Tethered ? Awsten Knight

Dinner
5:49 PM

"You sure you feel okay?" I asked Awsten, moving the back of my hand along his scruffy cheek.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Definitely was a stress headache from traveling." He nodded, glancing up at me in the rear view mirror. "You think your dad is going to take me more seriously with this mess on my face?"

"Its not a mess, it's very sexy. You know I love it."

"I don't think Jimmy will find it sexy." Awsten laughed, turning onto my street.

"I think he also already takes you seriously."

"Bullshit." He rolled his eyes with a slight chuckle. "Part of him still wants to kill me."

"I don't think so since he knows how happy you make me."

"I hope he likes the guitar stand I got him."

"He'll love it." I ran my fingers through the back of his hair. "I think it was really thoughtful and sweet of you."

"I'll put it together for him tonight. Maybe we can get Sean to help us sneak it into the basement."

"Definitely." My head shook again in a nod and I kissed his cheek. "Feeling less nervous than last time?"

"Yeah, I really am. Eyes will be on Claire this time. Your father's I mean."

"I really can't believe Sean wanted her to come. It's only been a couple of months."

"I would've brought you home after two months."

"You're a liar," I scoffed, shooting him a playful look as he parked the car. "You would not have."

"I'm not lying! I would have! We told each other we loved each other within like three months."

"It was four." I corrected with a slight blush, pulling his face to my lips and kissed his cheek a few times. "I love you."

"I love you too." He turned and kissed my lips, then turned the car off. "Let's go. Better to be early before Jimmy changes his mind about me."

"Why are you walking like that?" Dad asked me with an eyebrow raised.

"Oh...I sprained my ankle. I thought I told you."

"Doing what? Dancing?"

"Yeah, I landed on it wrong." I shrugged and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear while I kept holding Awsten's hand in the other. "It's okay. I just have to give it a rest for a month and I should be fine."

"Should be..."

"Dad."

"Did you get X-Ray's? An MRI?"

"Yeah, I got X-Ray's. Nothing broken and I'm walking on it fine - weirdly, but fine."

The door opened then and I heard Sean voice.

"Hello!" He called out, the sound of the door shutting following after as we heard steps.

"Hey!" Dad called out and Awsten let go of my hand, slipping his on my lower back instead as Sean and Claire entered the kitchen.

"Everyone, this is Claire." Sean motioned to the brunette beside him. I'd recognized her from photos he'd sent me. The familiar freckles covered her nose and her brown eyes were doe-like.

"Hi." She said softly, looking at the three of us.

"Hi." I said back, reaching out my hand. "I'm Tatum."

"And that's Awsten," Sean said, nodding his head lightly at him. "And then my dad, Jimmy."

"Nice to meet you." Dad said.