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“Surprise?” she says softly before I lift her off the ground, pressing my lips to hers. It’s a quick kiss though, and she awkwardly taps my shoulders for me to put her down. Rolling my eyes, I put her on her feet, and before she can say anything, I kiss her again, this time drawing out the kiss as her hands rest against my chest. When I finally pull back, she looks up at me with shock in her eyes as she talks out of the side of her mouth. “Your family is watching us.”
“Oh yeah, we are,” Jace says. “And I would like to say—” he pauses for dramatic effect “—told you so!”
When I look back down at her, she’s glaring, and I laugh. “I don’t care,” I say with a shrug. “He won’t say anything, I promise. Come here, meet my family.” Lacing my fingers with hers, I bring her into the living room and introduce her to my sister and Angie. She’s awkward as all hell, but I expect it from her. When Jude pulls her in for a hug, she relaxes some as a grin pulls at her lips. When I introduce her to Claire, she grins.
“I’ve heard so much about you,” she says as she and Claire shake hands.
“I’ve heard loads about you, too,” Claire replies back, a sweet grin on her face. “It’s great to finally meet you.”
“You too,” Baylor says before crossing her ankles and linking her pinkie with mine and looking back at me. “It’s great to meet everyone.”
“Well, you haven’t met me yet!” my mom hollers, coming into the living room, wiping her hands on her apron. Baylor tenses up as my mom looks her up and down before she glances over at me with a “Please help me” look on her sweet face.
Laughing, I wrap my arm around her waist and say, “Mom, this is Baylor, my…um…” Baylor looks up at me with inquisitive eyes and I just grin. “My girlfriend.”
“Oh! Hello!” Mom gushes before pulling Baylor in for a tight hug. Well, really, Mom is doing the hugging. Baylor is just standing there with her arms to her sides. When they part, Mom cups her face and just smiles. “You are gorgeous. Good job, Jayden Mitchell.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I say, tucking my hands in my pockets. “She’s great.”
“I can’t wait to find that out for myself. Come on, Claire and Lucy, let’s all go in the kitchen to get to know her.”
Baylor’s eyes widen even more as Mom takes her into the kitchen, and when she looks back at me, I laugh. “Don’t worry, I’m coming too,” I say, but once we get in the kitchen, she really doesn’t need me. She fits in seamlessly as they all get to know each other. I don’t even know what she was worried about, but then I think it has to do with my mom. She can make even a rock feel like it’s part of the family. That’s why I never really understood why my dad didn’t love her. She’s so easy to love and to enjoy. She’s funny and she’s sweet as pie. And she can cook her ass off.
As much as it bothers me, I know I need to let it go. She’s better off without him. Stronger.
“You should come to the wedding, Baylor,” I hear Claire say as she sets the table with Baylor. “It’s on Valentine’s day, and I’m officially inviting you.”
Leaning back in my chair, I watch as Baylor looks at her, surprised. “Oh, well, yeah, I’d love to,” she says with a small smile as she hands her the forks.
“Good, I’m sure you’ll come with Jayden, but just in case, it’s at two and at the Fontanel Mansion!”
“I’ll be there,” she promises. “Can’t miss out on seeing that man in a tux.”
“Girl,” Claire says. “Right? They are so gorgeous. All of them.”
“Yeah,” she agrees with a grin before she looks back to see that I’m watching her. She then mouths, “Only you.” And I laugh as I nod.
“Sure,” I call to her, and she laughs before setting the spoons down in their spots.
“She’s great, Jayden. I like her a lot,” my mom says, bringing my attention to her.
Meeting her happy gaze, I nod. “Yeah, I think so too.”
“She’s a little awkward,” Lucy says with a grin. “But you’re a weirdo, so it works.”
Wrinkling my face at her, I stick my tongue out as my mom says, “Either way, you two are cute, and I agree with Jace. You can tell that you two are together.”
I shrug. “Yeah, I know, but she wants to keep it on the down low until after the season is over.”
“Why?”
“Her dad doesn’t want her to have any distractions, and she thinks he’ll think I’m that.”
She nods. “You are, you’re perfect,” she says, cupping my face as Lucy laughs.
“Perfectly stupid,” she teases, and I flip her off again as my mom rolls her eyes.
“You guys are so mean to each other. All of you,” she says, sprinkling some sugar in the green beans. “I don’t know why. I’ve done nothing but show y’all love.”
