“Let them in, Cage,” a woman who looked exactly what I imagine Bliss would look one day said as she came to the door and shoved her husband over. “You didn’t have to meet them at the door. Bliss doesn’t have to knock. This is her home.”
Cage grunted but his scowl stayed in place. Her mother rolled her eyes at him then smiled at us. “We are thrilled y’all are here. Cord and Clay even canceled their plans for this. They wanted to meet you.”
“Yeah, because I wanted to make sure you understood who you’d be dealing with if you hurt my sister,” a tall but lanky version of Cage York came to the door. He was frowning like his father.
“Oh for god’s sake y’all move so we can get inside or I’m taking him and we are leaving.” Bliss said as she took my arm and pulled me inside with her. Then she paused and stood on her tip toes to kiss the lanky boy. “Glad you stayed, Cord. Love you,” she said.
He kept his warning glare on me. “Love you too.”
That was sweet. There were three of these boys and a dad. I had to convince them all I’d do right by her. And I didn’t mind at all.
“You finally brought home a man. I’m impressed,” another dark haired blue eyed boy said. This one was even younger than the last.
“Nate, this is Clay my youngest brother. The rude one was Cord he’s the middle,” she looked around. “Where is Cruz?”
About that time the exact younger version of her father walked in the room. His shoulders were wide. His hair was slightly long and he had a shot gun in his hands. This was getting entertaining.
“I’m just cleaning my gun,” he said his eyes locked on me.
“Oh good lord y’all are ridiculous,” her mother said. Then she turned to me.
“Excuse my boys. I’m Eva, and this is our crazy household. Bliss never brought boys home so they’re not handling it well. They will adjust.”
“Don’t apologize. I have two younger sisters and I get it. I may have to try that shot gun move with one of their dates.”
The oldest one tried to hid his grin but he failed.
“Go put the gun up and y’all help me get the table set,” Eva ordered and no one questioned her. The youngest started to act like he didn’t hear her and kept his head down looking at his phone.
Cage cleared his throat and the boys head jerked up. Looked at his dad and was out of his seat immediately.
“I like them,” I told her under my breath.
“They aren’t normally insane.”
“They love you.”
She smiled then. That smile that made her face light up. It curled just slightly and her eyes would shine with pleasure. “Yeah they do.”
“Maybe we could just get boys. No girls so I don’t have to do this one day,” I suggested.
She laughed then and shook her head. “No way. I grew up with all these boys. I want a girl too.”
I would let her get five girls if it made her happy. “Okay fine you win.”
“They’re whispering and grinning all silly like. Makes me want to vomit,” Clay said as he put glasses of ice on the table.
“Shut your stupid mouth,” Cruz said glaring at his brother.
“That’s enough. We have company please don’t embarrass your sister she may never bring him back,” her mother said.
“You hunt?” Cage asked me.
“No sir.” I hoped that didn’t mean I was out before I even got a chance to get in.
“Good. Me either.”
I glanced down at Bliss who was smiling at her father. Maybe a girl wouldn’t be so bad after all. Sisters were pains in the ass. But a daughter would be different.
“You surf?” Cage then asked.
“Yes sir.”
“I like him,” he declared. “Have a seat boy. Tell me about yourself.”
“Daddy, be nice.”
“Hell, Bliss. I’m being nice. It was your crazy ass brother who brought out your granddad’s shotgun. Not me.”
“I was cleaning it,” Cruz interjected.
“Sure you were boy. Sure you were,” Cage said with an amused smirk. “Boys love their sister. So you got two sisters huh? What about your parents? Married? Divorced? Lesbians?”
“Jesus, Daddy!”
“CAGE!” Bliss and her mother both reacted at once.
“I’m just asking. If he’s parents are lesbians then I don’t care. Hell he can have two dads for all I care. I’m just being friendly getting to know the boy.”
I liked this man. My dad would too.
“I have a mom and a dad. Still married. And the two sisters.”
He nodded. “Know any lesbians?”
“God help me,” Eva said as she sat food down at the table.
“As a matter of fact I do,” I replied.
He nodded. “What about STD’s? You got any of them?”
I laughed. Couldn’t help it this time. The man was great.
“Daddy I swear I am about to take him and leave.”
Cage held up both hands. “Okay. Okay, fine. I’ll stop asking him questions.”
“Thank you,” Bliss and Eva said in unison.
“Damn I was hoping he was going to ask more about the lesbians,” Cord said.
Bliss picked up a roll from the table and threw it at his head.
Sitting back in my seat I looked over at her and smiled. I liked it here. Her family. They were a lot like mine. I could see why she was the person she was today. I’d ask her to marry me soon. Because I couldn’t wait much longer. I wanted all this with her. The works. Every complicated beautiful moment of it.
ABBI GLINES IS a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Existence, and The Field Party Series . She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but alas she was born in Alabama. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, shopping (major shoe and purse addiction), sneaking off to the movies alone, and listening to the drama in her teenagers lives while making mental notes on the good stuff to use later. Don’t judge.
You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. She uses social media to procrastinate.