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“Come on, Tiff. You’re worrying way too much.” Lukus tried again to calm her.
“Easy for you to say.”
“So, tell me more about your family. All I know is your dad and brothers are cops.”
She felt a twinge of guilt. It wasn’t that she’d lied, but she had made a conscious decision not to discuss them with him. She didn’t think he’d understand their family dynamic. She still didn’t, but considering he’d meet them in less than an hour, maybe it was best to fill him in.
She squeezed his hand. “My family is great, but they’re not like most families. Bri has been home with me more times than I can count and she loves them, but even she gets overwhelmed.”
“Overwhelmed?”
“Yeah. There are a lot of us. No one is quiet or shy. When everyone gets going it’s a bit like simmering chaos.”
“Interesting. Who’s gonna be there today?”
Tiff was surprised, but then she remembered she had not filled him in before. “Everyone. This is a required event. No one says no to Mom on a required event.”
“So, Mom wears the pants in the family? That might explain some of your sass.” At least his barb was delivered with a hot-coals Lukus Mitchell smile.
“Well, if you ask Dad, he’ll deny it, but at least with us kids, she does. There’s only one of us that refuses to bend,” she said.
“Ah, so there’s a rebel. Who’s that?”
A sadness she hadn’t allowed herself to feel in a while settled over her. She’d love to see Declan today, but she knew he wouldn’t be there. He’d been out of touch for over a year now.
“My brother Declan. He’s a few years older than me. He was a cop for a few years, but then…” She didn’t want to repeat the rumor. That might make it real. “He quit and moved away. No one’s heard from him for a long time. Don’t bring him up. It’ll make Mom cry and Dad yell.”
“Okay. Fair enough. I know you have a lot of brothers. Just how many am I going to have to fend off today? Three?”
Tiffany giggled. “Try four, today. Five with Declan.”
“Five brothers! Holy shit, that’s a huge family.”
“That doesn’t include my two sisters. Angelina and Colleen are the oldest. They’ll be there with their big families, too. I have eight nieces and nephews. Mom told me Matteo is even going to be there with his new girlfriend. He’s the only one younger than me. He’s been living on the east coast. He’s the baby.”
“Holy shit. I should have been studying pictures and notes all week so I could keep everyone straight. Who are you closest with?” Lukus asked.
“That’s easy. Aiden is only two years older than me, and we’ve always been closest. After Dad, he’s who I’m most worried about making a scene. He’s always been the most protective of me. No one is ever good enough for me in his eyes.”
“Well, I know who I need to win over then, don’t I?” His grin was disarming.
“Good luck with that.”
A few minutes later they reached the turn off to the smaller road carrying them along the expansive lake. Beautiful wooded lots lined the far side of the road. The sun was high in the sky, birds flocked near the water, and a moment of peace descended on Tiffany as Lukus caressed her hand. She took a cleansing breath to calm her nerves.
When Lukus navigated the car off the road and down a short inlet into the forest, she was surprised. They were only a few car lengths off the highway, but the dense trees gave them a great deal of privacy. He turned off the engine and gazed at her, a playful look on his face. She hoped he’d stopped for a quickie.
“Why are we stopping here?”
“I’ve been thinking of ways to help you stay calm today. I know you’re nervous and I get it, but there’s no reason for it. I love you. They love you. We’ll work it out, Tiff.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I am. Trust me. I have an idea to help you stay connected to me,” he said.
She wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that. “I don’t think binding me to you is going to impress them, honey.”
He leaned over to the glove compartment and took out a small box that looked vaguely familiar. Her heart lurched when she remembered why.
