Chapter Twenty Eight
NICK
Gran’s invitation came much faster than expected. She asked us all to her place the following weekend.
On Saturday, we arrived early, but even so, I’d spotted enough cars to know that at least half the family was already here. The twins were excited when we told them we were going to see my grandparents. The second I opened the door to the house, they barreled inside.
“Guys, you don’t know where to go. Wait a bit,” Allison called after them.
But she needn’t have to because Gran came out into the hallway, and the twins hugged her legs tightly.
“Welcome!” she exclaimed.
Allison and I had decided to tease the family today. We weren’t going to hide that we were together, but we weren’t going to make it easy for them either.
“Allison, darling, welcome to our home,” Gran added.
“It’s so cozy,” Allison said.
As Gran led us inside, she asked me, “Did you live here at all?”
“No, I didn’t. My half brothers moved in with them after their mother passed away. We lived in Maine with Mom until college.”
“Got it. So… are we still on with our original plan?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
“We’re on. But it might come back to bite us.”
She jerked her head back. “What do you mean? How?”
“I can never say how or when, but it’s a definite possibility with the family.”
“Hmm. So, no PDA?”
I tilted closer. “If we can help it.”
She bit her lower lip. “That’s just the thing. I don’t think I can.”
“I don’t think I can either.” My voice was more of a growl. I cupped the side of her neck with one hand, putting my thumb just behind her ear. She tilted her head into it. “Or I could just kiss you right now and everyone would know.”
Her eyes widened a bit as she licked her lower lip. “How would they know? No one’s here.”
“Trust me. Another rule in this house: if we do something they want to see, someone will see it through walls.”
We started to laugh.
As if on cue, we heard footsteps. I let her go and winked at her. Over these past few weeks, she’d changed a lot. She was relaxed and smiled more. And yeah, I was taking all the credit for that.
Penny and Meredith appeared in the entrance hall.
“Hurry, you two,” Meredith said, looking intently at us as if she was trying to decipher something. “Otherwise, the first tray of finger foods will be gone, and I don’t think the catering company brought any more quiches. They’re to die for.”
“Today’s a catering company day again?” I asked as Allison and I walked toward the living room. I almost touched her lower back but stopped myself just in time.
“Yes,” Meredith replied. “Everyone had a very full week, so we didn’t have time to coordinate cooking among ourselves.”
“Why’s that?” Allison asked.
“It took us a long while to convince Gran to stop cooking for so many people. So now at gatherings, she uses a catering company, or each of us cooks something and we bring it by. More of a potluck type of get-together.”
“That’s smart.”
Half the family was already in the living room. Jake, Natalie, and their daughter, Meredith, Cade, Penny, Spencer, and Ben. The twins were all over Ben already. I was happy that the little guy wasn’t jealous that there were two more kids in the family.
Colton and Zoey were here too. The two of them stopped talking when they saw us.
Colton actually flashed me a grin, which almost made me do a double take.
Our oldest half brother wasn’t usually one to grin or be very humorous, but things had changed since he’d met Zoey, and the family had grown closer.
I realized that it wasn’t just Colton and Zoey who were looking at us, though. Everyone else was too. What had Gran done, spread the word to everyone?
Of course, that was precisely what she’d done. Why would that even surprise me?
“Hello, you two,” Jake said.
“Hi.” Allison sounded a bit shy. It was hard for me to remember that she’d only met the whole family once.
“This is the very official welcome to the family. Don’t know if Nick filled you in.”
“He didn’t!” She playfully swatted my shoulder.
I flashed her a warning look. Touching was dangerous. That was the thing with Allison: I could never touch or kiss her even just a little bit. It was all or nothing.
“Yeah, it actually is,” I replied. “Jake’s right. When my grandparents ask you over, it means you’re a Whitley now.”
Before all of this, the thought of me showing up here with a woman had been unthinkable.
I was fully aware that this had happened under odd circumstances, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I wanted Allison here with me for all the other times that Gran asked us over.
I wanted her to celebrate Christmases and birthdays with my family.
I wanted her and the twins in my life forever.
The recognition completely shocked me. That wasn’t what we were doing at all. We were staying together until she got custody, and that was it. But when I thought of someone taking my place, that didn’t sit well with me either. Not at all.
I could be a good boyfriend. But what if I could be a good husband too?
“So, what was that about a quiche?” I inquired.
“We saved you some,” Natalie said. “I had to fight for it.”
I started to laugh.
“They’re really delicious, with ham and parmigiano and a lot of other things,” she went on.
She pointed to a plate on the huge dinner table. Even though my grandparents had gotten progressively longer tables over the years, we’d come to the point where we couldn’t fit enough chairs around it, so we took turns eating.
As Allison and I both reached for a quiche, I put my hand on her back.
It was instinctive; I needed to be connected with her one way or another.
I didn’t realize I was doing it until I heard Natalie whisper something behind me.
I didn’t catch much, but the words cozy and close filtered through to us.
I caught Allison’s eye, and she chuckled. Oh, what the hell. I was certain that by the time the day ended, everyone would know. And why shouldn’t they? I was opening myself up for conversations that I wasn’t ready for, but I’d just roll with it.
“All right. The rest of the clan is here too,” Spencer exclaimed.
Allison and I turned in unison to see Gabe, Leo, and Maddox arrive with their partners.
“That was the last quiche, wasn’t it?” Gabe said, pointing at me.
“Yes,” I replied proudly.
“It pays to be early,” Jake teased.
Allison’s stomach rumbled.
“Damn it, I should have given you mine,” I told her.
There was an audible gasp, but I couldn’t tell from whom. Yeah, I was on a slippery slope and didn’t even know it.
“There’s plenty of food in the kitchen,” Gran said. “The catering team is prepping the next round, so you can go and have your pick.”
“All right, I’ll go see what they have,” Allison said.
“I’m coming with you,” I assured her.
I figured she and I should settle on some rules if we planned to go through with teasing the family. Or we could just throw that plan in the garbage.
Yeah, I liked that much better. We’d already blown it anyway.
When we entered the kitchen, the catering team had just finished their preparations and were moving around the kitchen with efficiency.
“Let’s steal something and go into the backyard,” I said.
We grabbed two plates and some grilled cheese sandwiches, then went outside. We ate them much quicker than I thought we would and set the plates on the swing they’d installed for Ben.
“So,” she said, looking at me with a mischievous smile, “you asked me out here for a reason, huh?”
“Yes. I have a problem,” I admitted. “I can’t keep my hands off you.”
She grinned and immediately laced her arms around my neck. “I figured that. Just didn’t know what to make of it.”
I growled. “I don’t think our plan was smart.”
“I’m starting to think you’re right. So, what else do you want to do?”
“Well, what I want to do right now is kiss you. I didn’t get my fill of you this morning. That’s why I can’t keep my hands off you.”
Rising onto her toes, she brought her mouth to my ear. I grabbed her hips firmly so she wouldn’t lose her balance. “Nah, I think the opposite is true. The more you touch me, the more you want me.”
I didn’t argue with that because she had a point, and I needed that sassy mouth too much to waste precious time talking.
I kissed her just the way I’d wanted to all day.
Her lips were soft and so damn delicious.
I could spend the rest of my life kissing this woman, and it wouldn’t be enough.
I didn’t have words to describe what being with her did to me.
It was transformative in a way that surpassed my comprehension.
I was so lost in exploring her mouth that I didn’t even hear the door open. But I did hear the voice filtering through.
“Oh, okay. I guess we found them.”
I instantly straightened up, and so did Allison. We both glanced toward the house. Swear to God, the entire family had come out to the backyard.
Maddox grinned. “That’s one way to make a statement.”
I started to laugh. Allison was blushing.
“No. We decided to come out here and eat. There’s not enough space in the living room,” I said.
“Well, well!” Gran exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear.
The only ones missing from the group were Penny, Spencer, Ben, and the twins.
“I’m very happy for you two kids,” Gran said.
Allison covered her mouth with her hand. The ring I’d given her popped at me, reminding me that we were married and this could be real. We just had to make it that way. But right now, I sensed Allison was feeling cornered.
I stepped next to her and put my arm around her shoulders. “Right. I have a request of everyone. No questions today.”
Half the group started to talk at the same time.
Maddox shook his head. “Dude, making a statement like that is only going to make matters worse.”
I ran a hand through my hair, taking in everyone’s curious expressions. He probably had a point. Fuck, why did I think this was a good idea? I should have explained what was happening a few weeks ago, at least to my brothers. Told them that Allison and I weren’t just platonic roommates anymore.