Kayden walked around the table, hugging and kissing the older women. Their faces lit up when he neared. The men shook his hand and welcomed him back. Kayden turned to face me.

“This is Sophia, everyone… my girlfriend,” he said, smiling at me.

“We’ve heard so much about you,” said one woman. Lovely.

“Sophia, this is my dad, Joe.” Kayden said holding on to his father’s shoulder.

He reached for my hand, holding it tenderly, and kissed my cheek.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Michaels.”

“The pleasure is truly mine, Sophia,” he said with a wink. A total flirt, I finally knew where Kayden learned his charm.

“I’m going to get us a drink, what do you want?”

“Whatever you’re having is fine,” I said.

His dad sat down and motioned for me to sit. Kayden and his mother walked to the bar and left me behind. The group around me began to chatter about Kayden and how well he looked, he looked happy.

I watched from a distance as he spoke to his mother. It had been months since they had seen one another. The joy emanated from her body as she touched his arm and spoke to him. The bartender placed our drinks on the bar and they both stood there and finished their conversation before returning to the table. He sat down and pulled my chair close to him.

The conversation flowed easily. He knew them well and cared for these people. I listened to the conversation and heard the concern in their voices when asking him about his life. The group cared for him as a family member.

After a couple hours, we all left and followed to his parents’ home. Nervousness filled me at the thought of being alone with his parents. Would this become an interrogation? I couldn’t have been more wrong. They were kind, warm, and welcoming. We sat outside on the lanai and talked, I mainly listened. Finally, I excused myself from the table, wishing everyone a goodnight and kissing Kayden on the lips. He stayed outside with his parents for a few minutes before joining me in the bedroom.

“Hey, baby,” he said, entering the bedroom as I was undressing.

“Hi, love. Happy to see your mom?” I asked.

“I’ve missed her a lot, yes, it was great to see her under happy circumstances for once,” he said. “She really likes you, and thinks you’re good for me.”

“I’m glad,” I replied as I watched him walking around the bed, beginning to undress.

I watched him closely; he wanted our skin to touch when we slept, and I loved it. He crawled into bed, and I adjusted myself so I could nestle into his arms. He held me as he watched television, and I drifted off to sleep.

I woke early the next morning and made my way out of the bedroom in search of coffee. I didn’t have the energy to fix my hair or put on makeup. I needed the caffeine to function. An empty cup sat on the counter and a freshly brewed pot called my name. I poured myself a cup of coffee and opened the sliding door to the lanai. I froze. God damn it.

“Good morning, Sophia,” Joe said.

Shit. Maybe I should have at least brushed my hair. “Good morning, may I sit with you?” I asked.

“You don’t have to ask, sit down here. It’s nice to have you both here,” he said as he turned back toward the television.

We sipped our coffee and talked about sports. He was surprised by my knowledge of sports and love of football.

“I have to get ready for work. I’ll see you guys later today, though,” he said, as he stood up and grabbed his empty cup.

“You will,” I said, slurping the last drop at the bottom.

He chuckled, “There’s more in the kitchen, help yourself, kid.”

“Thank you,” I replied, needing the extra infusion.

I walked behind him quietly closing the door. I filled my cup as strong arms wrapped around my waist.

“Morning, beautiful,” Kayden purred in my ear.

“Morning,” I said, stroking his hands.

“What do you want to do today?” Kayden asked me.

“Anything is fine with me.” I turned around, kissed his lips, and inhaled deeply.

“Um, I haven’t brushed my teeth yet. That’s kind of gross.”

“I didn’t smell your breath, silly. I always feel the need to smell you. I can’t fucking explain it. It’s the damndest thing.” I shrugged my shoulder. I just sounded so creepy, but I loved his smell and couldn’t get enough of it.

“You’re a bigger freak than I thought.” He laughed and smacked my ass as I walked out the doors.

“How about we go to the store and then come back and cook some food?” he asked me with a smirk.

Kayden and I often went back and forth about who could cook the best. He cooked for me in New Orleans, but I had a few items in my arsenal that could not be beat. My meatballs were fantastic—he claimed his were better. This was the day that we would finally put the matter to rest.

“Okay, I’m going to make my meatballs. Then you tell me if yours are better,” I stated with a laugh. I knew I had this one in the bag.

“When you’re done with your coffee we’ll go to the store and settle the matter,” he said as he kissed me on the lips.

We walked the aisles and I threw my ingredients in the cart. I wanted to not only impress him, but his parents too. He decided to make soup for everyone.

“You have strange ingredients for your meatballs,” Kayden said as he stared down.

“You’ll see,” I said coyly.

We checked out and headed back to his parents. I was ready to work my magic. We had the house to ourselves. We both began chopping our vegetables, garlic, and onion. I mixed all of my ingredients for my meatballs. A quick sauce simmered to cook my meatballs in, the aroma filling the air. I took my time forming my each ball perfectly and placing them in the sauce.

The moment of truth had arrived. I selected a meatball and put it on a plate for Kayden to taste. I watched as he cut into it and smelled it before placing it in his mouth. He chewed slowly and kept his eyes locked on mine.

“They’re great, but mine are still better,” he said as he licked his lips. He wasn’t going to answer truthfully. He couldn’t be the judge of this competition.

His mother walked in the door and greeted us with a smile.

“What are you two up to?” she asked as she sat on a bar stool at the counter.

“We decided to cook. Sophia made meatballs, which she claims are the best and I made soup. Would you like some?” he asked.

“Sure, I’d love to try both,” she replied.

She sipped the soup and complimented him on how good it tasted. She was right; it was delicious. She cut the meatball and placed a piece in her mouth. She chewed, and we both glanced at each other and then at her. We waited for her response.

“These may be better than my meatballs,” she said, as she plopped another sliver in her mouth.

I beamed with pride, turning to him with a grin.

“When do I get to taste yours, Kayden?” I asked.

“I’ll never make mine for you. No way in hell,” he said to me with a small pout.

“Aw, come on. You have to make them for me,” I pleaded.

“No, Sophia. You win. Yours are great, mine are bland in comparison,” he said wrapping his arms around me.

We were unsure of what to do while visiting his parents. He lived here for years with his ex-girlfriend, Lisa. The ex that had him arrested and the reason he was on probation. I didn’t want to run into her during our visit.

That evening we returned to his parents’ social club to spend time with them, as we would be leaving the next morning, and he would be flying back to NOLA. A band was playing music from decades ago, and the people moved around the dance floor with grace.

An older woman approached the table. She reached out and ran her fingers across his head. “Hey, Kayden, want to dance with this old woman?”

Kayden smiled and laughed. “Thanks Edy, but I don’t think my girlfriend would like that much.”