CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
( HER )

CARMEN SHUFFLES IN her seat. She leans into Zach's side, staring out the window of the Uber as Daniel looks down at his phone, invested in a new game he had downloaded. Zach notices Carmen's distress immediately and begins to rub soothing circles on the back of her hand.

"What's wrong?" He questions the girl, placing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm nervous," She stresses. "What if they don't like me?"

"I promise they'll love you," He states softly. "I already told you that."

"I know, but it doesn't affect my nerves," She murmers. "I'm still nervous. There's always a possibility that they won't like me."

"That possibility is very small," He points out. "You are an amazing person. They'll fall in love with you just like I did."

"We'll be here for you," Daniel chimes in, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "If they don't like you, we can just flee the country."

Carmen giggles, her mind straying from the situation for a quick second. "And where would we all go, Daniel?"

"England," Daniel shrugs. "I'm sure they'll take us in. Or Canada."

"Canadians are amazing," Carmen nods. "And I absolutely love maple syrup."

"We're not fleeing the country," Zach chuckles. "Like I said, there's nothing to worry about."

"There is now," Daniel says, nodding towards the large house outside the window. "We're here."

"Oh lord," Carmen breathes heavily, placing her face in her hands. "I don't think I can do this, Zach. Lets go home."

Zach's heart grows warm as she mentions the word 'home'. He still hadn't managed to get used to the girl saying the word. The girl he loved lived with him- it still sent waves of shock through him. He got the girl.

"Hey," Zach says, holding the girl's hands to pull them away from her her face gently. "It's gonna be okay. I'll be by your side the whole time."

"Promise?" Carmen breathes out, holding up her pinky.

"Promise," Zach nods, locking his pinky with hers.

"And I guess I'll go rot in the sewers," Daniel interrupts the moment, bursting into unrequited laughter. "Thanks, guys. I feel so loved."

"Love you too, Daniel," Carmen grins as he opens the car door.

The three pile from the car, strapping on their backpacks, and grabbing their suitcases and bags from Halloween Express, along with Carmen's new book. As Daniel pays and tips the driver, Carmen leans unsteadily on her feet.

Over the past couple of the days, her foot had healed considerably fast. It confused the girl how fast it had managed to get better, but she didn't dare question it. Carmen was just happy she could walk without limping or having to use her crutches. Of course every now and then she would get pains- but they were bearable.

"You okay?" Zach asks.

"Yeah," She nods with a deep breath, smiling as she takes his hand. "I'll be fine as long as you're here."

The two move forward, arms loaded with luggage and bags. Zach places his bags down as they reach the door, tapping on the door with his free hand. As Zach does so, Carmen studies the large house in front of her.

The house is almost as large as the Why Don't We house. It's cream colored with large, open windows. From what she can tell, the house has two stories and is well taken care of with a freshly-mowed and open lawn. The Uber slowly drives away from the house, leaving the three alone outside.

Carmen's heart thuds in her chest as Zach steps back, the door opening in front of them. A brunette woman opens the door, a man and two children standing behind her expectantly.

"Zach," The woman breathes, placing her hands over her mouth as she studies her son. "We've been waiting for you."

"I'm here," Zach says with a chuckle. "I'm sorry I'm late . . . but I want to introduce you to someone."

"This is her," The woman says, turning to Carmen with a smile as she nudges her husband. "This is the girl, isn't she?"

"Wait," Zach furrows his eyebrows as he looks to Carmen. "What do you mean? Mom, I didn't tell you I was bringing anyone when I face-timed you-"

"You didn't have to, darling," She shakes her head. "You seemed so much happier when you talked to me last. And I noticed when you'd look away from the camera- I knew there had to be someone you weren't telling me about."

"You guessed right," The boy blushes, pulling Carmen closer to him. "Mom, Dad, Reese, Ryan, I'd like to introduce you to Carmen. My girlfriend."

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Herron, Reese, Ryan," Carmen speaks lightly, shifting by Zach's side. The boy looks down at her, giving her an encouraging smile. "I'm Carmen Elliot."

"Nonsense, darling," Mrs. Herron waves her hand, stepping down from the doorstep to stand in front of the girl with a warm smile. "It's Mama. You're a part of the family, too."

Carmen's grip loosens on Zach's hand as Mrs. Herron pulls her into a tight embrace. She wraps her arms around the woman, a blush growing on her cheeks as the woman begins to talk.

"I've been waiting for Zach to meet the one," She whispers with a light chuckle. "I just didn't know when it would happen."

"I told you they'd love you," Zach murmers, his smile only growing wider at his mother's immediate acceptance of the girl. "I told you so."

Mrs. Herron pulls away to stand beside her husband, glancing over at Reese and Ryan. "I expect that the three of you are exhausted, so we won't bombard you with questions just yet. First, I'm sure you'd like to lay your bags down and get comfortable."

"Daniel can stay in the guest bedroom," Zach says, turning to the boy as he grabs Carmen's hand in his once again. "Carmen can sleep in my bedroom with me."

"You sure I don't have to sleep outside?" Daniel questions with a laugh.

"Now that you said it," Zach tilts his head. "I think that is a better idea. Thanks for the idea, Daniel."

---

"So how did the two of you meet?" Mr. Herron questions, leaning back in the recliner. "Did you run into each other on tour, or-?"

"Actually, I wasn't on tour when we met," Zach cuts his father off with a chuckle, his eyes on the girl that rests on the couch next to him. "The guys and I were out shopping in L.A. and Carmen happened to be leaving with her best friend."

"But how exactly did that happen?"

"I tripped," Carmen blushes a deep red, fiddling with her fingers as all eyes turn to her. "Elle and I were almost at the exit, and I fell- but Zach caught me. And I guess things just went from there."

"Aww," Reese giggles from her mother's lap. "She fell for you! That's so cute"

"Funny story, actually," Daniel pipes up from the other side of Zach. "Zach actually blackmailed Carmen."

"Thanks a lot," Zach mumbles, looking to his parents. "I can explain. We met again after that at Barnes and Noble. Carmen and I talked, and she had to leave. But she left her book behind and didn't give me her name."

"So he texted me from the note I left in the book, just in case it ever got lost," Carmen continues, as if on sync with him. "If I went on a date with him, he promised he'd give me my book back. And if not, I wouldn't."

"Smooth," Ryan pipes. "That doesn't really sound like something Zach would come up with by himself."

"Hey!" Zach gasps. "I can be smart sometimes."

"Yeah, that's because Aurora- Jonah's girlfriend- came up with the idea," Daniel fills Ryan in, patting Zach on the back. "He had some help."

"Really?" Carmen raises an eyebrow. "Aurora came up with that idea? To be honest, I'm not shocked. She has a lot of good ideas."

"More like a lot of dangerous ideas," Zach mutters.

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