Timing Is Everything

James sat on the couch in his living room, flipping through Saturday afternoon television. Nothing good was on, but he was trying to pass the time before his parents got to Pittsburgh. His family was coming down from Ontario for a visit and to, officially, meet Roxy.

It had been about three months since James and Roxy decided to get together. Roxy had moved out of her's and Malcolm's house and moved in with James. Roxy had insisted that she would find a place of her own, but James wouldn't allow it. He told he wanted her to move in with him, he wasn't home all the time anyways, so it would be just as much her house as it was his.

The first month of James and Roxy's relationship was rocky, they were fighting a lot simply because they had a lot of stuff to work through. The "honeymoon" phase had been when they first met, when James was unaware that she was with Malcolm.

"Hun, are you almost ready?" James called, resting his head on the back of the couch.

"Almost!" Roxy called back. "Could you come help me, please?"

James got up off of the couch and walked towards their bedroom. He shuffled his sock clad feet towards the walk-in closet and spotted her in there with her back to him. She was in a short and somewhat tight black dress, the straps around her tiny arms as she held it up on her chest as she reached for a pair of shoes.

James smiled, walked up to her and kissed her shoulder.

"Sorry," He whispered when she jumped. He was getting used to how skittish and easily frightened she was. "What did you need help with?"

"Could you zip up my dress and grab those shoes for me, please?" She sighed, relaxing.

"Sure," James laughed. He gently took the zipper of her dress in his fingers and slid it up. When the zipper was completely up, James ran his hands down her sides then reaching up above her and grabbing her black pumps.

"Thank you," She smiled, turning around and facing him. James was still in awe that a woman this beautiful wanted to be with him. He held her face and gave her a small kiss.

"Are you nervous?" He asked, walking out of the closet and sitting on the bed.

"Yeah," Roxy nodded, pulling on her shoes. She followed him and stood in front of him.

"Don't be," James smiled softly, pulling her towards him making her stand between his legs. "They're going to love you."

"Because you love me?" Roxy smirked, putting her hands on his shoulders.

"No," James replied, shaking his head. "They'll love you because you're smart, funny, attractive, successful and because you love me."

"That's an incredible answer," Roxy smiled, pressing her forehead to his. James held her hips and fell back on the bed, taking her with him.

Just as James slid his hands up the backs of her thighs the front doorbell rang. James groaned and pulled his mouth away from Roxy's.

"Perfect timing, huh?" Roxy smiled, crawling off of James. She walked to the full length mirror on the door of the closet and fixed her appearance.

"Wear those tonight," James ordered, pointing to her heels.

"James! I'm not having sex with you while your parents are here!" Roxy gasped, hitting his chest lightly.

"We're adults and so are they," James replied, walking for the hallway. "My parents are fully aware that I have sex. It's no mystery."

James walked to the front door and opened it, letting his family in. His mother and father hugged him tightly.

"Is she here?" His mother asked, looking around the foyer for the girl that had stolen her eldest son's heart.

"She's just finishing getting ready," James nodded. James smiled as he heard her walking towards them.

"Hi!" Roxy beamed, greeting James' parents. "I'm Roxy."

"Wow, hello. I'm Deborah and this is Peter," Deborah Neal smiled, shaking Roxy's hand. "You're beautiful."

"Thank you so much," Roxy smiled.

Peter gave James an approving nod and a wink when the girls began to talk. James laughed softly and nodded back. Everyone talked for a bit before James drove them all to a restaurant.

"So Roxy, your father owns RoxForce?" Deborah asked as they sat down at a place that wasn't RoxForce.

"Yes!" Roxy smiled. "He does."

"How has business been for him?" Deborah asked.

James gave Roxy's hand a squeeze before she answered the question.

"It's been really good, actually! He got a new head chef about three months ago, and thankfully that's been working out for him," Roxy smiled.

James hadn't told his mother about how he and Roxy came to be together, he didn't think it was necessary. He also knew it would give his mother preconceived notions about Roxy, and he didn't want that.

"We'll have to go back before we leave!" Peter smiled. "That place was so great when we went that one time."

"We've had a lot of menu changes since then," Roxy smiled softly, nodding.

James was quick to change the subject, he knew that this conversation was uncomfortable for Roxy. It was uncomfortable for him as well. He didn't like talking about Roxy and Malcolm either.

"So, Roxy," Deborah asked after everyone had eaten dinner and they were waiting on coffee and dessert. "Will we see you at Christmas time?"

"Ma," James scolded under his breath. They had been through this ever since Roxy and James had started dating. He had told his mother Roxy had family in Pittsburgh and she'd probably stay there instead of going to Ontario with him.

"Maybe!" Roxy smiled softly. "It all depends on my brothers and what they're doing, but I'd love to see you all and meet Jay's siblings."

"Well, let us know because we'd love to have you." Deborah smiled. Roxy let out a small sigh of relief. She was so happy that James' parents accepted her.

After dessert and coffee James drove everyone home. Deborah and Peter went straight to bed, tired from driving for a large portion of the day.

James and Roxy went to their bedroom and undressed.

"Still breathing?" James smiled as Roxy slipped out of her dress. James unbuttoned his shirt, tossing it into the hamper.

"Yeah," Roxy laughed. "I like them. They're very sweet. I can tell they're your parents."

James grabbed hold of her waist and pulled her close. He kissed the back of her shoulder before letting out his own sigh of relief. He had been considered that his parents might not approve of Roxy. He had no reason to believe they wouldn't like her, but he feared it. Perhaps that was just his own personal neurosis.

James would also never deny that he still feared Roxy would cheat on him. He had no doubt in his mind that he would, indeed, leave if she were to cheat on him, but it wouldn't be easy. James had really grown to love her, more than he had three months ago. He knew everything about her, and she knew everything about him. To have to leave her behind would destroy James.

He was always nervous when he went on road trips. He knew he had to stop, but he couldn't help it. He also knew that he had to talk to Roxy about this, but he didn't want to ruin how good they'd been.

James wrote it off as a relationship anxiety he'd just have to work through. James shook his head of thought and crawled into bed with his girlfriend. The woman who chose him.