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Rose gave me a quick look and smiled.
“I know this is new and all, but you do want kids, right?” I asked, holding my breath as I waited for her answer.
“I do want kids. Every time I see Ryder and Rhett and little Blakley, something happens here.”
She placed her hand on her chest.
“It’s like a dull ache, and I feel like I’m missing out on something. It’s crazy.” She turned and looked at me. “I never thought about it before, but you and I have a five-year age difference. How soon are you wanting kids?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Whenever the time feels right. And I’m glad you’re planning that little adventure with me.”
She smiled.
Reaching for her hand, I squeezed it. “So will it be your parents, us, and Joshua at game night?”
Rose pressed her mouth into a tight line. “No, family game night is much bigger. We usually have it at Brock and Lincoln’s house because they have the biggest house.”
My heart dropped. “Who all is going to be there?”
“Well, not Avery, ’cause she’s still in France!” Rose stated with a nervous laugh.
“So not Avery, but everyone else?”
She gave a one-shoulder shrug. “Probably not Bradly since he’s out on the circuit. But it’s summer, and everyone is home.”
“Everyone?”
Stopping her SUV, she put it in park and turned in her seat. “Maybe we should go over that family tree really quick.”
Chapter Eighteen
BRYSON
By the time we pulled up to Brock and Lincoln’s house, Rose had quickly gone over the Shaw family tree. It was kind of easy to remember. Each Shaw brother, plus Dirk, had two kids each. Crazily enough, one boy and one girl. Except for Brock and Lincoln. They had two boys and one girl. There were three great-grandbabies. Ryder and Rhett were twin boys, and Blayze and Georgiana were the parents. Blayze was Brock and Lincoln’s oldest son. Blakley was a little girl, and was Morgan and Ryan’s baby. The twins were almost four months old, and Blakley was almost three months old.
I could keep this all together. No problem. Josh was Rose’s brother. Bradly was…he was…Tanner and Timberlynn’s son? No, Dirk and Merit’s son. Maybe. Shit.
“Ready?” Rose asked as she put her Bronco in park.
“I think so. I’m starting to get them confused already.”
Rose took my hand in hers. “It will be fine. I should warn you, though, my dad and uncles played it cool meeting you, but I think my cousins, especially Joshua and Nathan, are going to freak the fuck out when they meet you. My grandmother might as well.”
I stopped walking at that. Rose took my hand and pulled me along. “Your grandmother?”
“She might ask to see your ass.”
I raised a brow.
“I’m only warning you.”
“Funny, your father gave me the same warning.”
Rose laughed.
“Shit, I should have brought them something, like a signed ball or some other type of merch.”
She laughed. “The fact that they can tell their friends that I’m dating you is enough. Come on, we’re late.”
“Did you at least give them a heads-up I was coming.”
She wore a wicked smile. “If my father can drop a bombshell on me with the whole meet the parents at dinner, I’m going to do the same thing. It will serve them all right.”
“Are you sure, Rose?”
Stopping before we got to the front door, Rose faced me. “Talk to me.”
Shrugging, I replied, “I just want to be Bryson, the guy Rose is dating. Not Bryson, the MLB pitcher.”
Taking my hands in hers, she reached up and kissed me. “You’re just Bryson to me. You’re not Bryson, the best pitcher in the MLB.”
“Was the best pitcher.”
She rolled her eyes. “Was the best pitcher. After the initial shock that you’re here, my family will treat you like one of them. If we act like it’s not a big deal, they will too. It will only be this first initial meeting. Like me with Anna and Greg! Hopefully, you handle it better, though.”
I pulled her to me and leaned down, kissing her deeply before I rested my forehead to hers.
We stood there for a few moments staring at one another, neither of us saying a word. Something passed between us, though. Something strong and beautiful, and I wanted to tell her we should leave and go back to her place. Or better yet, our barn.
Finally, Rose stepped back. “You ready for the circus that is my family?”
With a wink, I replied, “Bring it on.”
Taking my hand in hers, she opened the large wooden door and called out, “Sorry I’m late!”
“It’s about time you showed up! Mom and Dad were about to—”
A young teenage boy who had to be Joshua stopped in the hallway and stared at us. His eyes bounced from me to Rose, then back to me. He was a younger image of Ty, his father. I could see a bit of Kaylee in him as well. You certainly could tell they were related. Where Rose had blue eyes, Joshua had gray. Rose had blonde, curly hair, and Joshua had brown.
