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“Cate!”
I turn and see Caleb waving me over toward him and a woman who I presume is his fiancé. I walk over to them and they are both grinning ear to ear.
“Cate, this is my fiancé, Sarah.”
Sarah foregoes the handshake and pulls me into her petite frame for a hug. “I am so happy you agreed to come to our wedding.”
I pat her back and pull away once the hug seems to go on for a half-second too long. “I’m excited too. Congratulations to you both, by the way!”
“Caleb told us you are a flight attendant.” Her almond shaped, hazel eyes suck me in, and I am grinning like an idiot.
“I am.” I nod wondering if she is about to ask me for discounted tickets for their honeymoon, although by the look of this house, I doubt they would need it.
“Do you fly to Hawaii often?” Sarah clasps her hand over Caleb’s.
“Not as often as I would like.”
“I hope you’re ready for a fun Christmas weekend,” Caleb inputs, smiling down at Sarah, who looks nothing short of a Polynesian goddess. “Sarah’s family has planned everything.”
Sarah laughs. “We’re all about a little friendly competition.”
“Competition?” I ask. Clearly there is something I am missing.
“I guess Theo forgot to tell you,” Sarah starts.
“It’s girls versus boys in a slew of games,” Caleb picks up. “Beach volleyball, drinking games, a dance off, limbo, and maybe even water sports.”
Sarah pats Caleb’s chest. “Clearly, he is excited. I hope you’re ready. I’m excited to have you on Team Bride!”
“What happens to the losers?” I ask before I have a chance to think that one through.
“Oh, I like you,” Caleb flashes a perfect smile.
“The losers have to perform a traditional hula dance, coconut bra and grass skirts, the works.” Sarah looks like she will be taking this “friendly” competition seriously. And I can tell we will be fast friends.
“Sounds like it’s going to be fun.” I nod with a smile. I want to warn them that there is no such thing as a “friendly” competition in my world, but I refrain. No need to scare them into disinviting me. I’ll just have to reign it in while in Hawaii.
“Ahhh!” An older man with Theo’s green eyes walks into the room armed with a book and cozy moccasin slippers. “You must be the mysterious Cate my son has told us so very little about.” He bows slightly and I’m not sure if I’m supposed to bow back. But before I can decide, Caleb and Sarah have walked away, and he shoots back up flashing a smile. “I am Steven Bennett.”
“It is so nice to finally meet you, Mr. Bennett.”
“Mr. Bennett sounds too formal,” he waves his hand in the air. “Please, call me Steven.”
“Steven.” I amend. “Thank you for inviting me to dinner tonight. I am glad to have the chance to meet everyone before flying to Hawaii.”
“We’re happy to have you here, Cate.” Steven stretches his arm across my shoulders and whispers, “We were starting to worry about Theo. I’m glad he has someone special in his life.”
“Someone special?” My heart races at the thought of being special to Theo. I glance back at Theo grabbing two wine glasses from his mother and planting a kiss on her cheek. He looks over at me and smiles.
“All he has told us is how wonderful you are,” Stephen continues, drawing my attention back to him. “Athena and I can finally rest easy knowing Theo won’t be alone anymore.”
“What are you two talking about?” Theo’s voice sends a sudden warmth through me. Steven’s arm slithers from me and Theo reaches around me, offering me a glass of red wine. His chest is once again against my back, and I think I can feel his heart beating quickly.Is he nervous?
“I was just welcoming Cate to the family.” Steven clutches his hardback copy of Ernest Hemingway’s,For Whom the Bell Tolls. An interesting choice.
Athena claps her hands together. “Dinner is ready! Everyone grab your drinks and sit down. And Steven, no books at the table.”
“Does she need help with anything?” I ask Theo as Steven glides over to his place at the table, hiding the book between his legs.
