9. A Friendly Meal
9
A FRIENDLY MEAL
“I don’t know how you talked me into this,” Justine said late Sunday morning when Garrett picked her up. “Are you sure it’s fine?”
“Totally fine,” he said. “Everyone knows you’re coming. My mother all but yelled at me when I said that you might change your mind.”
She laughed. A nervous one on top of it.
“Why is that?” she asked.
She moved to his SUV and climbed in. Nothing fancy or flashy. A white Audi, mid-sized. It was a common enough vehicle and there were many that would cost a ton more. She knew, Elise had the highest priced one you could get.
Her stepmother always had to have the best.
“Because once she found out you were alone on the island, she’d have my head if I let you stay that way.”
She climbed in and turned to him. “What did you tell her about me?”
“Relax,” he said, patting her leg.
If she felt some heat moving through her body, she was going to tell herself it was nothing.
Not that she was attracted to him.
Or that she found him extremely easy to talk to.
She was here for less than six months at this point and there was no way she was going to get involved with anything or anyone.
She just wanted to focus on her career.
But he was going back to Boston too.
Or maybe not.
He said he was trying to figure his life out and because she knew that all too well, the last thing she needed to do was get close to someone else that might have the same amount of drama or confusion in their life as her.
“I’m trying to,” she said. “I don’t always do so well in large gatherings.”
“You know me and you know Hudson. We are all pretty similar personality-wise. I know Hudson and Delaney will be there with their kids. I found out that Carson and Laine flew to her father’s in Rhode Island yesterday with the twins. So four fewer people.”
“Guess I don’t get to meet that doctor,” she said.
“He’ll come down to say hi, I’m sure. But he doesn’t send too many scripts your way.”
“Sure, he does,” she said. “Contrasts get ordered with MRIs, not to mention other things for scans that people need to take prior.”
“You’re right. Missed that. I don’t think much of it.”
“No reason you have to,” she said. “What about Ava?”
“She’ll be there,” he said. “I’ll give you a crash course.”
“Thank you for that,” she said. “I’m good with names.”
“You know Hudson’s wife is Delaney. His twins are Alec and Allison.”
“Got it,” she said, repeating them. It helped her remember. “Don’t tell me about Carson’s twin’s names if they aren’t there. You can let me know later.”
He nodded his head as he drove. “Ava is married to Seth. They’ve got a daughter, Adele, who is older. I don’t remember her age. Maybe close to nine. It’s actually Ava’s stepdaughter, but Adele’s mother passed away years ago, so Ava really is her mother now. They’ve got a son, Brayden, who I think is three and then Kendall was born in early March.”
“Oh,” she said. “A newborn.”
“Yes,” he said. “And my mother is going to get her hands on as many of the babies as she can. I hear it all the time, that she is waiting for grandkids.”
“My father used to say that,” she said quietly.
Now he’d never see a grandchild.
“Sorry,” he said. “I’m glad you’re not alone but feel bad if it’s bringing up memories too.”
“It’s fine,” she said. “Like you said, the first year is the hardest. Is that all that is there then? Other than your parents and aunt and uncle?”
It was still a lot and more than she’d been around for a holiday meal, but she knew it could have been worse.
“That’s it,” he said. “And you didn’t need to bring anything, but my aunt and mother will love it.”
She wasn’t much of a baker, but she was off on Friday and took the ferry to Boston, bought a couple boxes of gourmet chocolates, and decided that would be enough to call it a day.
Garrett had told her no one had any food allergies, but she didn’t tell him why she was asking.
It had helped that Hudson had come down on Saturday to say hi. He said nothing about her going to his parents’ house on Sunday and she wouldn’t have wanted that mentioned where others could hear.
The last thing she needed in her life was anyone she worked with to think this was anything more than a friendly meal so that she wasn’t alone.
That was what she was going to keep telling herself today.
“It’s just good manners to bring something to someone’s house when you’re invited,” she said.
He turned down a street and then she realized they were close to the water.
The house wasn’t as big as she thought it might be, but then she knew there weren’t a ton of what would be considered mansions on the island.
But the closer they got, she did see the house was good sized.
“Did your cousins grow up on the island in this house?” she asked.
“No,” he said. “This was their weekend home too. My parents have one not that far away. My Aunt Lacy and Uncle Michael split their time here. My aunt is here more with all the kids.”
“I’m sure,” she said, getting out and lifting the two boxes of chocolates.
Her nerves were pushing through her skin and threatening to expose her as a fraud who was confident in her decision. She was second-guessing her choice to do this now.
Garrett ran his hand down her arm. “I can bring you back home if you want. It’s fine.”
That he understood that was enough for her to move forward. Or maybe it was those nerves that were standing out for him to see.
“No,” she said. “Coming out of that comfort zone. You know, you dared me. I can’t have you winning.”
He laughed. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.”
“I needed to hear it,” she said. “I really did. I can’t live in a bubble.”
“My family is aware of your situation,” he said quietly. Almost in a soothing tone, which was such a contrast to his big stature, handsome looks, and deep voice. “There will be no uncomfortable or upsetting questions about why you’re here or alone.”
She turned to look at him. “Thank you.”
“I took a gamble that it’d make it easier. This is going to be a nice friendly holiday meal. There will be talk about work, the kids, and the island. Nothing more. I promise.”
She nodded.
When she walked in the door, two older women came forward. She could tell right away who was Garrett’s mother. The calming dark blue eyes gave it away.
“Hello, Justine. I’m Selena Mills. I’m so glad my son asked you to come.”
“Thank you,” she said, reaching her hand out.
“I’m Lacy Mills,” Garrett’s aunt said. “Please come into our home. We’ll try not to bombard you.”
“Like you did at the door,” Garrett said, leaning in to kiss his mother and aunt on the cheek.
What a sweet move.
She’d never seen a man do that before.
Maybe her heart skipped a few beats watching it.
“Just wanted to introduce ourselves,” Selena said, winking at her son.
“It’s fine,” Justine said. “Here. I brought chocolate. I’m not much of a baker. I figured everyone loves chocolate.”
“Thank you,” Lacy said. “Oh, these are my favorites. Did you go to Boston to get them?”
“I had Friday off and took the ferry over,” she said. “There were a few things I needed to get there anyway.”
She didn’t but used that as an excuse to hit a few shops and pick stuff up. She’d left her car at the docks and boarded the ferry and had an Uber waiting for her when she got to Boston.
She hadn’t been looking forward to bringing her car on and off any more than she needed to.
“Even sweeter,” Selena said. “Come in and we’ll introduce you to everyone.”
Justine moved toward the back of the house, got introduced to Garrett’s cousins, father, and uncle, then took a seat on an upholstered chair. He sat on the arm next to her after he got her a glass of wine.
She was there as his friend, but it sure the hell felt like something much more by the time the day was done.