My enthusiastic grin fades as I discern an unusual commotion inside the apartment.Are those high heels walking toward the door?!
Before I can react or think, the heavy panel opens, and a tall, lean, and blonde woman in her early forties appears on the other side. We stare at each other with matching shock, eyeing one another from head to toe. But then I’m distracted by the activity behind her. There are other people here. At least five. And kids. There arekidsin Lex’s apartment.
I’m still unsure what’s happening when he appears in my field of view. The panicked and lost look he sends me is anything but reassuring. Who the fuck are these people? Before he can reach the door, it parts wider, revealing a familiar woman—Lex’s oldest sister, Lucy.
“Hey, Andy. Long time no see,” she greets me. Turning to the unknown woman, she says, “Julia, this is Andrea, the woman I told you about.”
Oh, shit, that’s another one of Lex’s sisters.
Suddenly, it hits me.Holy fuck…The whole family is here.
Pure dread floods me. I’m about to meet Lex’s family and couldn’t have been more unprepared. And it’s not just the outrageous dress.
It’s the fact that I’m wearingnothingunderneath it.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Julia says, extending her hand to me. Lucy takes the bag of groceries from my distracted hold so I can shake it.
I can barely command my arm to move and comply. My mouth opens and closes, too stunned and mortified to say anything. Lex has reached us, and he wordlessly moves them out of the way to join me outside in the hallway. Ignoring their disapproval, he pulls on the door until it’s nearly closed and focuses on me.
“I’m so sorry,” he mumbles, one of his large hands gently squeezing my arm.
“Alexander, what the fuck?!” I mutter.
“They surprised me barely ten minutes ago. I wanted to call you to warn you, but I couldn’t get a single second to myself.”
“Well, you really,reallyshould have, Lex. I’m not ready for this. It’s too soon, and—For God’s sake, I’m not even wearing underwear!”
A flame dances in his eyes for a split second, but he’s quick to dismiss whatever vision or fantasy my revelation conjured. “I’m so fucking sorry, freckles. They know I hate surprises, so I’m not sure what the fuck this is about.”
“I wish you’d texted me, Lex. I would have at least put panties on.”Or turned around and ran for the hills.
I suddenly remember the duffel bag full of alternatives in my car, but before I can strategize, the door swings open. “Alright, love birds,that’s enough secret chitchat,” Lucy orders. “Andy, everyone wants to meet you. Come in!”
Lex rests a supportive hand on my lower back but doesn’t push me forward, waiting for me to decide what I’d rather do. It’s only for an evening. I can handle it. I’m a strong, badass woman, and I’ll endure whatever the next few hours have in store for me.
I shove the bag with Lex’s gift onto his chest. “You need to hide this,” I tell him. “In the depths of hell if you have to, but make it disappear.”
He takes it from me and nods gravely. We step inside, and while Lex beelines to his office with the bag, Lucy stays here to help me with my things.
“I think I’ll keep my coat on,” I say once I’ve discarded my scarf.
“Nonsense, it’s perfectly warm in here.”
Wow, authority definitely runs in their genes. She’s already helping with my coat buttons before I can find another excuse. When some of my dress appears, she raises her eyebrows at the dark blue velvet. “That is… pretty,” she hesitates.
“Uh, well, I was about to spend the eveningalonewith my boyfriend for hisbirthday,” I remind her.
“No judgment here. And it’s so nice that you two made things official. I had a hunch you’d get through that thick skull of his when you stormed out of the restaurant that day.”
She gives me a smile and a wink as she helps me remove my coat. “Phew, Lex will be even more annoyed that we came,” she says once she’s taken me in.
“Why did you come?” When I realize how harsh that sounds, I add, “I mean, he doesn’t like surprises, and it’s my understanding that his birthday was never a big thing for the family. So, why is it this year?”
She winces and looks around at her family members. “It might be my fault. I told Emmy and Jules about you, then our mother heard… I think it made us want to get closer to Lex, to witness this new development in his life.”
“I see… Well, a little warning would be great next time so I can dress kid-friendly,” I say with a grimace, looking down at my dress.
“It’s not that bad, don’t worry,” she reassures me.
