Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Tristan followed Cree’s direction to her parents’ bed and breakfast while thinking that this had been an amazing day so far.
Though he had dreamed about him and Cree reconnecting someday, his imagination hadn’t done the reality justice.
He fell more in love with her with every moment he spent with her, and he was more confident than ever that they belonged together.
As he parked a few doors up from her parents’ bed and breakfast, Cree said, “It looks like my brother, Zion and my Uncle Idris, my dad’s twin brother, are here.” She pointed out their vehicles.
“Anything I should know before we go inside?”
“Only that the guys will probably be glued to their seats with a beer in hand watching football. Oh, and my dad’s twin, who some call the bad boy and black sheep in the family, is opposite of my dad in almost every way.
Not only is he rough around the edges, but he’s been married and divorced three times with three sets of kids.
Surprisingly, they all get along and are the epitome of a blended family.
“My mom and my Aunt GiGi are also here. Aunt GiGi helps with the business, especially on weekends and during the busy seasons. Oh, and since you’re a tall, good-looking man,” Cree said smiling, and Tristan chuckled, “she’ll probably have you blushing before the evening is over.
As for my mom, she’s a wild card. I never know what she’s going to say or do.
If she really is on one of her matchmaking kicks as my sister claims, there might be some random guy inside. ”
“I’m not worried. One look at me, and your mom’s going to kick him out. I’m irresistible,” Tristan assured her.
Cree snorted. “Yeah, we’ll see, Mr. Irresistible. My mother is not easy to please. Then again, if you flash those damn dimples at her, you might win her over.”
As they approached the three-story Greystone, Tristan admired the exterior of the bed and breakfast. On the ride over, Cree had given him a little history on it, while also telling him that her parents had both worked in corporate America.
When they got tired of the high-pressure and long hours, they quit their jobs and opened the B & B.
The Italian architectural style exterior was even more impressive than he had imagined.
If the interior was just as nice, it was no wonder the place had been featured in various magazines.
According to Cree, the seven-bedroom suites were always booked up during the peak season, which included spring, summer, and the end of the year holidays.
Instead of going to the bed and breakfast, they walked along a path on the side of the building that led to her parents’ cottage in back.
Once they reached the door, Cree rang the doorbell, and a few minutes later, the door swung open.
An older man appeared, but his attention was on something behind him.
“Hey, sweetheart,” the man said absently while looking over his shoulder. “Come on…”
The sound of cheering came from somewhere behind him, and he rushed back into the house.
“O—kay. That was my father.” Cree chuckled. “Clearly, we arrived during an important play.” She pushed the door open for them to enter. “That’s the risk of showing up in the middle of a football game, especially when Chicago is playing. He’s a huge fan.”
“Totally understandable,” Tristan said as they moved past the foyer and stood on the edge of a living room.
Besides her father, who was standing near the large television mounted on the wall, there were two other guys. The one who looked exactly like her father must’ve been her uncle, and the other had to be her brother Zion.
“Hey, you guys,” Cree said loud enough to get their attention.
“I was wondering if you had forgotten about stopping by,” Cree’s father said, his attention still on the television screen. “I’ll get those papers for you right after this play.”
Tristan chuckled and moved closer. “Who’s winning?”
“Chicago is up by…” Zion said but stopped and jerked his head around, clearly surprised to hear a man’s voice. He did a double take, and Tristan laughed at his comical expression.
“That knucklehead is my brother, Zion,” Cree said from next to Tristan, a smirk on her face.
“Hold up.” Zion bolted out of his seat, and that got their father and uncle’s attention. “Tristan Whitmore?” Zion said in awe, and Tristan laughed.
“Whaaat?” Cree’s uncle said, fully turning around in his seat.
Tristan knew he and Cree’s father were identical twins, but it was wild to see them next to each other looking exactly alike.
“Well, I’ll be damn,” Uncle Idris said. “It is him, but his ass should be on somebody’s football field playing. Not standing in this living room and wasting all that talent.”
Tristan grunted, hating to be reminded of what he’d been through the last nine months. “I’d love to be out there playing, but I guess there are just some things we have no control over.”
“Knock it off, Idris,” Cree’s father jumped into the conversation and shook Tristan’s hand. “Don’t pay my brother any mind. He always speaks before thinking, and sorry for not seeing you when I opened the door. I was a little distracted. I’m Israel. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too, sir.”
“Man, it’s a pleasure,” Zion said and shook Tristan’s hand. “What brings you to town?”
Tristan reached for Cree’s hand. Though he had told her that he wanted them to go public with their relationship, she hadn’t sounded too convinced. This would be the test.
Interlocking their fingers, he gently tugged her forward until she was standing beside him. Then he brought the back of her hand to his lips. “I grew up here, but what has me staying for good is your sister.”
Cree looked at him with a shy smile that was so not like her, but it was adorable to see vulnerability in her eyes.
She turned her attention to the men in her family. “Tristan and I are a couple.”
Cree cleared her throat. It seemed so foreign to introduce her family to a boyfriend, and not just any boyfriend, but the man she was in love with. The last time she brought anyone home to meet her parents was senior prom, and the only reason she’d done it then was because her father insisted.
Now here she was, her nerves on edge as three of the most important men in her life looked at her in surprise.
Zion crossed his arms and grinned. The former cop turned security specialist had always tried playing a big brother role with his four sisters. He didn’t seem to care that he was actually the baby in the family, and right now, she was fairly sure he was about to say something stupid.
“Well, well, well, somebody finally landed my stubborn, hard-to-get-along-with, take no bullshit, sister. Tristan, man, I hope you know what you’re getting into.”
Cree punched her brother in the arm. “Shut up.”
“Ow! Damn, Cree.”
“Language, boy,” their father said to Zion, then turned his gaze to Tristan. “I guess that means we’ll be seeing you around here often. Good. I look forward to getting to know you.”
“What my brother means is, you fuck around and hurt her, you’ll be dealing with us,” her Uncle Idris said while hiking up his pants, the ones being held up by old suspenders.
“I don’t give a damn who you are or how fast you can run.
I don’t even care how many MVPs you have or how many NFL records you’ve broken.
I also don’t care how many millions you have in the bank.
Hurt my niece, and I’ll hunt you down and kick your ass. ”
Her uncle said all that with a straight face, then dropped down into his seat and picked up his beer.
Cree bit the inside of her cheek, trying not to laugh, but when she glanced at Tristan, and the way his eyebrows almost reached his scalp, she burst out laughing. Tristan and Zion joined in, but their father just frowned and shook his head.
“Like I said, Tristan, don’t pay my brother any attention.”
Zion snorted. “Uncle Idris isn’t the one he should be worried about. Cree chew men up and spit them out before they even know what happened.”
A twinge of guilt pierced Cree in the chest at the truth in those words.
Hadn’t she done just that to Tristan years ago?
What was to keep her from reacting before thinking the next time they had a disagreement?
Because she knew there’d be a next time.
That’s how she was wired. Fight first and ask questions later.
Tristan slipped his arm around her and placed a kiss against her temple. “I’m not worried. Cree’s it for me, and I’m not going anywhere,” he said as if reading her mind.
God, this man. He really was perfect for her, and if anyone could put up with her prickliness, it was Tristan.
“Glad to hear that,” her father said, nodding in approval. “Grab a seat, young man, and watch the rest of the game with us. Want a beer?”
“Sure. That would be great,” Tristan said, and when Cree’s father started for the kitchen, she stopped him.
“I’ll get it, Dad.”
While in the kitchen, Cree’s heart swelled as conversation between the men flowed easily. They pulled Tristan into their group as if knowing him forever, and it didn’t take long for trash talking to start as they tuned back into the game.
A roar of laughter boomed through the house, and Cree smiled. Why had she been so worried to introduce Tristan to the family? Anyone who spent time with him learned quickly that he was one of the good guys. The man could charm the grumpiest person, but more than that, he genuinely loved people.
In hindsight, Cree wished she had introduced him to her family years ago, even before she married him.
Maybe then she would’ve thought twice about walking away from Tristan.
Instead, there’d only been Essence to tell her that she was being too rash.
That she shouldn’t divorce her husband after one disagreement.