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“What, she couldn’t fly in from Paris?” I deadpanned.
Taking my hand in hers, Mom said, “Sarcasm doesn’t become you, darling.”
“Really? I feel like it does at this moment,” I said as they all turned and headed in the same direction Rose had gone. “Oh God, this isn’t going to be good.”
I shoved a hand through my hair and sighed. I had a small immediate family. One older brother and one older sister. But I had six cousins. Granted, Avery and Bradly weren’t technically blood relatives, but they felt like it. We all grew up together, and truth be told, all of them felt more like brothers and sisters than cousins.
The front door opened and the rest of the family started piling in. My younger cousins, Joshua and Nathan, followed by Uncle Ty and Aunt Kaylee, who were the parents of Rose and Joshua. Uncle Tanner and Aunt Timberlynn, parents of Lily and Nathan. And Uncle Dirk and Aunt Merit, parents of Avery and Bradly—who weren’t actually related, but Dirk had been my dad’s best friend forever, so there you go—were the last ones in.
Aunt Kaylee stopped and pulled me in for a hug, then pushed me out to arm’s length. “I googled the hell out of the little hostess of your show.”
“Did you?” I asked, trying not to smile. It was totally something I could see her doing.
“It’s obvious why they asked her to host. The girl is stunning, smart, seems to have a good head on her shoulders…and did you know she volunteers at an orphanage in Bozeman?”
I did know that, but I wasn’t about to admit to my aunt that I’d goggled the shit out of Kipton as well. “No, I wasn’t aware.”
“Too bad you can’t swipe right on her.”
I laughed and was about to reply when the doorbell rang. My mother appeared out of nowhere. “That will be Kipton and her parents.”
Mom had ultimately decided to invite the Howses over first, without Jack and Travis, so they could get to know the people who’d be hosting their daughter.
I drew in a deep breath as my mother walked to the door with my father right behind her. Where in the hell had he come from?
The door opened—and I tried like hell not to push them out of the way to get my first in-person look at Kipton. She’d been so friendly during video chats with her and the producers, helping to calm my nerves, which had been steadily building as the days passed. Hell, I already felt like she was a bit of a lifeline, and the show hadn’t even started.
“Mr. and Mrs. Howse, what a pleasure to meet you! This must be Kipton!” my mother gushed as she opened the door farther. Mrs. Howse, who appeared to be around the same age as my mom, stepped into the foyer. She wore her blonde hair in a low pony and was quite attractive. After my father greeted her, she turned to me.
I let out the breath I hadn’t even realized I was holding and reached my hand out to shake hers.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Howse, I’m Hunter Shaw,” I said, giving her the smile that I used when I was trying to impress a woman. What can I say? The flirting gene clearly passed from my dad to my brother to me.
She smiled back. “Goodness, you are handsome. I can see why they picked you to do this show.”
I felt my cheeks heat as I motioned to her coat. “May I take your coat for you?”
“Thank you, Hunter,” she said as she turned so I could help her slip it off.
Bradly appeared at my side, flashing a wide grin. “I’ll take that for you, Hunter.”
When Mrs. Howse turned around, her eyes went wide at the site of Bradly.
“Mrs. Howse—” I started.
“Please, call me Laura.”
I nodded. “Laura, this is my cousin, Bradly. Bradly, Laura Howse.”
When he took her hand and kissed the back of it, I had to force myself not to roll my eyes. As he stepped back, he glanced over to me and winked.
“Hunter, this is my husband, Gilbert Howse.”
Reaching a hand out to shake his, I took in Kipton’s father. It was strange; she didn’t favor either of her parents. Her father was most likely in his late forties. Handsome guy, and pretty built. It was clear he worked out.
“It’s nice to meet you, Hunter.”
“The pleasure is all mine, sir.”
