LAUREN looked from Emmy to Gage. The easy way they accepted him, the simple welcome, caught him off guard. A wave of relief hit him first, strong enough that his throat felt tight. Then came a deep, warm feeling of gratitude. He hadn't realized how much he had braced himself for their rejection. Their kindness felt like a gift he hadn't expected to get.
He had thought they would interrogate him or show him why he was not a good match for their son. In fact, Lauren had been preparing himself to show them all his good qualities. He was even ready to put together an entire presentation with bullet points to prove he was worthy. But who would have thought he didn't have to do any of that?
