I swear, you’d think I’d washed and waxed his Camaro with the smile that appeared on his face.

“Emmett, my parents are on their way into town to visit. They’re going to stay at a hotel near Alison and Tamron’s apartment. Tamron’s mom and dad drove over with them to see the girls, too,” I said. “I’d like for you to meet them.”

“Sounds good, Peach,” he said. “Just let me know when you want to go.”

“They’re almost there. If we head over now, we’ll get there before they do,” I said.

“All right, let me jump in the shower first. Okay?”

“Okay.” I smiled. “You, umm, need any help with that?” I asked

“I always need your help with that,” he said with that sexy smirk of his.

I joined him in the shower. He definitely needed me, in every way possible. He showed me how much, and I lost myself to his wet hands and wandering mouth.

We dressed again and drove over to the girl’s apartment. I was excited to see my parents and have them meet Emmett. I loved him. I just hoped they would too. Pulling up to the girls’ apartment, we saw Quinn’s car parked out front. I released a shaky breath as Emmett took my hand in his.

“Looks like Quinn came to the meet the parents gathering, too,” Emmett teased.

“Yeah, Tamron said she was going to have him come over to meet her parents, as well.”

We got out of the car and heard laughing around the side of the apartment building. Walking around toward the back, we saw Tamron and Quinn in a frantic kiss. I grabbed Emmett’s arm to turn us around and wait out front, but he beat me to it with a catcalling whistle that shocked the couple apart. Tamron, of course, cussed at him right away.

“For fuck’s sake, Emmett! Was that necessary? We’re busy here,” she yelled.

Quinn just shook his head. “It’s okay, babe. He’s just getting me back for interrupting him and Sam yesterday morning. At least we were only kissing. Be glad of that,” he said, shaking his head again.

“Better me than Tamron’s dad, man. I’m sure that’s not the first impression you want to give her parents, y’all nearly tearing each other’s clothes off in an alley.”

Tamron’s face blanched and she smacked Quinn on the shoulder. “You heathen!”

We all busted up laughing just as we heard a car pull into the parking lot.

“I think they’re here, y’all,” I called.

We walked back out front and saw our parents getting out of my dad’s car. Tamron’s dad was in the front with my dad and, as usual, her mom rode in the back with my mom. They did that so they could chat away. I always kind of thought it was old-fashioned, but it made me smile.

I ran up to my parents and gave them both hugs. Tamron swapped with me when I was done, and we each hugged the other’s parents, too.

Tamron stepped back and said, “Mom, Dad, this is Quinn. Quinn, this is my mom and dad.”

Quinn stepped forward and shook both of their hands.

I stepped to the side of Emmett and said, “Mom and Dad, this is my Emmett. Emmett, meet my parents.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Lang,” Emmett said, shaking my dad’s hand and kissing the top of my mom’s.

For a moment, my heart pierced with pain at the memory of Alec doing the same thing when he met my parents, but I pushed it out of my mind. It was over between us, and I wasn’t about to stir up all those emotions. I was happy again.

“Please, Emmett, just Maggie and Vance is fine,” Mom said.

“Well let’s get to it. This old man is hungry,” my dad said.

We all got in our cars and followed Tamron and Quinn to the restaurant. Getting out and walking in hand in hand with Emmett, I caught my mom whispering to my dad, then Dad looking back at us. I don’t know why, but I felt the need to drop Emmett’s hand until my dad smiled at me.

“You’re okay, Princess,” he teased.

Emmett laughed, and I wanted to die. I mean, it’s not like he didn’t know we were serious or even intimate for that matter. They knew we were practically living together. But it’s still not a subject I wanted to discuss at length with my parents.

“It’s okay, Peach. He gets it,” Emmett whispered.

“I know. He just likes to tease me.” I sighed.

We ate dinner and Tamron’s and my parents gave Emmett and Quinn the twenty questions ritual. We understood. They just needed to know we were with good guys. Fortunately for us, we were.

After dinner, we gathered in the parking lot to say our goodbyes.

“Come visit soon, sweetheart. We miss you,” Mom said.

“We will, Mom. I miss y’all, too.” I hugged her tight.

“Vance, Maggie, it was nice meeting you both. We’ll come see you soon,” Emmett said.

I waved to Tamron’s parents as mine were waving goodbye to her.

A few nights later, Emmett got home from work at the lumberyard, and found me outside by the pool, reading a book on my phone as I waited for him. I’d made us raspberry lemonade club sodas. His smile was so adorable, and made me want to get lost in kissing him. He didn’t sit down in the lounge chair beside me, but instead sat down behind me in mine as I scooted forward. He pulled me back onto his lap, turning my head for kiss as he placed a manila envelope in my lap.

“What’s this?” I asked.

“Just open it, Peach.”

My heart raced with anticipation. He was so excited, so I knew it had to be good. I pulled out the contents and saw a reservation slip for The Summit Resort in Panama City Beach, Florida.

I squealed. “Holy crap, Emmett! Are we going to the beach? What about classes?”

He snorted a full belly laugh and nodded. “Yes, Peach, and don’t worry about classes, we’re going for Labor Day weekend. We need to get some supplies though. I’m fairly certain you’ll need a few bathing suits, since I’m sure you won’t want to be constantly putting on and taking off wet ones. That would just be soooo cold,” he said with wink, as he trailed his fingers up the inside of my thigh.

Emmett requested I step out of the changing room and model each bathing suit. I hadn’t thought he would want to sit there and wait while I went through the grueling process of bikini elimination. It didn’t take long for his reasoning to become evident. I stepped out of the stall and peeked around the corner to the cushy waiting chair at the entrance to the fitting room.

His eyes lit with pleasure as I turned around in a slow spin, modeling the fourth garment. He wore a look of hunger as he tried to remain stoic for the store staff. The slight squirming in his seat gave away how much he approved of my selections.

“Well, which ones do you like?” I teased.

“Umm, I . . . I can’t decide. I think you should try them on again.”

I gave him a sideways glance.

“Okay, okay,” he laughed. “Just get all of them. You look incredible.”

I couldn’t stop the smile as it spread wide across my face. It felt good to incite the reaction in him. He cleared his throat as I turned around one last time before slipping around the corner, back to the changing stall.

We made our purchases then stopped in a local superstore and bought some snorkeling gear and body boards, grabbing a few snacks and drinks for the drive.

We counted the states license plates as we made the almost four hour drive from Auburn to Panama City Beach, arriving at The Summit Resort just after lunchtime. After Emmett checked us in, we unloaded our bags and supplies onto a luggage cart and rode the elevator up to our room on the eleventh floor. I was surprised to see it wasn’t so much a standard hotel room but rather more like a condo. It had a warm, home away from home feeling, with a coastal paradise twist.