I am 15 chapters ahead on my patreón, check it out if you are interested.
https://www.patréon.com/emperordragon
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Chapter 30: Meeting the Parents
Sam was panicking.
Her parents were home. Her parents were home.
And she had Jon—her incredibly attractive, barely put-together boyfriend—in her bedroom.
Her heart was pounding so hard she could hear it in her ears. She scrambled off the bed, fixing her shirt, trying to think of an escape plan. Maybe she could shove Jon out the window? No, too risky. Under the bed? Too cliché. The closet—oh God, what was she even thinking?
Meanwhile, Jon sat up leisurely, completely unbothered like he had all the time in the world.
"Relax," Jon said, his voice annoyingly calm.
"Relax?" Sam hissed, eyes wide. "Did you not hear me? My dad is home. Do you know what happens when dads find their daughters in compromising situations with their boyfriends?"
Jon tilted his head, as if considering. "I don't know. Invite them for coffee?"
Sam smacked his arm. "Jon, I'm serious!"
Jon laughed—actually laughed—and reached out, gently grabbing her hand. "It's fine," he said, his voice soothing. "Just straighten your clothes, breathe, and follow my lead."
Sam took a deep breath, trying to ignore the warmth of his hand in hers. His confidence was contagious, and for some insane reason, she actually started to calm down.
"Better?" Jon asked.
Sam sighed. "No, but let's get this over with before my dad murders you."
Jon grinned, stood up, and without hesitation, laced their fingers together before pulling her toward the bedroom door.
"Jon, what are you—?"
"We're gonna introduce ourselves properly," Jon said casually. "I'm your boyfriend. We're not sneaking around."
Sam internally screamed.
Downstairs
Sam's dad, Ron Smith, stood in the kitchen, already pouring himself a cup of coffee, looking exactly as intimidating as always. Thick mustache, broad frame, wearing a flannel button-up like he had just come from chopping wood. Which he probably had.
Beside him, Diane, her mom, was already putting groceries away, humming to herself. She was the nicer parent, but still—this was not the way Sam wanted them to meet her boyfriend.
Before she could prepare herself, Jon walked them straight into the kitchen.
Ron looked up. His mustache twitched. His deep-set eyes locked onto Jon like he was assessing prey.
Jon smiled. Smiled.
"Mr. and Mrs. Smith," he said smoothly. "I'm Jonathan Hale. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Sam's stomach dropped.
Her dad set down his mug. Stared at Jon. Then, very slowly, he said in a deep, gruff voice, "So… you're the boyfriend."
Jon nodded. "Yes, sir."
Sam felt like she was about to die.
But before she could jump in to ease the tension, her mother smiled. "Oh! So you're the boy Samantha's always talking about."
Sam's eyes widened in horror. "Mom—"
"Oh, please," Diane laughed. "You think I don't know? The dreamy looks? The secret smiles? We knew you had a boyfriend weeks ago."
Sam wanted the earth to swallow her.
Jon, meanwhile, was entirely unaffected. "I'm honored to be a topic of conversation," he said smoothly.
Ron, however, was still staring. Judging.
"Jon," he said, his voice slow. "Tell me something. What do you do?"
Jon blinked. "Do?"
"What do you contribute to society?" Ron clarified. "Do you build things? Fix things? Hunt?"
Sam's mouth dropped open. "Dad!"
Jon, to her complete shock, just grinned. "Well, sir, I do cook my own breakfast every morning. Does that count?"
Ron squinted at him. Then, suddenly, he huffed out a small chuckle. "You know how to cook?"
"Yes, sir," Jon said. "I also play football. Train in martial arts. And I read a lot."
Ron paused. Then, to Sam's utter disbelief, he laughed. A deep, hearty, genuine laugh. "Well, that's more than most people I know."
Sam froze.
Her dad just laughed at something Jon said. That was like… watching a bear smile.
Jon had somehow done in two minutes what most people couldn't do in years.
Diane, of course, was already smitten. "Oh, he's charming. And polite. And handsome. Oh, honey, you picked a good one."
"Mom, please," Sam groaned.
Jon turned to Sam and winked. The absolute audacity.
Before she could smack him, Ron—her intimidating, no-nonsense father—grabbed a second mug from the cabinet and poured Jon a cup of coffee.
Sam stared, dumbfounded.
"I assume you drink it black?" Ron asked, handing Jon the cup.
Jon took it like it was some kind of sacred exchange. "Yes, sir."
Sam watched, in complete shock, as the three of them—her dad, her boyfriend, and her mom—started chatting like they were old friends.
She could barely keep up. One minute, her dad was grilling Jon, the next they were talking about football, then hunting, then first aid and survival skills for some reason. Her mom, meanwhile, was gushing about how wonderful it was to see Sam with such a "respectable young man."
And Sam?
She just sat there, watching in stunned disbelief as her parents—her strict, no-nonsense, not-easily-impressed parents—were completely charmed by Jon.
This was… not how she had expected this to go.
But as she sat back, watching them laugh, sipping their coffee, talking about survival skills of all things, she realized—
She didn't mind.
She didn't mind at all.
Because somehow, against all odds, Jon had just won over the two most important people in her life.
And that made her fall for him just a little bit more.