“Mom,Dad.”Briellepullsme to a middle-aged couple standing in the front door waiting for her.
“Bri, baby, you’re home!” the woman shouts, wrapping her in a tight embrace.
“Hey, honey, how was the flight? Any trouble?” her father asks, giving her a quick hug next.
Brielle looks back, her bottom lip caught between her teeth, her lips tipped up at the corners. “No, the flight was amazing, actually.”
“And who’s this?” her mother asks, her voice full of faux scandal. Her eyes rove over me. The spark of amusement in them is one I recognize from Brielle.
“Yeah, Bri, did you bring a date with you?” a voice behind us asks.
Brielle turns around, and the sound she makes nearly splits my eardrums. “Ev, it’s so good to see you.”
More hugs go around, one for her sister and then one to the man beside her. He gives her a quick shoulder hug, keeping his hand in the friendly zones.
“Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Damian,” she says.
“Your boyfriend?” her mother asks, completely surprised.
“When did that happen?” Evelyn asks.
Brielle glances at me. We can’t use the same timeframe as we did with the Vitales, otherwise they will really be wondering why she hasn’t said anything for the past seven months.
“Brielle and I have been seeing each other for a few weeks,” I say, speaking up for the first time.
“Damian, this is my mother, Diane, and my father, Jack,” Brielle says.
I reach out and shake both their hands. “Pleasure to meet you.”
Jack’s grip is tight and strong, his gaze assessing me as a suitable partner for his daughter. He seems to approve since he drops his hand with a smile.
If he only knew how unsuitable I really am.
Brielle introduces me, officially, to her sister Evelyn and Evelyn’s husband, Jeff.
“Nice to meet you,” Jeff says. Where he is completely amicable, Evelyn eyes me with suspicion. Her smile doesn’t reach her eyes, her gaze bouncing between Brielle and me. The protective older sister vibe I’m getting from her makes me feel like I have something to prove, which is ridiculous. What she or anyone else thinks of me is the least of my concerns, but it will matter to Brielle. And what Brielle thinks matters to me.
I slip my arm around her waist loosely. It’s easier and easier to do every time we’re together. She relaxes into my grip, shifting her body toward mine like a leaf to the sun. She peeks over her shoulder, her eyes meeting mine, a sweet smile tugging at her lips, and my heart chooses that moment to go on the fritz.
“I thought you were coming alone, Bri,” Evelyn says quietly. Her tone is just shy of accusatory, and my grip on Brielle tightens.
She turns back to Evelyn, still in my arms.
“Plans changed. What’s the problem?”
“It’s not a problem. It’s just…” We wait for a loaded second for Evelyn to say her piece. I know Brielle is close to her sister, and that’s the only thing keeping me from demanding she air her issue. “Well, I know I told you that you could stay with me and Jeff while you’re here, but Aunt Tammy needed a room. I figured you wouldn’t mind sharing since it was just you… but now…”
“Oh. Um,” Brielle starts, looking back over her shoulder to me.
“You can still stay there, obviously. I can see if maybe Gram and Gramps have space at their house for Aunt Tammy. With everyone coming in for the anniversary party, people will just need to double—or triple—up in rooms, that’s all.”
“We’ll get a hotel room,” I say. I don’t know who Aunt Tammy is, but I’m not going to kick her out of her room, and I’m certainly not going to join her.
Brielle’s eyes widen with apologies. “I’ll pay for it. I should have mentioned that I was bringing a plus-one. That’s completely my fault for not thinking about the sleeping arrangements. I didn’t think we’d need a room.”
“Don’t worry about it.” I lean in, my lips touching the shell of her ear. “I’d rather have the privacy anyway.”
Brielle whacks my abs with a quick backhand, her cheeks a little flushed, her lips pressed into a flat line like she’s trying not to grin.
