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“Hey sis,” Ben cautiously says, “sorry about last night. Will you and I be okay?
I blow out another breath. How can I be mad? I’ve entered an alternate universe. “Yeah, Ben, we’re good. Thanks for caring about me.” He visibly relaxes and then hugs me, ruffling my hair.
Next is my grandma. “Hey Grandma, this is Coulter. Cole, this is my grandma Alice, my mom’s mom.”
She looks Cole over with a stern gaze. “What kind of name is Coulter?” Oh no, here we go.
Cole smiles, “it’s a family name. It was my grandmother’s maiden name. Her name was Clara Coulter, but please call me Cole.”
Grandma’s look softens, and she pats Cole on the cheek. “You’re a good boy, I can tell.”
My mouth drops open. It took three months for her to warm up to Annie’s husband Mark—go me. Hell! Way to go Cole! But then I already knew he was a charmer with the ladies.
“Thank you,” Cole says, his megawatt smile in place, and he kisses her hand.
He releases her, and she turns to move, then points a finger at Cole. “I may be old and decrepit, but I promise you this; if you hurt my granddaughter, I will haunt you after I’m dead.”
I cover my mouth to stifle a laugh.
“Noted, and I promise never to hurt Kate, I love her.” He looks at me with that smile and I can’t help but smile back.
Grandma Alice pats his shoulder. “Good boy.”
Mark and Annie are next. “This is my sister Annie and her husband Mark.”
Cole shakes both their hands, but Annie starts crying and crushes him in a hug. Cole looks over at me for help.
“Hormones,” I mouth.
Cole nods knowingly and pats her gingerly on the back.
Now my parents—I think my heart may jump out of my chest; it’s beating so frantically. Drops of sweat are running down the back of my neck. Cole puts his hand on my back to help steady me.
“Cole, this is my dad, Rob, and my mom, Luann. Mom, Dad, this is Coulter Holt my…” My dad cuts me off.
“We know, Katie, Ben told us.”
“Okay,” I breathe out. My dad turns to Cole, and I visibly relax a tiny bit. Things have gone one hundred times better than I could have hoped for. Please don’t let that change.
“It’s nice to meet you, Coulter.” My dad holds out his hand. “I’m Rob Cook.”
Cole shakes his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, sir. Kate speaks highly of you.” My dad huffs a little like he wants to say something, but mom gives him the eye, so he keeps whatever it is to himself.
“And I’m Luann.” My mom holds her hands out for Cole and he gives her a hug.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Cook, you have a lovely home. Thank you for the warm welcome.”
My dad shuffles off into the corner of the kitchen without saying anything to me and I watch him go.
“Kate.”
I turn and glance at my mom.
“Mom.”
She hugs me, whispering in my ear, “give your dad some time to come around to the idea.”
I nod into her shoulder.
