She gave him a comforting smile as they walked together, completely at ease and seemingly unaware of his mild panic. This wasn’t just any visit to Tula Florian’s house—this was the day that Rhett would be meeting her parents for the first time. He hoped that the tank he wore underneath his powder-blue shirt was absorbing his sweat. He had taken special care into applying extra coatings of antiperspirant under his arms, knowing that he probably smelled like a very clean locker room. It was better than smelling like the alternative, anyway, he had told himself. Observing his fingers, he realized that there was still some oil and grime under his fingernails. The shower was supposed to keep people from noticing how dirty he was after working on cars all day. So much for that. “Ready?” Tula asked, an ever-present smile on her face as he placed his hand on the front doorknob. “Of course,” Rhett responded, forcing a smile in return. Seeing Tula smile was better than most anything in the world.
