26. Chapter 26
Chapter twenty-six
Adrian
As Griffin’s best friend and former teammate, I’ve met all of Sam’s family members before. Each of them has attended Crowns games over the years, and I even traveled with Griffin to visit Oklahoma a couple of times during offseasons.
But after experiencing the intensity of Griffin’s protectiveness over Sam, I’m heading into the presence of all seven West family members with the fear of God in my chest.
It doesn’t help that I just kissed Sam for the first time, and it was pure heaven.
Made all of my dreams about it look like cartoons in comparison to the real thing.
Replaying the taste of her soft lips, the dip of her back beneath my hand, the grip of her fingers around my neck when I started to pull away—those aren’t the best thoughts to fixate on when I’m with her parents for the first time as her boyfriend.
As I drive us to Griffin’s house, I shift my focus to the weight of Sam in my arms after we kissed.
The tremble of her chin when I explained what cielo means.
Her fingers clinging to my bicep as I held her head against my chest. I focus on that feeling—protecting her, insulating her from whatever was swirling in her mind that made her react so emotionally.
That’s the energy I want her parents and siblings to see.
That I’ll call and raise any protectiveness they bring to the table.
I held her in the closet until her breathing evened out and her fingers’ grip on my arm was less desperate. Then, she realized how long we’d been standing there and switched into hurry mode so we wouldn’t be late to the rehearsal.
She’s been quiet on the drive to Griffin’s, but not in a bad way.
At least, I don’t think it’s bad. Her fingers interlaced with mine are relaxed, propped on her crossed knees.
She’s kept her other hand placed lightly on top, rubbing her thumb across the back of my hand while she stares out the window.
Griffin’s advice has been a constant drumbeat in my head, and I’m trying really hard to figure out what she needs from me. How to approach the complicated thoughts and emotions that I know she’s been having.
But even I know not to bring it up while we’re on our way to Griffin and Danae’s wedding rehearsal. When we’re about to interact with her family as a couple for the first time.
So I keep my mouth shut and my hand in hers.
Even with our . . . delay . . . we make it to Griffin’s house before anyone else has arrived, just like Sam wanted. I get out of the sports car and jog around to open Sam’s door. She smooths her dress as she stands, and I close the door without letting go of her hand. “Ready?” I ask.
She leans onto her toes and pecks a kiss to my lips, smiling as she pulls away. “Ready now.”
Keep your thoughts in the right place, menso. No kiss instant replays.
We walk up to the house, and Jason opens the front door to us, looking very dapper in dress pants and a polo shirt.
Griffin stands next to him, and his eyes shoot daggers at me over Sam’s shoulder as she hugs him.
He mouths, I saw that, and I give him a sharp look.
A look I hope comes across as “I got this. I’m being intentional. Respectfully, butt out.”
Griffin provides one last unspoken communication in the form of an uncomfortable squeeze to my shoulder, and I shrug him off.
When Jason scampers through the house to the backyard and Sam crosses the room to hug Danae, I whisper, “Scale back the overprotective-brother vibes. I’m not being stupid.
I swear. You can chill and enjoy your wedding. ”
He eyes me one last time and seems assured by whatever expression he finds in mine. With a short nod, he walks toward Danae and Sam in the kitchen, and I follow. “Anything I can do to help?” I ask.
“Distract my parents with your wit and charm?” Danae suggests with a grim smile.
“Kidding. I put Kara’s husband on babysitting duty with my parents.
I’m trying to limit their interactions with anyone from the team as much as possible tonight and tomorrow.
They don’t need stories to embellish to all their rich friends. ”
While I don’t know the entire history, I know Danae’s relationship with her posh parents has been strained for her entire adult life.
When they suddenly showed interest in rebuilding their relationship after she started dating a star baseball player, Griffin had to step in to support Danae’s boundaries multiple times.
From what he’s told me, Danae has taken some tentative steps to allow them back into her life, but the walls are still well guarded.
“I promise to be very boring if I get cornered,” I say.
Sam laughs. “Yeah, right. Like that’s possible.”
Her smile makes me grin, and I’d like nothing more than to kiss those tempting lips again, but I’m not stupid. I just promised Griffin I’m not.
The doorbell rings, and Danae says, “Why don’t you and Samantha stand outside to direct people around the side of the house to the backyard? That way Griffin and I can greet everyone back there as they arrive.”
“Consider it done,” I say, holding out the crook of my arm to Sam. Griffin gives me a final hard stare as he turns to follow Danae out the back door, and I start to sweat a little at the thought of six West family members eyeing me all night.
When I open the front door, I recognize Kara, the music teacher at Danae’s school, and her husband, Ron.
I met them briefly when they came to a game with Griffin and Danae earlier this season.
Ron—an avid Crowns fan—stiffens at the sight of me, and Kara not-so-subtly elbows him in the side while clearing her throat.
I hold out my hand to shake theirs. “Kara, Ron, nice to see you again!” I greet, and Sam gives Kara a quick hug.
“Adrian Ortiz, amazing to see you,” Ron says as he excitedly pumps my hand. “What a season you’re having. And the All-Star Game. It was—”
He grunts as Kara elbows him harder, and she smiles sweetly at me. “Where should we be?” she asks. Sam directs her to follow the stone path around the side of the house, and then we take up our place on the front porch.
Seconds later, Drew and Lily pull up. Drew gets Asher out of the car seat, and we oooh and ahhh over how adorable he looks in a miniature suit. I clap hands with Drew as Sam says, “You look gorgeous, Lily!”
Lily returns the compliment, then looks at Sam with a sly smile. “Why haven’t you joined me and the other WAGs up in the suite for a game? Tell Griff he can’t monopolize your attendance anymore.”
Sam blushes but grins. “I’d love to join you sometime. Especially for these blazing summer-afternoon games. It’s miserable in the stands. I got completely ruined by the suite life.”
We direct them to the backyard as three cars pull into the circle drive in succession, and I know the moment has come.
Swallowing hard, I check to make sure my suit coat is buttoned and stand taller.
Glancing over at Sam, I see her looking up at me with a combination of a smirk and a swoon.
“You know, you’re kinda hot when you’re nervous,” she teases as she takes my hand.
“That doesn’t help get my head in the right place to meet your family,” I murmur.
“You’re not meeting them, menso. You’ve met them all before. Multiple times,” she says, still grinning.
“Not the same.”
“You’ll be fine,” she says as she squeezes my hand. “I’m the one who’s not fine. It’s very difficult to resist kissing you when nervous Adrian is so attractive.”
I stifle a growl as her family files up the walkway to where we’re standing. Sam lets go of my hand to hug her parents, then Ian, then her older siblings, then the three children.
Her hugs and greetings slow down the swarm, leaving me to individually greet each person as well. Cinda, her mom, is the first to reach me with an instant hug. “Adrian, it’s wonderful to see you. I’m positively delighted about everything,” she says, bringing an easy smile to my face.
When I stand up from her hug, I’m met with the brick wall that is Griffin and Sam’s dad, David. He’s about three inches taller than me with broad shoulders and massive hands that fully envelop mine in a handshake.
“Mr. West,” I stammer, shrinking beneath the intensity of his blue-eyed stare.
His stare cracks with a smile as he releases my hand. “Adrian. You’ve called me ‘David’ for years now. No reason that should change.”
“Yes, sir,” I say, then amend, “I mean, David. It’s good to see you all again. Especially for such a happy occasion.”
Loosen up, man. Stop being so stiff. You’re acting like Carson.
Sam’s older siblings, Sawyer and Miranda, are next in line to greet me along with their significant others.
I receive another crushing handshake from Sawyer, but otherwise, no one makes any overt threats.
Sawyer and his wife usher their kids around to the backyard, and Sam gets tugged along in the commotion.
Ian steps toward me, looking so similar to Sam. He has the same light hair and slight build, although he has a couple of inches on Sam. His eyes are entirely green to Sam’s blue-green lagoons, and those green eyes are currently locked on me with an unblinking gaze.
His voice is low when he says, “I may be the smallest of all the men in the West family. But the thing about studying biology is that you learn a multitude of fascinating ways that life can suddenly end. Sammi has taken care of me my entire life, and I’ll put my research to good use if you don’t take care of her. ”
There’s no sarcasm in his statement. His calm countenance conveys exactly how serious he is, and I respect him for it. Holding out my hand to shake his, I say, “I believe every word. And I swear that Sam’s going to be taken care of for the rest of her life. As long as she’ll let me.”