It wasn’t that seeing Autumn and Xavier managing to sit side by side without also nuzzling each other’s necks or cheeks was particurly amusing.

  The amusing part was how greatly their behavior contrasted that of the other couples at their lunch table that Michelle was beginning to witness, in real time as it unfolded, their realization of just how uncomfortable they’d been making other people by having a taste of their own medicine. Autumn was eyeing Hailey and Sylvie and their respective boyfriends with growing awkwardness on her face.

  While Jordan and Sylvie had toned down the feeding-each-other aspect of their PDA after being called out the other day, they still stared into each other’s eyes soppily and snuggled up to each other as they ate.

  This was the exact scene Michelle had to deal with day after day, staring at her friends who were too preoccupied being cute with each other to notice that the other couples were acting just as sickeningly mushy as them.

  “How does it feel?” she asked, leaning sideways to blink innocently at Autumn.

  At being unexpectedly addressed, Autumn jolted and looked sufficiently chastened when she met Michelle’s eyes.

  “Were we really like that? I didn’t think we looked so …” She floundered, unable to find the word.

  “You were just like them,” Michelle confirmed.

  Autumn and Xavier had gotten together about a month before Hailey and Carter did. Sylvie and Jordan were the longest established couple in their group, having made their retionship official about a month and a half before Autumn and Xavier did.

  At first, all the couples were fine. They talked normally, were a little shy around each other, and held hands every now and then. Gradually, the PDA escated into more than handholding and became outright unbearable within the span of the st few months.

  It was bewildering, but it seemed as though they were getting a high off their retionship with the way they behaved.

  Xavier kept eyeing Autumn with sad puppy eyes, as if he was simply itching to be draped all over her like he always did during lunch—and at every other occasion. Unlike Autumn, he obviously hadn’t come to his senses yet.

  Since her friend looked suitably ashamed, Michelle decided to extend an olive branch and change the subject. At least she wasn’t too glued to Xavier to pay her any attention.

  “I’m going fishing with Caledon and his friends next Saturday,” she said. “My parents almost said no, but then they heard that his dad was going to be a chaperone and were fine with it.”

  Apparently, they knew who Caledon’s dad was and decided that she would be in good hands. It had been mind-blowing for Michelle to find out that her parents had hired Mr. Brightwell as an electrician before. According to her parents, he had been running his own business as an electrician since before they’d moved into the neighborhood, which was before Michelle had been born.

  “Calling him a chaperone sounds weird. He’s not there to chaperone. He’s just there to fish.”

  She shrugged. “It might not be his intention to chaperone, but he’s probably doing it without realizing it. Didn’t you mention that your friends keep their hands to themselves when they come fishing with you and your dad?”

  He’d talked about what a reprieve from the constant awkward mushiness it was.

  Autumn ughed as shock came over Caledon’s face.

  “Wait,” he said, gaping at Michelle. “They do. His presence is the chaperoning.”

  She nodded as she gulped down the water from her water bottle. “I told you.”

  “Does that mean you’re going to meet his dad?” Autumn asked. “Isn’t that kind of weird?”

  “Why would that be weird?”

  “I mean, it’s not like you’re really togeth—” She faltered under Michelle’s razor sharp gre. “Fine! Whatever. You’re together. The point is, isn’t it a bit early to meet his parents?”

  Hailey broke out of the little bubble she and Carter had been in to excim, “You’re meeting his parents already?!”

  “For real?” Carter’s brown eyes widened. “I haven’t even met Hailey’s yet.”

  “Same,” Autumn said, nodding at Xavier.

  Michelle frowned in thought. “You haven’t?”

  That came as a bit of a surprise. Come to think of it, her friends always excitedly shared within the group whenever there was a milestone they’d reached in their retionships—their first time sharing a drink from the same straw, their first hug, things like that. Nowhere in those memories could she pull out one where she’d heard them talk about having met their boyfriends’ parents or vice versa.

  Xavier stopped eating his sandwich to say, “It is a bit early. But if it makes you happy, why not?”

  Why did he make it sound like she wanted to meet Caledon’s father? Michelle made a face.

  “It wouldn’t ‘make me happy’. It’s just … fine.”

  “What are you guys talking about?” Sylvie, finally letting her gaze be dragged away from Jordan’s face, eyed everyone else at the table.

  “Michelle is meeting Caledon’s dad next Saturday,” Autumn said. “Can you believe it?”

  “Already?” Hailey repeated.

  “We’re just going fishing,” Caledon added, looking bewildered by everyone’s reactions. “That’s all.”

  “Why are you guys being so dramatic? Caledon’s already met my parents since he came to watch the py. It wasn’t some monumental event.”

  “That’s different!” Sylvie spped a hand on the table surface. “They happened to meet. You didn’t pn for it to happen.”

  Jordan nodded. “Also, your parents were shocked that you hadn’t mentioned him before. It seemed like it was monumental to them.”

  Who invited these obnoxious boyfriends of barely a few months to share their thoughts with her? Michelle was salty enough that they were infringing on her time with her friends—she didn’t need their input on anything.

  Taking a deep breath, she kept her eyes on the potato sad on her lunch tray and tried to focus on the sensation of the fresh air filling her lungs. She exhaled through her mouth, expelling the old air. She reminded herself that these guys were literally just existing. At this rate, she would become one of those people who hated on someone for eating a cracker.

  Then she looked back up at her friends. “Honestly, it’s probably going to be the same as me meeting your parents. And his parents already know about me, so it’s not going to be a surprise to them or anything.”

  “I think my dad’s looking forward to meeting Michelle, so it should be fine.”

  Hailey squinted skeptically. “Do your parents know about how you got together?”

  “Actually, it was the first thing they asked about. I asked my mom for some pot pie to bring to school for Michelle. They were very interested in meeting Michelle afterwards.”

  The whole table quietened.

  “On second thought,” Sylvie said, breaking the silence and gncing around at the others, “I think it’d work out just fine for you. Have fun.”

  Free at st from her friends’ resistant attitudes, Michelle beamed. “Thanks. It should be fun. I totally want to try fishing.”

  “Wow,” Hailey said, slumping her shoulders and resting her head on Carter’s shoulder. “You’re getting to meet your boyfriend’s parents before any of us do.”

  Michelle rolled her eyes. “Couldn’t you just meet each other’s parents whenever you want, anyway? It’s not that hard to set a date.”

  “We haven’t even been together for two months yet. It’s too early.”

  “Early for what?”

  “To meet my potential future in-ws, obviously!” Hailey cpped a hand over her mouth immediately after blurting the words out, as if she hadn’t meant to say it out loud.

  Sylvie raised her eyebrows. Jordan had his head inclined forward in a way that suggested he hadn’t heard clearly or couldn’t comprehend what had been said. Autumn appeared to be stifling a smile. Xavier was eyeing Carter with what looked like curiosity.

  Caledon and Carter were the only ones who looked as astounded as Michelle felt.

  “Babe,” Carter started, but Hailey practically filed her hands in his face.

  “Noooo,” she cried. “I didn’t say anything! Pretend you didn’t hear it!”

  He grabbed her hands and spoke in a soothing tone. “It’s okay. It’s okay. I didn’t know you felt that way, but it makes me so happy to hear it. I didn’t want to say this yet because I didn’t think you felt the same, but I think of your family as my future in-ws too.”

  Her dark brown eyes were wide as she raised her head to face him. “Really?”

  “That’s so sweet,” Autumn cooed, leaning over the table to smile at them.

  Sylvie looked happy for them. They began asking questions about when Hailey and Carter started to feel that way about each other, diverting the conversation towards that topic.

  Michelle covered her face with both hands and groaned into them.

  She wanted to faint and not be forced to watch this scene before her.

  “Please. Not this again.”

  A hand petted her on the head. She was beginning to recognize Caledon’s hands when she felt them. They were rger than hers, but his fingers were slender whereas hers were slightly stouter.

  “There, there,” he cooed, mimicking Autumn’s tone. “You’re not alone.”

  She truly enjoyed being petted by him.

  “I guess,” she asked weakly, peeking at him through the gap in her fingers. “At least you’re here.”

  He nodded with kindness in his eyes. “This is what I’m here for.”

  The pressure of his caress was gentle, easing the headache that had been coming on. How could it feel this good to have her head petted? Michelle sighed gratefully, leaning into his touch.

  Caledon would make a dog very happy someday.