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“Let’s hand this over and say hi to Mom.” I gesture with the dish in my hands and lead Tucker into the kitchen where the parents are hanging out. They’re standing around the kitchen island chatting away.
“Hey, guys!” Mom says when she sees us coming into the room.
“Hey, Mom.” I give her a hug, and she turns to Tucker and hugs him as well.
“Tucker, this is Cindy and Steve Ellis. Guys, this is Tucker.” I give the introductions and Tucker holds out his hand.
“It’s nice to meet you!” Cindy says, moving around Tucker’s hand and giving him a hug. He looks at me with confusion in his eyes because he’s not used to all of the affection. I just smile and shrug my shoulders because there’s not much I can do about it.
“Tucker made cheesy potatoes,” I tell Cindy, handing over the covered dish.
“Thank you, Tucker! I’ll pop it in the oven so it’ll be warm. Dinner will be ready in a few, so go hang with the kids, and we’ll come get you.”
“Do you want a drink before we head back into the lion's den?” I ask Tucker.
“They aren’t that bad.” He shrugs.
“Not yet. It’s coming, though, so be prepared.” He just shakes his head at me and takes my hand, leading me back into the living room.
“So, you’re a firefighter, right?” Adam asks Tucker as we sit down on the loveseat. Sara is back in her chair, and the boys found spots on the couch and floor.
“Yeah, have been since I was nineteen,” Tucker responds.
“He’s actually a captain,” I say because someone needs to brag on him and it’s not going to be Tucker.
“Sweet, man. I bet that’s a huge chick magnet.”
“Nolan!” Sara scolds, and Matthew punches him in the arm.
“What? Why was that bad?” he asks, rubbing his arm from the punch.
“Natalie is sitting right there, asshole. She doesn’t need it rubbed in her face that he’s hit on regularly,” Matthew snips, attempting to be quiet about it but failing epically. Tucker grins at me, and I can already tell he likes these guys.
I had a feeling he would, and I hope they can become friends. I don’t think Tucker has many friends. Knowing about his childhood now, I can understand why.
“What do you guys do?” Tucker asks.
“Matthew and I own a sporting goods company together,” Adam replies, and just like Tucker, he’s being humble about it.
“You know the company Sideline Sporting Goods?”
“Yeah, it’s everywhere.” I nod my head at Adam and Matthew.
“No fucking way. Seriously?”
Adam and Matthew both grin at Tucker and nod their heads.
“Carter is an engineer for a biotech company, and Nolan... What are you doing now? I can never keep up with you.”
“I’m bartending at the pub in Westlake. It’s a pretty great gig, and the money is better than you’d think.”
“That sounds like the perfect job for you. Interacting with people, the nightlife, I like it.” I grin at him. He smiles back, and I see a flash of relief in his eyes. I wonder if he thought I would be disappointed in his job.
Nolan has had a hard time figuring out where he fits in best. He has so many interests and is incredibly smart, but because he doesn’t walk the same path as his brothers, I think he’s struggled to figure out what he wants to do. Since Matthew and Adam have a huge business, they’re not sure how best to help Nolan without stepping on his toes.
“Dinner’s ready!” Cindy says, and everyone scrambles to get to the table. With the extra body, we’re squeezed in pretty tight.
“What are we going to do when we start bringing more people around?” Nolan asks, looking around at the very full table.
“Do you have someone to bring home?” Cindy asks with so much hope in her eyes.
“No. I was just thinking the table is super full, and if we bring in more people, we aren’t going to fit.”
I watch Cindy’s shoulders drop and all hope leaves her voice. “Well, it seems I don’t have to worry about it right now. At this rate, I probably won’t ever have to worry about it.”
We all smile at each other, and suddenly everyone’s giggling at Cindy’s comments.
She just rolls her eyes, and we start digging into the meal in front of us. Having Tucker by my side at my family’s Christmas dinner is something I’ve dreamed about for a long time but never thought I’d actually get to experience
I feel his hand on my thigh, and he gives my leg a squeeze. I grin up at him as a riot of love, lust, and happiness fills me. He winks, and for the first time in a very long time, I feel like my life is utterly perfect.
