Rebekah rolled her eyes for Eric’s benefit and then turned to face her mother. “And he gave me a little tongue too,” she said.
She glanced at Eric, expecting him to participate in her teasing, but he looked entirely shell-shocked.
“Mom, this is Eric Sticks, the drummer of Sinners,” Dave said.
“Sinners. The band who practically kidnapped my daughter and exposed her to only God knows what? The band who paralyzed my only son?”
“The man who saved Dave’s life with CPR,” Rebekah said.
Mom snorted. “I guess he can stay since he’s already here.” She turned her back and returned to the kitchen.
“She’s a little prickly tonight,” Dave whispered.
“A little?” Rebekah squeezed Eric’s elbow. “Don’t let her get to you.”
Eric shook his head slightly.
“So how are things going with the tour, Reb?” Dave asked nonchalantly.
“As good as can be expected, considering you’re not there,” Rebekah said.
“She’s being modest,” Eric said. “She’s absolutely amazing.”
Dave grinned with pride.
“Not as good as Dave is though,” Rebekah said, ruffling her brother’s hair and bending to smother him with another hug.
“It’s okay that you’re great, Reb,” Dave said. “You don’t have to feel guilty. I’m proud of you.”
She didn’t know why her eyes were suddenly leaky. Maybe because she did feel guilty. She was off having the time of her life, making a career for herself, finding love, while Dave was stuck here in a wheelchair with their oppressive mother.
“Is that my little girl I hear?” her dad called from the living room.
She released Dave and grabbed Eric’s hand. “Come on,” she said. “I want you to meet my dad.”
“The minister?” Eric said.
“No, the poodle trainer.” She shook her head. “Yes, the minister. I only have one dad, you know.”
Eric followed her with heavy feet.
“I thought I heard your voice,” her dad said, a huge smile on his jovial face. His smile faltered when he caught sight of Eric.
Eric’s palm grew damp against Rebekah’s hand, but she held it tightly.
“Who’s this?”
“This is Eric,” she said. “My new boyfriend.”
Her father pressed his recliner’s footrest down and climbed to his feet. He craned his neck to appraise Eric carefully. “Don’t you think he’s a bit… tall for you, sweetheart?”
“Nope. He’s perfect for me.” She hugged Eric’s arm and smiled happily.
Her dad’s eyes roamed her face, and then he smiled. “I trust he takes good care of you and treats you well?”
“Like a princess.”
Dad extended his hand toward Eric, who for once was speechless. He took Dad’s hand and shook it firmly. “Nice to meet you, Father Blake.”
“Likewise, Eric. Have a seat.” He waved at the empty recliner situated next to his. “Tell me about yourself.”
Eric glanced at Rebekah uncertainly. Her heart melted into a puddle. She released his hand and patted him on the back reassuringly. “You can talk to my dad about anything. He doesn’t judge.”
“I leave the judging to God,” her dad said and returned to his recliner.
Eric looked like he was about to bolt.
“Sit,” Rebekah insisted. She knew her dad would love Eric once they got to talking. Her father would appreciate Eric’s open honesty and quirky sense of humor.
Dave wheeled himself into the room and arranged his wheelchair next to the unoccupied recliner. “Rebekah, Mom’s got a surprise for you in the kitchen.”
“What kind of surprise?”
“Go see. Dad and I will keep Eric company.”
Rebekah nodded. She’d never once in her life liked any surprise her mother had for her. She was fairly certain she wasn’t going to like this one either. She gave Eric’s hand a squeeze of encouragement and then turned to head for the kitchen. Before she was even back in the foyer, Eric already had Dave and her father laughing.
She smiled as she walked to the kitchen. She knew it would take awhile for her mother to get used to the idea of her dating Eric. Her mother had been completely enamored with the idea of Isaac becoming her son-in-law. Rebekah doubted her mother would give any man an easy time, but one in a rock band who had tattoos, his nipple pierced, and a strange haircut? Rebekah didn’t have her heart set on her mom ever accepting Eric. She didn’t care though. She loved Eric with all her heart. If her mother couldn’t see what a wonderful man he was, that was her loss, not Rebekah’s. Not Eric’s.
Rebekah bumped open the swinging door to the kitchen with her hip. “Mom, Dave said you had a surprise for me.”
Isaac turned from the counter where he was helping her mother prepare dinner. Rebekah’s heart skipped several beats and began to race. “You’re back?” she gasped.
Isaac dashed across the kitchen and wrapped both arms around her. He planted a tender kiss on her temple and squeezed her until she was breathless. “Oh Rebekah,” he murmured. “I missed you so much.”
She caught her mother’s expression of glee just before she went into the pantry.
“Isaac,” Rebekah said. She tugged away from him to look into his gentle gray eyes. “What are you doing here?”
He was still the handsomest man she’d ever encountered. Wide eyes, straight nose, perfectly sculpted lips, even features, and thick, brown wavy hair framed his face. And his recently acquired tan contrasted nicely with his white dress shirt. The sleeves were rolled up to reveal strong forearms. As attractive as he was, he didn’t make her heart race when she looked at him. She didn’t experience even a twinge of lust.
“Your mother invited me. You know I can’t turn down her homemade biscuits.” Isaac searched Rebekah’s face and then cupped it with both hands. “You look fantastic, angel.”
“I feel great.”
“Have you been getting all your medical screenings?” he asked, looking at her with concern.
Touched, she brushed a wavy lock of hair from his forehead. “I have. So far, no signs of it. I have another appointment in December.”
She didn’t have to say what it was. They’d lived through it together and come out stronger people on the other side. That bond between them would always exist.