Page 33 of Kiss Me Forever

“Bella.”

She sighed. “Sorry. I’m sure they’re nice.”

My lips twitched. “They are. They will be just as cringe as you need them to be.”

“We don’t say cringe anymore, Reece.”

“Well, I do. And I’m not trying to sound like I’m one of the kids.”

“Well, good. You’re too old for that. What are you, like seventy?”

“I know you’re trying to get a rise out of me, but I would look damn good for a seventy-year-old.”

“You’re not supposed to curse.”

I nearly winced but pulled into my parents’ driveway. “I’m going to curse a lot. I’ve had my whole life without a kid there, so I’m not used to holding back. Your uncles are going to be worse.” The fact that I’d somehow kept them away from her until this point had been sheer force of will. The art camp was familiar to her as she’d done one similar with her friends before, so that hadn’t been a true adjustment. But grandparents and a set of uncles who wanted to shower her with love had been too much for her—she’d said as much.

And now it was time to take that step.

She shifted in her seat and looked down at her hands. “What if they don’t like me?”

The softness of her voice nearly broke me, and I swallowed hard.

“Bella.”

She didn’t respond, so I reached back, and tapped her knee. Her gaze shot to mine in the rearview mirror, and I didn’t blink.

“They’re going to like you, kid. They’re going to love you. And not just because you’re mine.”

“Are they nice?”

I thought back to the four of us running wild as kids, beating each other up, protecting the others from bullies. The fact that we still gave each other shit and tackled one another because we could. There was no such thing as tackle-free football on Thanksgiving in the backyard. Not for the Fox kids.

“They are.”

“It sure took you a long time to think of the answer.”

I undid my seatbelt and unclicked hers. “You’re an only child, so I don’t know how to explain the concept of siblings.”

“I’m your only child that you know of.”

I winced. “Touche, but we’re going to go on the statistical possibility that I don’t have any other kids out there.”

“That’s fine with me. Brothers and sisters seem like a lot of work.”

That made me grin. “Believe me, I know. My brothers, your uncles, are a lot. But then again, I think most people in our lives can be. They’re going to overwhelm you, but no matter what, they’re going to be there for you. So if you need anything, and don’t want to come to me, you can go to them. I promise.”

“What about Brooklyn?”

I stiffened in my seat, my hand on the door handle. “What do you mean?”

“Can I come to her too? If I need anything.” She mumbled the last part, her head down, and I swallowed hard.

“Yes. If you need something, Brooklyn will be there for you. Do you like her?”

“She’s nice. And well, I don’t know. I like the bread.”

That made me grin. “I like the bread too. And Brooklyn is nice.”