Cole, Asher’s dad, just gives me a giant smile and touches my shoulder. Okay, I just learned he is not a hugger.
“You’re carrying precious goods. The golden grandchild,” Shaw mumbles with a full mouth. My eyes whip to him, and he has his feet on the coffee table, making himself at home.
We all sit down with me next to Asher on the sofa. I notice a plate of sufganiyot donuts on the coffee table. I’ve never seen them on the menu at Jolly Joe’s. There are noholes in the middle, instead covered in powder sugar and clearly filled.
Asher notices that I’m checking them out. “These are the ones I told you about. My mom picked some up.”
They look damn delicious. “Is that chocolate in one?”
“Praline chocolate. A sort of pudding and my favorite,” his dad mentions.
“Well, I’m sold.” I lean forward and grab a small plate and opt for a donut with jam to be classic. The moment I take a bite, I’m taken to another galaxy. “Oh my gosh.” I continue chewing. It’s soft, has a decent amount of strawberry jam filling, and not too sweet.
“If you ever get into an argument with the baby daddy, just get him one of these and you’re fine,” Shaw suggests so casually.
“How is your team doing this season?” Asher pipes up, clearly taunting his brother because his team is doing terribly.
Their father groans and pinches his nose. “I feel like we just did a time warp and I need to tell my boys to take it down a notch.”
Ruby shoos her sons. “Well, here we are. You will be joining the family, Gracie. Anything we should learn about you? I mean, I already know about your career and your parents. How did your parents take the news?”
“Actually, okay.”
Asher touches my thigh for a squeeze. “Her dad only thought of killing me for the first few minutes.”
“I’m sure. Knocking up his little princess who is younger.” Shaw’s comment hits a little different this time. A little harsh, perhaps.
I smile tightly at him. “Not an issue. My parents also havean age gap.”
Their dad gives Shaw a humorous glare. “Stop it. She’s your future sister-in-law.”
His words strike me and suddenly the donut falls off my plate because my hands lose balance of holding it straight.
Asher clears his throat because this is not where the conversation was supposed to go. Even though we said that we would go at our own pace and get to know one another, it is all still somehow confronting.
“Wow, really making this a fun day, aren’t you,” Asher says, sarcastic.
My eyes drop to the blob of dough, red jam, and the cream carpet underneath. “Oh no.”
Asher’s fingerscup my elbow. “Don’t worry. Stained carpet is the least of our worries right now.”
Ruby claps her hands together. “Well, that was a little offside. But I mean, you two are clearly together since she is sleeping here, so that obviously means?—”
Asher is quick to interject. “Filter. Use it.”
She shrugs her shoulders, but her delightful smile doesn’t fade a smidgen. “We are just excited. You sprung a woman and baby on us at the snap of your fingers. It’s only been a few days, but here we are on the fifth day of Chrismukkah and we are all in good spirits.”
I wipe the corner of my mouth with the back of my finger. “I get it, I do.”
Asher shakes his head and blows out a long exhausting breath.
“How is Tyler?” Shaw asks, and I’m relieved that he is changing the subject.
“Fine. He listens well, and we keep it professional,” Asher tells him.
“That’s good. He is playing better this season,” Cole comments then drinks from his mug of coffee.
There is a moment of silence, and it is kind of awkward, but we all look at one another and acknowledge it. “Uh…”
