Page 41 of Burning Obsession

“I don’t know if I’d call it love yet, but Lena, I really like him.”

“I’m so happy for you.” She reaches up and wipes a stray tear from her eye. “You deserve all the happiness in the world and I have a good feeling about him.”

“I do too.”

“Okay, so tell me, has the psychotic person stopped sending you gifts?”

I nearly choke on air not expecting her to ask about that.

“Nope, still there.”

“Seriously?”

"Yeah, but I decided I’m not accepting anything else. Told the probie he could have anything that came and I didn’t want to see it. Yesterday was the first day I went without anything."

"It’s about time. Maybe they're finally backing off."

"Maybe. Or the probie did what I said and took it for himself. So hopefully when I get back, there won’t be anything waiting and I can put the last four months behind me and move on from it.”

“We should be heading back. I’m sure my parents are looking for me and we need to rescue Victor from yours.”

We stand and head back to the room. When we step inside the door, I see Victor still where I left him with my parents.

“Jake.” I turn my head to see Lena smiling again, one that tells me she knows something. “You really like him.”

I glance back over at him and he gazes up, catching my eyes on him and smiles.

“Yeah,” I say quietly. “I really do.”

“Maybe the next time we get together it’ll be for the two of you. At your wedding.”

Wedding. Me and Victor. Somehow the thought isn’t scary, but inviting.

“Can I have my date back?” I jokingly ask my parents when we rejoin them. I place my hand at the base of Victor’s back and he steps closer to me.

“Only if you promise to bring him around more,” my mom says. She likes him. I can tell.

“Absolutely.” Then I move my gaze to Victor. “If he’s okay with it.”

“I am. Your family is amazing. I may already have plans with your father to go watch a ballgame. Seems his son isn’t really into sports.”

“That, I’m not.” I laugh. “Please take my place so I don’t have to endure the agony any longer.”

We all laugh, and all fear for this weekend melts away.

“Victor was telling us how he’s going to be an uncle in just a few short weeks.”

“I think I’m more excited about the birth than my sister Nellie. My parents have bought every baby item at the store. They're so excited to be grandparents.”

My mother smiles. “Yeah, we keep waiting for Jake to make us grandparents. We can’t wait until he and his partner adopt or have a surrogate. Maybe he’s finally found the person to spend the rest of his life with.” My mother winks and my father clears his throat.

"Mom." I groan.

She laughs. "What?"

"You can't just say things like that."

"Why not? I think it's a perfectly reasonable statement."