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I blush as Brady enters the kitchen and gives me a breathtaking smile.
"Jenny," Brady greets her with a hug. "How have you been?"
"I've been good," she answers. "How is business?"
"It's business," Brady hitches a shoulder as his arm snakes around my waist.
Aunt Jenny glances between us. "Uncle Kyle and I used to work together."
"You still work together," Mia interjects.
"I was getting to that," Aunt Jenny narrows her eyes at her daughter. "We still do when Mia lets us. But those early years, it was a lot of fun."
"Did Dad ever annoy you?" Mia asks as she snacks on a sugar cookie.
"Nope," Aunt Jenny replies.
"That's because they were too busy doing it on desks and in back rooms," Mom calls her out.
"It's true," Aunt Jenny agrees. "We didn't have time to fight. We were too busydoing it."
I can tell the conversation is making Brady a little uncomfortable.
"This has been so fun and enlightening," I clear my throat, "but I think I hear Dad calling us from the dining room."
"He's not!" Mom hollers after us as I drag Brady out of the kitchen.
The moment we're alone in the hall, I push him up against the wall and press a quick peck to his lips.
"I'm sorry my family is so..." I search for the right word.
"Unfiltered?" Brady suggests.
"I was going to say unhinged," I smile up at him. "But unfiltered works, too."
"They're fun," he wraps his arms around me. "And they love you."
"They tolerate me," I correct.
Brady shakes his head as his lips connect with mine again. And again. And again.
"They love you, Iz," he tilts his head to the side. "They go on and on about how good of a mom you are and how happy they are that you're thriving here. They rooting for you. They love you."
"They said that to you?" I ask, perplexed.
"They did," he nods.
"Dinner's ready!" we hear.
A crowd of my family members shuffles to the dining room as I grab Brady's hand. "It's been a while since your last Thompson holiday. Come on."
Brady laces his fingers with mine as we find a seat at the extended dining room table. Brianna is sandwiched between her cousins, and Steve is seated on the other side of Brady.
Dad carves the turkey—terribly—and we all laugh. I lay my head on Brady's shoulder as the grandkids are served first. Then, we all take turns passing around the feast. It's a tradition I've never loved as much Mom and Aunt Jenny do, but sitting here with Brady, I think I might understand why they put so much time and effort into holidays. They want to cherish the memories. I never wanted to cherish memories like this before. Most of the time, it was just Brianna and me. Holidays were normal days for us. Now, though,nowshe and I get all of this. We get the magic.
"So, Brady," Liam gives me a shit-eating grin, "what's it like to boss around Izzy all day?"
"You mean at work or in the bedroom?" Ace annoyingly adds.
