Chapter 9 - The Life That Mattered

Evelyn

“Hey!” Ronin wiped his hands on a dishtowel and turned down the heat on my stove. “I got someone to cover for me today, so I could clean your house, grocery shop, and get dinner started. My parents arrived a few hours ago. They’re unpacking at the Gilberts’ house, and then they’re coming for dinner.” He pulled me in for a hug. “How did it go with your dad?”

Nuzzling my nose into his neck that smelled of the woodsy soap from my shop, I grunted a laugh. “He already knew. My mom couldn’t keep it from him. I guess he made some comment about how beautiful she is, and all she could think about was the disfigurement she might have after surgery. And the floodgates opened … she told him everything. However, he’s doing surprisingly well. Very optimistic, at least that’s the face he’s giving us. Graham is flying them out to California tomorrow to tell Katie. I have all of my mom’s upcoming appointments put into my calendar, and I talked with Sophie about covering for me more often since I’ll be in Denver quite a bit.”

He pressed a slow kiss to my lips. I needed it. I needed it to calm my racing mind. Mom’s treatment was a marathon, not a sprint.

Ronin pulled back, brushing my hair from my face. “Today, you did your part.”

I lifted one shoulder. “I think so.”

“Tonight, you meet my parents. They will love you. My mom will talk a lot about grandchildren. You just have to ignore her.”

I bit my lower lip for a few seconds. “What if I don’t want to ignore her?” Tipping my chin up, I met his gaze.

Ronin inspected me … maybe for a glimpse of humor or a spark of honesty. “I want one boy and one girl,” he said. “Two years apart. The boy first, so he can be protective of his sister.”

That was our truth.

We had known—a silent certainty—that there was something special between us from the day we met in Vancouver. Attempting to be intelligent and sane, we hadn’t labeled that silent certainty as anything like fate or destiny. Not love at first sight. Not perfect timing.

For me, I felt like we were a fact—the sky was blue, water was wet, the wind blew. Ronin and Evelyn just were.

“I have a sister and you have a brother, but you think we can manage one of each?” I chuckled.

“Absolutely.” He flashed me that irresistible smile.

I believed him.

A much-needed grin took over my face. Ronin had a way of doing that. Grins on my face. Butterflies in my tummy. Love in my heart. “I’m good with that.”

“Good. Then dinner will go well tonight.”

* * *

I told myself I wasn’t nervous about meeting Victor and Ling Alexander, but I lied.

“How important is it that your parents like me? If they don’t, will you leave me?” I kept watch out the window, waiting for their arrival.

“They’re going to love you.”

“Of course they are, but just play along with me for shits and giggles. What if they don’t like me? Are we over?”

“Yes,” he said, adding wood to the stove.

I turned, jaw unhinged, eyes wide. “You can’t be serious?”

Ronin closed the stove door. “No.” He chuckled. “I’m not serious.”

“Every lie is actually a truth in a parallel universe.”

“You believe in parallel universes?” He brushed wood dust from his hands and jeans.

“I’m a scientist, so a lot of possibilities cross my mind. However, if I believed a parallel universe existed for the alternatives to all our decisions and lies, then it wouldn’t be possible. I mean … there are potentially a lot of parallel universes, but not a quantity as large as the infinite choices we make and lies we tell every day.”

“I don’t know whether to be intimidated or turned on right now.” He slid his hands around my waist.

“Both would please me immensely.” I kissed his neck, taking a deep inhale. “You smell really good.”

“I smell like your soaps.”

“Yes, but they smell even better on you.”

“Evie, are you trying to seduce me seconds before my parents are scheduled to arrive?”

“No. I’m just sniffing you.” I grinned, dragging my nose and lips down his neck to the exposed area of his chest where the top buttons of his shirt were undone.

“Sniffing leads to fucking.”

I giggled. “No. It doesn’t.”

“Yes. It does. But my parents are here, so I’ll wait until later to show you the connection between the two.”

“Oh …” I whipped around as my heart exploded into a sprint. “They’re here. Okay. I’ve got this. They will like me. Right? Dear god, what if they don’t?”

“So much at stake, baby. My fingers are crossed on this one.” He nuzzled his face into my neck as I stood at the door, ready to throw it open the second I heard their footsteps on the porch. “Here they come …” I held my breath and opened the door, shoving Ronin in their direction so I didn’t have to make a self-introduction.

“There’s our boy.” Ronin’s mom hugged him as I remained statuesque with a petrified smile pinned to my face.

“Hey, how was your trip?” After he released his mom, he hugged his dad.

Ronin got his height from his dad because his mom was maybe five-two with heels, a little toothpick with short black and gray hair and an exuberant smile. A Ronin smile.

I couldn’t help staring at them, piecing Ronin together from their distinct traits. His dad had a thick beard that was mostly gray and neatly trimmed, perfectly accenting his strong jaw (like Ronin’s) and full head of hair, a mix of gray and brown.

“Mom, Dad … I’d like you to meet Evelyn. Evie, these are my parents, Victor and Ling.”

“So nice to meet you. Please … don’t stand outside. Come in.” I opened the door wider.

“Such a pleasure to finally meet you, Evelyn.” Ling came in for a hug. A big, firm hug. “Ronin talks about you nonstop. We knew we were going to experience something special meeting you.”

Special? How was I supposed to live up to those expectations? Ronin made dinner, cleaned my house, and excelled at normal conversation that didn’t involve saponification or parallel universes. He skied and sang karaoke. And he was one of those really talented people who could tie a cherry stem with his tongue. He could do a lot of talented things with his tongue.

Again … soap girl here.

They were in for a real treat. That was for sure. On the flip side, he talked about me “nonstop,” and that made me feel quite special at the moment.

Victor leaned down, pressing his cheek to mine for the customary French air kiss greeting.

Muah. Muah.

“Such a pleasure.” He stood tall again, eyeing me with contentment.

“The pleasure is all mine. Please let me take your coats, and then make yourselves at home.”

We sipped wine by the fire. Victor and Ling sat on the sofa, close together with his arm around her, while Ronin guided me to sit on his lap in the recliner. It was intimate and felt like him telling his parents a lot about us without saying anything. I knew this because their faces beamed in a way that was in fact special.

Ling and Victor shared the details of their most recent trip. They lived the life I dreamed of living—retiring with a man I loved, traveling the world, but having children to anchor us in life. Ronin talked about me. My chemist skills. My lovely store. My friends who were getting married. The cabin that my grandfather built for my grandmother.

“When is the wedding?” Ling asked.

Children. Ronin warned me she’d want to talk about grandchildren. I wasn’t prepared for the wedding conversation. We used to joke about it, but that hadn’t happened for some time.

“He hasn’t proposed. Not that I’m waiting or expecting him to propose. We’ve only known each other for three months.”

Only.

Who was I kidding? It felt like forever.

I knew since the first day we met that I wanted to marry him, but they didn’t need to know that. Or did they? That would have made them happy … right? What about Ronin? That was a lot of pressure.

“But if he proposed—” I tried to continue.

“Evelyn …” Ling smiled. “I was referring to your friends’ wedding.”

“Oh my gosh.” I covered my face with my hands and shook my head. “Wow! I just made things awkward.”

“February fifteenth.” Ronin saved me with the correct answer, but it was too late. Everyone in the room knew what my thoughts were on him proposing to me … eventually.

“Lila wanted a summer wedding.” I jumped in with the details, a diversion from my miscue. “Her soon-to-be mother-in-law wanted a date that didn’t interfere with her complex social calendar. Don’t get me wrong, I like Helene under controlled situations, but she stole this wedding from my best friend—both of my best friends.”

“Both of your best friends?” Ling’s head canted to the side.

“Yes. Lila has been my best friend since … well, forever. We met her fiancé, Graham, in college.” I grinned. “Lila couldn’t stand Graham in college, but I bonded with him over sports. We’d bet on sports, watch all the games, and call each other to discuss players, recruits, and trades. We still do. Lila has no interest in sports. Had I not stayed friends with Graham all these years, they wouldn’t be together. Graham grew up while Lila traveled after college. I guess timing is everything.”

“You have a lot invested in this relationship.” Victor raised his brows.

“I suppose I do. When they fight, I hate taking sides.”

“But you always take Lila’s side.” Ronin kissed my shoulder.

“I do. Even when she’s wrong. Graham knows I will always choose her. He also knows I’ll always be his advocate, working hard to make peace between them. Graham and his family have done so much for me and my family over the years. They paid for a lot of my dad’s medical treatment when his kidneys started to fail. They made sure my parents didn’t lose their home during that time. And two years ago, when the landlord of my building decided to not renew my lease because he wanted to tear down the building to put up a hotel, Graham’s family bought the building just so I could keep my shop. A terrible financial decision for them, but Graham always has my back.”

“I can’t wait to see your shop.” Ling smiled.

Ronin cleared his throat. “Don’t expect her to show you how she makes her products. There are too many proprietary secrets.”

“Not true.” I glanced back, giving Ronin a grin that was also a scowl. He knew the reason he’d never seen me make a full batch of soap was because he was responsible for too many ruined batches.

My lover thought there was time for sex between pouring layers of soap.

There wasn’t.

So … I banned him from my lab.

I smiled, batting my eyelashes to soften the blow about their child. “Your son touches too many things in my lab. However, I would love to show you my shop and how I make my products.”

“Let’s eat.” Ronin lifted me from his lap, whispering in my ear, “I touch you in your lab.”

I grinned, lifting my hand to his head and sliding my fingers through his hair as he nipped at my ear. His parents eyed us, and their expressions said it all. They liked what they saw. I passed the test. It would have crushed me to have my parents love Ronin so much and then feel any less adoration toward me from his parents.

We ate.

We laughed.

I fell deeper in love with Ronin by falling in love with his parents. He fit into my life. I fit into his life.

He never mentioned my mother’s cancer diagnosis, and I appreciated him leaving that to me. It was still raw. When I dwelled on it, tears rushed to the surface. However, it was a chance I took as we settled back into the living room to enjoy hot drinks by the fire after dinner.

“Listen … I want to let you know that my mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.”

Concern etched Ling’s and Victor’s faces.

Forcing a smile, I took a deep breath. “It will be fine. My mother is very strong, both physically and mentally. However, my time will be divided in the coming months between her, my shop, and the wedding. If you could indulge Ronin by skiing with him, that would be fantastic. I fear my schedule won’t allow much time on the slopes.”

“Oh …” Victor nodded. “That can be arranged. Now his text makes sense.”

“His text?” I canted my head.

“It’s late …” Ronin tried to stand, but I leaned back into his chest as we shared the recliner, attempting to pin him to it with my weight.

Victor’s gaze slid to Ronin for a second.

“Don’t look at him.” I moved my head to block the line of sight between the two men.

Victor eyed Ling. “He asked us to refrain from suggesting you go skiing with us. I assumed it was because you weren’t a skier, which surprised me since you live in Aspen. I couldn’t imagine Ronin dating someone who didn’t ski. Now I realize it’s because of your mom.” His eyes narrowed. “Correct?”

I slid off Ronin’s lap and stood between the sofa and the recliner, next to the coffee table. Victor and Ling gave me their attention, but after a few seconds, confusion floated across their faces. Since … I didn’t say anything.

What was there to say?

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but no one was attacking me. Why get defensive?

That insanely-jealous-woman-at-the-bar-with-karaoke-Vanessa wasn’t me. Well, she was me. She was me before I knew for sure that Ronin loved me. But right then, in front of his parents, I knew. Vanessa wasn’t my competition. I’d won.

He loved me.

This is me. Take it or leave it.

I smiled, but before I could say my truth, Ronin’s hand cuffed my wrist as he stood and turned me toward him, putting my back to his parents. “Evelyn is a horrific skier, but she tries.” He slid his hands along my neck to keep me focused on him. “It doesn’t matter. She’s going to marry me. She said as much the day we met.”

It took me three weeks to learn how to ride a bike, while my friends did it in three minutes. However, it took less than a second to fall in love with this man. I knew this because I couldn’t remember the moment I fell for him which meant … I had loved him forever. Probably in a parallel universe.

Déjà vu. Destiny. Kismet. Serendipity.

They were all just fancy names for justifying fate when in actuality we had met before. We fell in love in a different world. I got to live more than one life with this man. That was some cool shit. And I believed that cool shit with complete conviction.

“Roe …” I whispered. Even if I could play in my head the mind-numbing explanation that was us, the fact that he didn’t analyze us, where we met, how quickly we fell in love, and the improbable sanity of it all … was enough to drive a lump into my throat.

He invited me into his life … with witnesses. It didn’t get any more real than that.

He smiled.

That was it. Ronin smiled at me. One look was all it took. One look was all it ever took. We were so much greater than any words.

“Evelyn’s going to marry me. Maybe not until her mom is better. Maybe not until Lila and Graham are married. But she’s going to marry me. She’s going to have my babies.”

How did he make it so public and incredibly intimate at the same time?

“Right, Evie?” he whispered.

An unexplainable warmth wrapped around my body.

“Probably.” I smiled.

“Probably …” he echoed just before kissing me.