Chapter 23

"Are you sure I look alright?" Gwen asked Nick nervously as they pulled into the gates of the Carter house.

"You look beautiful, don't worry, they will love you," Nick said in a reassuring tone.  He stopped the car and walked around to her side.

Gwen looked down at her pink twin set and gray capri pants and wondered if she had picked the right outfit.  She began fiddling with the twin set, removing the jacket portion, revealing the light flowers embroidered on the top of the underlying tank as Nick opened her door.

"You are amazing, calm down," he said as he took the jacket and tied it around her waist.  He kissed her lips softly and said, "I love you," as he took her hand and walked toward the front door.

"Mom, Dad?" Nick yelled as he walked in the door. 

"Hello sweetheart," a beautiful blonde woman said as she walked around the corner hugging Nick.  She then turned to give another hug to the young woman at her son's side, "You must be Gwen."

Gwen returned the hug saying, "Its nice to meet you Mrs. Carter."

"Oh please hun, call me Jane," as they were joined by a man that looked very similar to Nick and two young children, one boy and one girl.

"Hi Gwen, I am Bob, Nick's dad and this is Aaron and Angel."

She smiled at Bob and shook his hand, thenlooked over towards the kids and said, "Hi guys, I am Gwen, it nice to meet you both, I have heard a lot about you."

"So have we," Angel replied as Nick shot her a look telling her to stop before she said too much.

"I hope it was good," Gwen said.

"Well, Nick said you were pretty, but he didn't tell me you were this pretty," Aaron said a shade of red captured Nick's face and the others laughed.

They all went into the living room and began to talk, getting to know eachother better.  After about 15 minutes, Jane got up and announced that she had to go tend to dinner.  "Would you like some help?" Gwen asked.

"That would be great, thanks," Jane smiled as Gwen got up to follow her into the kitchen.  Before Gwen walked into the swinging kitched door, she turned and smiled at Nick.  He returned her smile and winked as the turned to enter the kitchen.

"So Dad, what do you think?" Nick asked.

"I think she seems very smart and very independent.  She is used to suceeding and she has a lot of goals.  She has a lot of plans for her life," Bob replied.

"You are right about that, which is so important because I have so many things that mean a lot to me too."

"And she is really pretty," Aaron added.

"Yes, she is beautiful Nick," Bob agreed.

"So, the verdict is thumbs up?" Nick asked.

"Definately," his father and brother replied.

*********************************************8

"So, Nick tells me that your family lives in Dallas," Jane said.

"Yes, I grew up there.  I have only been in San Francisco for about 9 months.  I was so excited when I got offered the job there because I haven't wanted to live there since I went there on a family vacation when I was 5."

"It is a great city, I have enjoyed it when I have been there.  Nick told me that you guys had a great time the last time he was there with you - you know he is very taken with you."

"And I am with him - I have never met anyone like him before."

"He has always been very sensitive, which he tries to hide a lot.  Before you came here I have never seen him that upset before."

"I guess you know what was going on."

"Not totally but I do know that you were engaged when he met you," Gwen looked down as Jane continued, "there is nothing to be embarrassed about.  From what Nick has told me, that isn't an issue anymore and you handled the situation well.

"I hope I did.  I know that it isn't ideal but sometimes life isn't perfect.  I am sorry that it caused Nick so much pain."

"Don't worry about that, you were here for him when it matters and that is what really counts.  I have seen a real change in him since he met you, he used to hide all of these emotions, kind of like how he was when you first got here, but he has been much more expressive."

"Jane, I can honestly tell you that I have never felt this way about anyone before.  I am running on pure emotion right now and that scares me because I am the type of person that thinks everything through.  I just don't want either one of us to get hurt."

"I am glad that you think that way."

After dinner, Nick's other sisters BJ and Leslie came back home and Gwen went upstairs with them while Nick helped his parents with the dishes.  His dad went up to bed when they were done, leaving Nick and his mom in the kitchen to have a heart to heart about Gwen.

"Nickolaus, don't let this one get away.  She has so many good qualities, the most important being the fact that she is honest."

Chapter 24
Story Ind