Cleared for Landing Chapter 1

My childhood sweetheart kept getting set up on blind dates when he came home for the holidays.

My mom glanced at me and sighed with regret:

"It's just that you aren't excellent enough to climb that high."

"I really wanted him to be our son-in-law."

I cracked sunflower seeds and replied smoothly:

"Yeah, I'm a toad lusting after swan meat."

But my mom was dreaming.

I had been in a secret relationship with him for three years.

The day I threatened him with a breakup to force him to go public.

He smiled and agreed effortlessly:

"I do have better options than you."

"But can you find someone better than me?"

* * *

Hearing my self-deprecating answer.

My mom glared at me fiercely.

Her eyes were full of "wishing iron could turn into steel."

Just as she was about to nag me, Auntie Linda called to invite us to dinner.

My mom insisted on dragging me along.

So I inevitably ran into Caleb Sterling.

At the dinner table, Caleb sat next to me.

He quietly pushed the Kung Pao Chicken I liked in front of me.

But my chopsticks bypassed the Kung Pao Chicken.

And picked up a piece of string bean, which I hated.

He raised an eyebrow slightly and silently twitched the corner of his mouth.

On the side, my mom and Auntie Linda seized the opportunity to chat enthusiastically.

This afternoon, Auntie Linda brought a friend and her niece over for a visit.

It was called a visit, but it was really taking advantage of Caleb's time at home.

Bringing her niece over for a blind date.

Caleb had only been back for half a month for the holidays.

His doorstep was almost worn flat by various relatives and neighbors.

In previous years, Caleb hated dealing with these things the most.

He would always find an excuse to dodge them.

But this year, he rarely cooperated.