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“Ethan? What the hell are you doing here?”
As soon as the door to Amelia’s parents’ house opens, I’m face-to-face with Nick. Nothing like ripping the Band-Aid off to get this evening going. “I’m here for your sister.”
“Amelia?” he asks before his eyes dip down to the flowers in my hands, his brow drawing together. And in a few seconds, I watch the lightbulb turn on. “Wait? Are you telling me you’re the guy she’s seeing?”
“I am.” I blow out a harsh breath and then take a step back. “Look, can we talk for a minute?”
“Yeah, I think we need to.” Nick shuts the door behind him as we stand across from each other on the porch. “Explain, please, because the last time we had beers, you told me you were seeing a woman casually, and you had found someone to release your tension,” he says, using finger quotes.
“You used those words, not me. But to clarify, your sister and I have been seeing each other for a while now.”
He arches a brow at me. “What do you mean by seeing each other?”
“I’m not going to go into details with you, man. But we’re dating, seeing where this goes, and I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you about it first, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted it to go anywhere, honestly.”
Nick crosses his arms over his chest, uncertain about my intentions by the look on his face. “I’m confused. The last I heard from her, she wasn’t happy about you being in her complex. Then, you tell me you’re not looking for anything serious, hence why you found a friend to help you out, if you catch my drift.” I nod. “But now, you two are dating?”
“I know. It’s complicated and took us both by surprise, but I’m invested in her, man. She’s incredible, and Oliver loves her. I know I should have said something sooner, but I’m telling you now, and I hope you’ll be supportive of us. I’m serious about her…”
His face softens. “She’s met Oliver?”
“Yeah. And you know I don’t take that shit lightly.”
“Fuck, you’re right.” He drops his arms and exhales in acceptance. “Okay, fine. Just promise me something, Ethan?”
“What’s up?”
He points a finger at my chest, jostling the bouquet of flowers in my arm. “Don’t fuck around with her, all right? My sister is one of the best people on the planet. She has a heart of pure fucking gold, and she deserves to be happy with someone who will put her first.”
“I know that, Nick. I do. She’s changed my world in just the few months I’ve known her. I’m serious about her, and I’m sorry I wasn’t honest with you before.”
He drops his hand. “I get it. You’ve been through some shit, but Amelia is my sister, and even though you and I are friends, I will always take her side.”
“Got it.”
“Unless she nags on you for something stupid. Then it’s bros before…” He pauses, contorting his face in thought.
“Hos?” I finish for him.
“I…I don’t feel comfortable calling my sister a ho, man.”
Laughing, I slap him on the back as he reaches for the door. “Yeah, let’s not go there.”
“Agreed. Come on in and meet the fam.”
I follow Nick inside, and the first person I see on the other side of the door is Amelia, standing there in a light-blue sundress looking radiant, but nervous.
“You two okay?” she asks, fiddling with her thumbs but faking confidence.
“Yeah, we’re good, babe.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders and kiss her cheek. “Hi.”
“Hi,” she says, staring up at me with reverence in her eyes. And that look—it makes my chest swell. She’s looking at me like I’ve just made her day, and I definitely know that seeing her has made mine.
Nick clears his throat, drawing our attention to him. “Care to explain something to me, Sis?”
She purses her lips and then crosses her arms over her chest. “Ethan and I are dating, Nick, as I’m sure you’ve gathered by now. And I know you take your protective-older-brother role seriously, but I’m thirty-one years old and a grown woman. And I’m happy, so deal with it.”
Nick’s eyes bounce back and forth between Amelia and me. “You sure you’re willing to put up with this attitude?” He juts his thumb in Amelia’s direction just as she reaches out to punch his arm.
“Shut up, Nick. Come on, Ethan, let me introduce you to my parents.” She grabs me by the hand and drags me away from her brother just as a woman comes around the corner, leaning into Nick. I’m assuming this is Elena.
“You’re lucky Elena is here, or else you’d be sorry.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she mutters as I laugh behind her. But before we get into the kitchen, she pulls me down a hallway away from the open space we were just in. “Seriously, is everything okay with you two?”
“Yes, it’s fine. He was surprised and threatened me a bit…you know, the typical big-brother warning.” She laughs. “But when I told him that you and Oliver have spent time together, he understood that I’m serious about this.”
She runs her hands up my chest and then around my neck, pulling me down to her lips. “Thank you. It feels really good hearing you say that.”
“It’s the truth.”
“I’m serious about you too, you know. Like I said, it’s been a long time since I’ve introduced anyone to my parents, which feels odd given my age. But dating nowadays seems so hit or miss. I figure it’s not worth bringing anyone around until I know I see potential with them.”
“Potential for what?”
She looks up at me under her dark lashes and through her glasses, biting her lip. “Everything.”
“I like the sound of that.” We meet each other in a soft kiss that neither of us allows to get out of hand.
And it’s just as well because Nick breaks up our moment anyway. “Mom! Dad! Amelia is making out with her boyfriend in the hallway!”
Amelia spins around and swings for her brother. “Nick!”
He pulls away before she can connect with his arm, laughing at his outburst. “Damn. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to tattle on you about something like that.”
The woman standing beside him just shakes her head. “Typical brother behavior. I have four of them, so I feel for you, Amelia.” She steps forward and reaches for Amelia’s hand. “I’m Elena, and it’s so nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Amelia brushes her hair from her face and pushes her glasses up her nose as she shakes Elena’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you too. And this is Ethan, my boyfriend.”
“Pleasure to meet you.” I shake Elena’s hand as my new title rolls around in my brain, not making me as uneasy as I thought it might.
“What is going on out here?” A woman who looks just like an older version of Amelia rounds the corner, wiping her hands on a dish towel.
“Mom. We were just about to head into the kitchen…” Amelia explains.
“Yeah, but Amelia was practically naked when I caught them, Mom. It was a good thing I interfered when I did.”
Elena smacks Nick upside the head. “Jesus, leave your sister alone.”
Amelia’s mom points a finger at Elena. “I like you already.”
Nick rubs his head. “I’m being ganged up on.”
“You asked for it, buddy. Even I know not to mess with the women, especially when you’re related to them.” Stepping forward, I hand Amelia’s mom the bouquet of flowers I brought. “It’s lovely to meet you, Mrs. St. Clair. I’m Ethan.”
She accepts the flowers and smiles up at me and then at her daughter. “I like you already too.” Smelling the flowers, she closes her eyes and then pops them back open. “These are lovely. Thank you. Now everyone get in the kitchen, and Nick, I’m sure your father needs reminding to stop watching the game and check the grill.”
“The game’s on?” My ears perk up. I knew I’d be missing out on Sunday night football by being here, but I mean, if Amelia’s dad is already watching it…
“Ethan’s a bit of a football fan,” Amelia explains as the four of us follow her mother into the kitchen, where the smells of something fresh and bright waft up to my nose.
“Then he and your father should get along just fine. Now go on, boys, head outside and leave us ladies to chat.”
“But Mom, I didn’t even get to properly introduce Elena to you,” Nick says.
“Her slapping you upside the head was all the introduction I needed. She’s a keeper. Now scram.”
I follow Nick outside, giving Amelia a quick peck on the cheek before leaving, hoping that winning over her father will be as easy as it was with her mom.
* * *
