Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 54091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 270(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 270(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
I fight the well of emotion in my throat. “He was only thirteen, and he thought like that?”
“Cancer made him grow up fast. It was brutal. But my parents ... They still talk about him. There are pictures of him all over their house. I just want you to know so you aren’t surprised.”
I nod. “I appreciate that. I’d love to hear about him.”
“It’s weird. I don’t like bringing him up myself, but I like hearing my parents talk about him. When I’m home, I feel him there. I feel the good times and the bad ones. I like seeing pictures of him at their house, even though it would be too painful for me to put a picture up in my own. I leave it all there when I go. It’s just how I live with it.”
“I get that. There’s no right or wrong there. You just do what feels best to you.”
He gives me a sheepish look. “I’m going to warn you—my mom is desperate for grandchildren. If I tell her not to say anything, she’ll still sneak in hints.”
I put my hands on his shoulders, grinning. “Don’t worry. I can handle your mom. The only big question we need to worry about right now is what we’re going to eat while we finish Love Island.”
“New relationship rule—if you’re held hostage, you get to choose where to order food from for forty-eight hours after.”
I arch a brow, impressed. “Look at you, joking about it just like me. I’m going with Chinese.”
“I’ll order the food and change back into my sweats.”
“I’ll get the show ready. Teamwork makes the dream work.”
He kisses my forehead. “We better relax while we can. I have a feeling the holidays might be ... interesting this year.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Leo
* * *
“Mara, you’re so beautiful. I wonder if your kids will get your pretty brown eyes.”
I sigh softly, squeezing Mara’s hand. My parents just met Mara five minutes ago, and my mom’s already dropping hints about our future children.
“You’re so sweet, thank you,” Mara says. “Everyone says I look just like my mom.”
“Finally settling down, Leo?” my Uncle Rob asks, shaking my hand in greeting. “It’s about time. Puck bunnies keep your bed warm, but they don’t have dinner waiting when you get home.”
“Hey, Uncle Rob.”
It’s the first time I’ve brought a woman home, and my family is excited to say the least. Family members who weren’t supposed to come until tomorrow decided to come early since Mara and I won’t be here then. My parents’ modest ranch is loud and festive, with sixteen extended family members here. Mara’s meeting my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and my cousins’ kids.
“What do you do for a living, Mara?” my dad asks.
While the kids play, the adults are congregated in the living room and kitchen, talking and snacking on food my mom has out. When I told her Mara and I were coming for Christmas Eve, she quickly planned a full celebration. My dad smoked two briskets and Mom made a bunch of sides and appetizers.
“I’m an assistant state’s attorney. I work in the traffic division.”
“An attorney?” My dad gives me an approving look. “So she’s Smart and beautiful.”
“She’s also funny and compassionate,” I say. “I’m still not sure what she sees in me.”
“Well, you’re rich,” my cousin Chelsea says.
That gets some weak laughs. I know Mara must be working overtime to hold back the quips that usually fly out of her mouth after comments like that.
My parents don’t serve alcohol in their house, so she’s meeting my family without the assistance of wine. I have a bottle of her favorite wine packed in my suitcase for later. We told my parents we’re staying at her parents’ house tonight and her parents we’re staying at my parents’ house tonight. But really, we’re staying at a hotel. Overnight would be too much for the first time meeting each other’s families.
“So what’s up with your knee, Leo?” my cousin Tony asks.
“Torn meniscus. I’m rehabbing it.”
“Are you getting surgery?”
“As of now, no. But if rehab doesn’t work, I might have to.”
He furrows his brow. “That’s gotta be rough, missing games.”
“It is?”
“Do you still get paid for games you don’t play in?” Chelsea asks.
“Yeah.”
My mom comes in and sits on the arm of the recliner my dad is sitting in. She does that when she’s busy in the kitchen, but eager to be included in the living room conversation.
“So, Mara, how did you and Leo meet?” Mom asks.
Mara smiles at me. “We’ve known each other for a while. My friend Suki married Leo’s friend Carter, and we all spend a lot of time together.”
“Was it love at first sight?”
I squeeze her hand, rubbing my thumb over her knuckles. “Not exactly.”
“I didn’t fully appreciate Leo at first,” Mara says.
Chelsea laughs hard at that. “Oh, I love it. Did you think he was arrogant? He comes off arrogant.”