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“Sorry we’re late,” I mumble as Nadia and I take the empty chairs that have been left for us. “Traffic.”
Grinning happily, Grammy shakes her head at me, silently saying that she doesn’t buy my bullshit. “Okay, okay. No time for your excuses. Time to eat! We kept the rolls warm for you late birds,” she chirps, rising to go grab the bread from the warmer.
Mason taps the side of his mouth. “Hmm. How strange. Usually not much traffic in a backwoods town like this on a Sunday afternoon.”
“Yeah, the road was wide open when we drove in.” Jasper smirks, bouncing Sparkle on his knee.
Davis shrugs. “I made it here in record time.”
Nadia’s eyes meet mine and we both hold back laughter.
“Hey, Harry,” Nicky calls from down the table. “I like that color on you. Is it new?”
“Huh?” I look down at my shirt. It’s black. What is she talking about?
“The lipstick. Fuchsia is totally your color,” my bratty sister deadpans and the table goes up in laughter.
“Shut up,” I grumble to my family, dragging my wife’s chair closer to mine and slinging an arm around her shoulder. “We’re in love.” Nadia giggles embarrassedly at my side, and I squeeze her thigh.
They may be assholes, but I know them. If they’re giving us shit, unfortunately, that’s their way of welcoming Nadia into the fold.
Grammy ambles back into the dining room a moment later, and my siblings and cousins all immediately put their halos back on. Grammy bears witness to a lot of our shenanigans, but we try to be on our best behavior at the dinner table.
Wetry.We usually don’t succeed.
We settle in and eat. Family dinner is as rowdy as ever. But despite wanting to physically hurt my shit-talking brothers who keep telling embarrassing stories from our childhood, I enjoy the way everyone welcomes Nadia. She’s polite and quiet at first, but pretty soon, she starts to hold her own and joke with the rest of them.
I love the way she fits in. Even more, I love the way she seems to be enjoying herself.
Nadia compliments Grammy and Emma on the meal, thanking them for having her at today’s dinner. For the better part of an hour, she and my father go back and forth about the stock market from across the table. Then she gets pulled into a deep conversation with Nicky, who has dragged her chair across the room to squeeze in beside my beautiful bride. Their heads are buried together half the dinner, and I’m smiling to myself. I knew they’d get along.
“Is there anymore potato salad?” Simon asks from the other side of the table, craning his neck to peek into the serving bowls.
Nicky’s head snaps up from her conversation. “Yes, there is!” She grabs the plastic dish and leaps across the table so fast, she ends up dropping all her cutlery to the floor. She doesn’t seem to notice. She smiles sweetly at Simon. “Here you go.”
“Uh, thanks, Nicky.” I notice the way his voice drops to a rumble when he says her name. Their eyes linger for a moment. But then his gaze shoots to Jasper. He guiltily shakes his head.
The fuck…?I glance around the room. Is anybody else seeing this?
“What…?” Nicky scowls in my direction when she feels me watching her. Then she goes right back to her discussion with my wife.
Partway through the meal, Sparkle starts fussing and rubbing her eyes. Emma excuses herself to put the little one down for a nap. No one else seems to notice but I catch Jasper sneaking off after his wife like a cat.
The rest of us are enjoying dessert—a new pie recipe Grammy taught Meghan—when I realize that Emma and Jasper still aren’t back yet.
“Where’d Jasper go? They didn’t leave, did th—?”
Before I can finish my question, a squeal sounds from the hall bathroom.
“Not again,” Mason groans.
“How are they still going at it like bunnies?” Davis asks.
Meghan shrugs and offers an excuse on behalf of her friend. “Emma’s book deadline is this week…”
“Ohhhh…” everyone says knowingly around the table.
Next to me, Nadia snickers into her palm.
