes up? Look, man, don't get me wrong, but I warned you," I interrupted Taylor, as we walked towards the exit of the building.

"I tried to tell you that you weren't the kind of guy Rose would get involved with," Harry added.

"My ex-girlfriends always said I was a great boyfriend," he muttered disgruntledly.

I opened the door, stepping out onto the outside of the campus, frowning as I heard the boy imply that he would be a great boyfriend for my girl.

"I doubt any of your ex-girlfriends would be anything like Rose," Harry teased him as I followed silently by his side.

" 'And how can you know that?”

"Because if you had already met someone like her, you wouldn't be so fascinated by my girl," I added, "I have to go, I'll see you tomorrow!”

I wasn't willing to deal with the wounded pride of someone who deluded herself. Even more, involving Rose in this situation, she was already involved in many controversies because of Alicia. In the end, she had left the party not long after our pool match, when Rose nearly broke Dean's nose to score a point, earning many jokes about how she should take over the wide receiver position instead of him on the team. Allie was circling Wayne looking for an invitation to spend the night in his room, and when the invitation didn't come, she just gave up on staying.

I hadn't run into her on campus yet, and I honestly intended to postpone that encounter as long as possible. I walked a few feet absentmindedly when a familiar voice called my name. I turned around, frowning as I found Rose and Skyller coming towards me.

" Where are you going? " I asked, after greeting Rose with a brief kiss.

" We're going. Didn't you get Liam's message? " She corrected me.

Liam had left earlier to meet his father who was going to close the lease on our new house, and I didn't expect to hear from him so soon, since he would probably spend some time with his parents.

" What message? “

" 'We'll meet him at the house, they probably already sorted everything out and want to share rooms, that kind of thing' " Rose shrugged " 'Cam's class ended earlier and she already went with Theodore, are you coming with us?”

I just nodded, following them towards the parking lot and it wasn't long until we were all settled in the Brigitte, heading towards our future home.

" Have you met Liam's parents, Sky? " Rose wanted to know, casting a brief glance at the back seat as she drove.

" During the vacations I met his mother by video call, his father was never home when we spoke " she explained.

" And what is she like? " I wanted to know.

" Ahhh, she's... surprising…”

I turned back, frowning as I faced her. 'What is that supposed to mean?

" Surprising? Is that good or bad? " Rose asked.

" 'She's very kind and quite lively. Actually, I can't imagine her as a mother, especially a mother of a grown man " Sky sighed " she's quite young and pretty. The kind that probably doesn't leave the gym and goes to the beauty salon at least once a week!".

" 'You mean she's a trophy wife? " I stared at her " The surprise shouldn't be that big, considering his father has a lot of money.”

" It's different from what I'm used to and I was a bit reluctant to ask her age and that sort of thing " she shrugged " But as I said, she was very kind.”

We soon spotted the house, with Theodore's citroen parked by the curb, the boy was leaning against the car, hugging Camille.

Rose stopped Brigitte just behind our friend's car and I was the first to get out, holding the door open for Skyller.

" What are you guys doing here? Isn't Liam there? " she frowned as soon as she saw Theodore and Cam.

" 'He texted us but he hasn't arrived yet, and I'm not the least bit surprised. " Theodore shrugged.

" Sky? " I turned to the girl, who had already rolled her eyes and was fiddling with her cell phone impatiently, bringing it to her ear.

But before she could complete the call, an imposing Mercedes sedan stopped by the curb, attracting our attention.

" An EQS? Is he serious? " Theodore murmured beside me.

The back door opened, and Liam got down with a lazy smile on his face, that was the first time I saw him riding in the back seat of any car, and for a second I wondered if he and his dad had a private driver. But he soon ran up to the front door, opening it in a gallant gesture, offering his hand to help a woman down, while a completely white-haired man who must have been past sixty, wearing an expensive suit, got down from the driver's side. But our gaze was already locked on the woman.

She was nowhere near as young as Addison, who, if she put on the right clothes and makeup, could very well pass for a senior on campus. This woman looked in her forties, but she was pretty, very pretty. Her blonde hair was well groomed, her sapphire eyes were highlighted by good makeup. I tried not to stare at the woman's generous cleavage in her clingy outfit, highlighting a carefully shaped body.

Impossible that this woman is his mother!

" What the fuck is this? " Rose muttered, causing my attention to shift from the woman to the black Jaguar I already knew well, which parked just behind.

" Did you know they were coming? " I whispered to her, watching my in-laws watching us with a satisfied expression still inside the vehicle.

" 'No,” she whispered back, before turning to Liam who had come close enough with the couple we assumed were his parents.

He looked radiant in the company of the two, and came forward, standing next to each of them as he introduced us.

" Mom, Dad... This is Theodore Peterson and Christian Davis, the girls I was talking about, Camille Martin and Rose Miller-Campbell," he slung his arm around Skyller's shoulder, looking like he was about to explode with happiness at that moment, I had never seen him so happy, "and most importantly of all, this is Skyler Baker, my girlfriend.”

For a second, we tensed at the man's analytical gaze, he looked each of us up and down, as if to assess whether we were worthy of his son's company. It was clear from whom Liam had learned his arrogant and intimidating pose. But then, as quickly as it came, that expression was gone, and a friendly expression appeared on his face, reaching out first to Skyller.

" 'Thomas Van Derr Waal and this is my wife, Maeve. 'It's a pleasure to meet you children,” he greeted one by one, “I've heard a lot about each of you.”

" Yes, my Lee talks a lot about all of you, all the time. Especially you Rose, he said you're a born talent and that painting my boy did. So amazing! " Maeve returned, looking as pleased as her son to be there " And Skyller, darling. You're even more beautiful in person, I mean, look at those eyes! Your babies will have amazing eyes, won't they Tom?”

" Ohhh babies? " Sky let out a nervous laugh at that sentence.

And as for me, I still had a hard time accepting that this woman was indeed my friend's mother!

" I appreciate the compliment, Mrs. Van Derr Waal, but the greater talent is Liam's. And if you'll allow me to introduce you to my parents " my girlfriend indicated with her hand my in-laws who had finally settled whatever the three of them were talking about inside the car.

The couple turned where she pointed, but Jack, who was wearing a tailored suit, was quicker.

" Mr. Van Derr Waal, it's a pleasure to see you again, sorry for our little delay " he shook the man's hand with a satisfied smile " You've already met my fiancée Alex and this is Addison, Rose's mother.”

" Why are they here? " I whispered to Rose.

" 'I haven't the faintest idea,' she returned as introductions were made once more.

It wasn't long before Mr. Van Derr Waal took the lead, pointing to the house.

" Now that we are all here, shall we go in and sort everything out? We already have the keys " He pointed to the entrance.

" Ahhh yes, let's go in! This is so exciting, isn't it Lee? Your first house! " Maeve squeezed her son's cheek " "But first... we stopped by a café on the way and I bought some doughnuts for our meeting, what do you say?".

" I'll help you with that," Rose offered, starting to walk the woman to the car, then adding in a low tone, "Maybe I can figure out what's going on!”