Lovestruck Forever by Rachel Schurig Page A

not to talk of it, dear,” she said, patting my arm. She
looked up at the house, a smile breaking out over her face. “Well,
look at that!”
    I
felt a sudden fluttering of nerves. I so badly wanted tonight to go
well. The initial meeting of the parents over breakfast had been
fine, if slightly awkward and formal. But tonight was a much bigger
deal. I knew firsthand how quickly my family could become
overwhelming, and I hated thinking of Mr. and Mrs. Harper feeling
uncomfortable. Even more, though it made me feel guilty to admit it,
I hated thinking of them possibly judging my family. Though Thomas’s
parents were far from the cold and restrained British stereotype I
had initially feared, there was a good chance they might not have any
idea what they were getting themselves into with my clan.
    “This
looks wonderful,” Gilbert said jovially, patting my back.
“Shall we go back and mingle?”
    I
steeled myself, trying to remember that the Harpers were warm and
kind and would not, in all likelihood, run screaming in fear from
such a crowd. “Sure,” I said, hoping my voice sounded as
light and casual as I intended. Thomas squeezed my hand again, making
me think that perhaps I hadn’t quite pulled it off.
    “You’re
going to go crazy for the food,” he told his parents, leading
the way down the sidewalk to the house. “Lizzie’s aunts
and sisters are magicians in the kitchen.”
    “I
hope you like Mexican food,” I said, laughing a little
self-deprecatingly. “I doubt there will be much else on the
menu.”
    “Mexican
food sounds wonderful,” Anne said, and I immediately felt
ashamed of myself. Was I really already putting myself and my family
down, without even giving the Harpers the chance to make up their own
minds? I straightened my shoulders, determined to stop apologizing
for my family.
    Still,
I didn’t manage to relax until we reached the back yard and my
parents immediately came to embrace the Harpers, including Bryony,
kissing Thomas and me briefly before sweeping his family off to meet
my siblings and aunts and uncles.
    “See?”
Thomas whispered in my ear. “Everything is fine.”
    “Lizzie?”
A familiar voice called, and I squealed a little, turning to see
Callie dodging tables to make her way to us, a huge smile on her
face.
    “Callie!”
I’d known she was coming; she and Charlie had been two of the
first people to respond to our invitation, but it was still a thrill
to see her. She hadn’t been able to make it home after my mom’s
aneurysm, and it felt like years since I had seen her back in London,
before Thomas and I went to L.A.
    “You
cut your hair!” I yelled, grabbing her shoulders and making her
spin before I hugged her.
    “Do
you like it?” she asked, squeezing me back.
    “I
love it.” I pulled away to examine her hair again. For as long
as I’ve known her Callie, has kept her thick blonde hair in a
shining, long curtain down her back. Her new cut was layered and
shoulder length, her highlights much darker than I was used to.
    She
sighed a little. “I don’t think Charlie likes it much.”
    Her
boyfriend sighed coming up behind her. “Don’t listen to a
word she says. I’m the one who suggested it.”
    “Yeah,
right,” I laughed. “That sounds like Charlie, hair style
expert.”
    “Are
you going to hug me hello, or not?” he asked, his voice heavy
with offense. I giggled again, reaching for him, and he pulled me up
into his arms. “Congratulations, love. He couldn’t have
done any better.”
    Touched,
I patted his face. “Thanks, Charlie.”
    He
released me to hug his best friend, and I returned my attention to
Callie, who pulled my left hand up close to her face to inspect my
new jewelry. She whistled. “Not bad, Thomas. It’s even
better than the picture you sent.”
    “It’s
the most gorgeous ring in the whole world,” I said loyally.
    “Holy
crap,” Callie said suddenly, releasing my hand and staring up
into my face, her eyes wide. “You’re